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General Characteristics Crew List Memorabilia Cruise Books Accidents aboard the Ship About the Name "Peleliu" History Homeports of USS Peleliu Patch Gallery Image Gallery to end of page |  |  |
USS PELELIU was the final ship in the TARAWA class of amphibious assault ships. Initially named DA NANG but commissioned as PELELIU, she was the first ship to bear the name of the island and the second ship named in honor of the battles fought in the Palau Islands. During her almost 35 years of service, PELELIU conducted 17 deployments, 178,051 aircraft movements on her flight deck, served 57,983 personnel and steamed approximately 1,011,946 nautical miles since being commissioned on May 3, 1980, in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
After decommissioning, the PELELIU was towed to Pearl Harbor, Hi., to join the reserve fleet. On July 17, 2026, she was sunk as a target approx. 50 nautical miles north of Kauai as part of RIMPAC 2026.
| General Characteristics: | Keel Laid: November 12, 1976 | ||||||||
| Launched: November 25, 1978 | |||||||||
| Commissioned: May 3, 1980 | |||||||||
| Decommissioned: March 31, 2015 | |||||||||
| Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, West Bank, Pascagoula, Miss. | |||||||||
| Propulsion system: two boilers, two geared steam turbines | |||||||||
| Propellers: two | |||||||||
| Aircraft elevators: two | |||||||||
| Length: 833,34 feet (254 meters) | |||||||||
| Flight Deck Width: 132,2 feet (40.3 meters) | |||||||||
| Beam: 106,6 feet (32.5 meters) | |||||||||
| Draft: 26,25 feet (8 meters) | |||||||||
| Displacement: approx. 39,300 tons full load | |||||||||
| Speed: 24 knots | |||||||||
Aircraft: (depends upon mission)
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| Crew: Ship: 82 officers, 882 enlisted Marine Detachment: 1,900+ | |||||||||
| Armament: two |
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageCrew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS PELELIU. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageUSS PELELIU Cruise Books:
back to top go to the end of the pageAccidents aboard USS PELELIU:
| Date | Where | Events |
|---|---|---|
| June 1989 | Long Beach, Calif. | In mid-June a fire aboard USS PELELIU at Long Beach, Calif., injured 14 sailors and causes minor damage. |
| September 12, 1991 | Persian Gulf | A CH-53 of HM-15 crashed while taking off from PELELIU. HS-6 from USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72) also assisted in the search for the six crewmembers of the crashed helicopter. On September 14, the six bodies of the crew were recovered. |
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About the Ship's Name, about the Assault and Capture of the Island of Peleliu:
USS PELELIU is named in honor of the Third Amphibious Force's assault and capture of the island of Peleliu. The battle was one of the most vicious and stubbornly contested of the Pacific campaign and nowhere was the fighting efficiency of the U.S. Marines more convincingly demonstrated. Eight Marines were awarded the Medal of Honor during this battle.
General Roy S. Geiger, USMC declared repeatedly that the battle for Peleliu was the toughest of the entire Pacific war. From the initial wave of Marines hitting Peleliu's beaches on September 15th, until the fury of combat was finally still on October 26, 1944, the 1st Marine Division suffered 6,526 casualties, of which 1,252 were killed in action.
The importance of Peleliu is a matter for speculation now; but history records show that nine days after the assault phase was declared complete, U.S. forces under General MacArthur invaded Leyte. His flank had been secured and the Pacific war entered a new and decisive phase.
back to top go to the end of the pageUSS PELELIU History:
USS PELELIU was commissioned on May 3, 1980 at Ingalls Shipyard, Pascagoula, Mississippi. The ship's sponsor was Mrs. Peggy Hayward, wife of then CNO, Thomas B. Hayward.
The ship departed Ingalls Shipyard under command of CAPT T.P. Scott. Flight operations were frequently conducted and the ship logged its 500th landing on May 30, 1980.
On May 17th PELELIU arrived in Colon, Panama to begin unrigging for the transit of the Panama Canal. PELELIU departed Colon on May 20th and tied up in Balboa, Panama (Pacific side of the canal) twelve hours later. After five days of rerigging in Balboa, PELELIU departed and entered her homewaters of the Pacific. PELELIU proceeded south from Panama and crossed the equator on the night of May 27th, which is the record for the shortest period between a ship's commissioning and "Crossing the Line."
On May 28th PELELIU headed northerly enroute Mazatlan, Mexico, departing the Baja port on June 7th enroute San Diego, California. Most of the events PELELIU and her crew participated in during this initial transit were "firsts" and the underway refueling with USNS TALUGA was no exception, occurring on June 8th. PELELIU arrived at Naval Air Station, San Diego on June 10th for a one-day stop prior to proceeding to Long Beach, CA, her homeport.
In 1981 PELELIU complete its Post-Shakedown Availability and join the fleet as a fully operational unit of the Navy's Pacific Amphibious Force. The latter part of the year found the ship and her crew well trained having past numerous work up evaluations. The Engineering department passed their Operational Propulsion Plant Examination (OPPE) in 42--hours vice the normal 72 hours required, and REFTRA was successfully accomplished just prior to the holiday season. All efforts were directed toward preparing PELELIU for its first Western Pacific/Indian Ocean deployment.
1982 marked USS PELELIU's first year as a fully operational unit of the Navy's Pacific Fleet Amphibious Force. In January, she was the flagship in a no-notice, non-combatant emergency evacuation exercise conducted off San Clemente Island, and on March 28th the ship got underway for its maiden deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. The deployment was completed on October 4th. One month later the ship deployed to the northern Pacific Ocean to participate in an exercise held off Amchitka in the Aleutian Islands. PELELIU conducted its 10,000th accident free landing during this northern Pacific exercise.
PELELIU deployed with 17th Marine Amphibious Unit from September 1983 to March 1984, crossing the equator during the cruise (Shellback initiation on November 12, 1983). The pattern of that WestPac - transits via Hawaii into the Philippine Sea and South China Sea with routine training and port periods - mirrored the Cold War amphibious presence that kept U.S. Marine air-ground task forces forward-postured in Asia. She undertook another WestPac from April to September 1985, again as an amphibious flagship for an embarked MAU. A further WestPac followed in January-July 1988, by then with the redesignated 11th MAU as the Marine Corps was transitioning its forward units to the "MEU (SOC)" construct. On October 17, 1989, while at home on the U.S. West Coast, PELELIU was among the Navy and Military Sealift Command ships that provided emergency assistance after the Loma Prieta earthquake, embarking displaced civilians and supporting helicopter movements in the Bay Area.
In January 1990, PELELIU sailed again for the Western Pacific, joining major allied exercises - Team Spirit with the Republic of Korea and Cobra Gold in Thailand - before returning to Long Beach in July. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait the following month truncated a planned yard period and accelerated workups, though PELELIU did not deploy for Operation Desert Shield/Storm. She finally departed again in May 1991 toward the Middle East, but in June, as Mount Pinatubo erupted, was diverted to the Philippines for the large-scale evacuation of U.S. personnel from Subic Bay and Clark Air Base. That CONUS-to-Western Pacific cycle, with rapidly shifting tasking, reflected the post-Cold War transition in which forward amphibious groups alternated deterrence, contingency, and humanitarian roles.
On January 21, 1994, PELELIU got underway with the 11th MEU (SOC) for Mogadishu in support of the final U.N. and U.S. drawdown from Somalia. She arrived on station in early March 1994, served as the afloat reserve for the withdrawal, and supported security, logistics, and medical operations during Operations Continue Hope and Quick Draw through the spring. In April, the PELELIU amphibious ready group shifted to the East African littorals to support Operation Distant Runner, the evacuation of U.S. and U.N. personnel during violence around the Rwanda-Burundi border, before clearing theater in early June and conducting a port visit at Perth, Australia en route home.
From November 1995 to May 1996, she deployed with the 15th MEU (SOC), reaching the Persian Gulf to support Operation Southern Watch and routine maritime security in the CENTCOM area, then returned to San Diego. In 1997-1998 PELELIU sailed with the 13th MEU (SOC), again present in the Gulf and taking part in Eager Mace 98 and Fleet Battle Experiment "Silent Fury" alongside the CONSTELLATION (CV 64) Battle Group - a reflection of the Navy's then-new "expeditionary strike group" concept that knit carriers and amphibious forces together for theater shaping and crisis response.
PELELIU deployed again June-December 1999 with the 11th MEU (SOC) and, as East Timor's crisis drew in an Australian-led multinational force, joined INTERFET from October 26 to November 27, 1999. Off Dili she provided aviation, command-and-control, and logistics to help stabilize the situation while the international contingent moved ashore, and her aircraft also flew humanitarian sorties that moved food, medicine, and evacuees. The mission concluded as security conditions improved and a U.N. transitional administration stood up.
On August 2001, the ship left San Diego with the 15th MEU (SOC), her ARG rounded out by USS COMSTOCK (LSD 45) and USS DUBUQUE (LPD 8). She was in port at Darwin, Australia on September 11, 2001. Redirected at high speed to the North Arabian Sea as Task Force 58 formed, PELELIU launched aircraft and supported the longest over-the-shore helicopter assault in Marine Corps history: the seizure of "Camp Rhino" near Kandahar on November 25-26, 2001, establishing the first conventional U.S. ground lodgment of Operation Enduring Freedom. On December 14, 2001, after his capture inland, John Walker Lindh was brought aboard PELELIU for medical treatment and transfer. The deployment showcased the amphibious force's strategic reach from sea to deep inland objectives.
Following a comprehensive post-deployment overhaul in San Diego, PELELIU stood up the first modern Expeditionary Strike Group and deployed August 2003-March 2004 as the flagship of ESG-1 with the 13th MEU (SOC) amid the opening phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operating through the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and into the North Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf, she conducted maritime security and supported air and ground operations ashore. On December 31, 2003, warships from her force - including cruiser USS PORT ROYAL (CG 73) and dock landing ship USS GERMANTOWN (LSD 42) - interdicted a dhow in the North Arabian Sea and seized about 2,800 pounds of hashish. The boarding disrupted contraband smuggling lanes thought to fund extremist networks. Homeward bound, the group made port calls at Darwin (February 4, 2004), Apra Harbor, Guam (February 17), and Pearl Harbor (February 27) before returning to San Diego on March 9, 2004.
With the 11th MEU, PELELIU and ESG-3 departed again on February 15, 2006, for a six-month deployment that included 5th Fleet operations and engagement throughout the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean. HMM-166 (Reinforced) and associated detachments formed the embarked air combat element. Photographs from the period show the squadron operating through regional hubs such as Doha. The ship returned to San Diego on August 16, 2006, after completing maritime security missions and theater exercises.
From May to September 2007, PELELIU executed PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2007, a four-month humanitarian and civic-assistance deployment coordinated with host nations and nongovernmental partners. Beginning in early June after staging through Hawaii and Guam, the ship called in sequence at the Philippines, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Marshall Islands. Embarked medical, dental, veterinary, engineering, and construction teams - drawn from the U.S. Navy, other militaries, and civilian organizations - treated patients, refurbished clinics and schools, drilled wells, and trained with local health providers, a theater security cooperation effort aimed at improving disaster response capacity across Southeast Asia and Oceania.
In May-November 2008, PELELIU deployed with the 15th MEU (SOC) for maritime security and CENTCOM tasking. On August 8, 2008, about 80 nautical miles north of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden, she and her embarked Marines responded to a distress call from the Singapore-flagged merchant vessel GEM OF KILAKARAI under attack by armed skiffs. Aircraft and small-boat teams deterred the assailants and secured the scene without casualties. The mission typified the counter-piracy surge that year along the vital Suez-Indian Ocean route. PELELIU returned to San Diego on November 4, 2008.
In May 2010, she sailed again with the 15th MEU (SOC) toward the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. After mid-year exercises and port calls, catastrophic monsoon flooding struck Pakistan starting July 29, 2010. PELELIU shifted to Karachi to serve as the sea base for heavy-lift helicopters. Over ten weeks, her Navy-Marine air detachment - augmented by additional U.S. Army and Navy aircraft - flew evacuation and relief sorties into Sindh and the Swat Valley, ultimately moving more than 9,000 people and over five million pounds of aid to otherwise inaccessible areas. She paused at Subic Bay on November 24, 2010 - her first return since the 1991 evacuation - before completing further liberty stops (Guam, Darwin, Dubai, Phuket, Pearl Harbor) and arriving home December 18, 2010.
PELELIU deployed once more on September 17, 2012, with PHIBRON THREE, USS GREEN BAY (LPD 20), and USS RUSHMORE (LSD 47), the 15th MEU embarked. After entering 7th Fleet, the group completed Exercise Crocodilo off Timor-Leste and visited Phuket, Darwin, and Bali. By early November 2012, they arrived in 5th Fleet to conduct maritime security and theater engagement. The ARG returned to San Diego on May 14, 2013 after eight months, the Marine air combat element HMM-364 (Reinforced) debarking with 29 aircraft over May 1213.
In 2014 the ship participated in RIMPAC off Hawaii in June-July, then moved forward into Seventh Fleet to mitigate a temporary amphibious presence gap in the Western Pacific. Port visits included Apra Harbor (Guam), Sasebo and Okinawa (Japan), Subic Bay (Philippines), and Singapore, coupled with community engagements and multilateral drills. In early October, she embarked 31st MEU elements for Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) 15 with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, supporting MV-22B and helicopter deck operations. She returned to San Diego on December 24, 2014 to prepare for inactivation.
After 34 years of service, PELELIU was decommissioned at San Diego on March 31, 2015. She subsequently shifted to Pearl Harbor for inactive reserve lay-up.
back to top go to the end of the pageHomeports of USS PELELIU:
| Period | Homeport |
|---|---|
| commissioned at Pascagoula, Miss. | |
| 1980 - 1993 | Long Beach, Calif. |
| 1993 - 2015 | San Diego, Calif. |
back to top go to the end of the pageUSS PELELIU Patch Gallery:
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USS PELELIU Image Gallery:
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The photos below were taken by William Chiu when USS PELELIU visited Hong Kong in 1992.
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The photos below were taken by me and show USS PELELIU at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on March 10, 2008.
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The photos below were taken by Ian Johnson and show USS PELELIU Fremantle, Australia, on October 3, 2008 (the first four photos), and October 4, 2008.
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The photos below were taken by me and show the PELELIU undergoing a Phased Maintenance Availability (PMA) at Naval Base San Diego, Calif. The photos were taken on September 30, 2011, (the first two photos) and October 2, 2011.
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The photos below were taken by me and show the PELELIU at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on March 15, 2012.
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The photos below were taken by Shiu On Yee during USS PELELIU's port visit to Hong Kong April 15-22, 2013. The PELELIU, along with USS RUSHMORE (LSD 47) and GREEN BAY (LPD 20), visited Hong Kong on their way home from the 5th Fleet area of operations. The three ships arrived in San Diego, Calif., on May 14 after being deployed for eight months.
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The photo below was taken by Lydia Perz and shows the PELELIU at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on May 3, 2014. The ship in the foreground is USS SAMPSON (DDG 102).
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the PELELIU at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on December 27, 2014 - three days after returning home from her 17th and final deployment. Her homecoming garland can be seen on the ship's bow.
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The photos below were taken by Sebastian Thoma and show the ex-PELELIU laid up in Middle Loch at Pearl Harbor, Hi., on March 18, 2022.
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