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USS Peleliu Celebrates 23rd Birthday

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS030520-16

Release Date: 5/20/2003 2:38:00 PM

By Chief Journalist (SW/AW) Robert Winkler, USS Peleliu Public Affairs

ABOARD USS PELELIU, At Sea (NNS) -- Amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) celebrated its 23rd birthday May 3.

The ship's crew gathered in the hangar bay in honor of the event, which was marked by a cake-cutting, and a few words by Peleliu's Commanding Officer, Capt. Dennis D. DuBard.

Peleliu is the first U.S. Navy ship to carry the name Peleliu, and the second ship named in honor of the World War II battles fought in the Palau Islands. The first ship was USS Palau (CVE 122), a Commencement Bay Class aircraft carrier, which served from 1946 until being decommissioned in 1954.

Peleliu is named in honor of the 3rd Amphibious Force's assault and capture of Peleliu Island in the fall of 1944. The battle was one of the most vicious and stubbornly contested of the Pacific campaign. Nowhere was the fighting efficiency of the U.S. Marine Corps more convincingly demonstrated. Eight Marines were awarded the Medal of Honor (five posthumously).

Peleliu's keel was laid Nov. 12, 1976, and the ship was launched Nov. 11, 1978. Peleliu was christened Jan. 6, 1979, by Margaret Hayward, wife of former Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Thomas B. Hayward. Commissioning took place in Pascagoula, Miss., at Ingalls Shipyard May 3, 1980.

Peleliu transited the Panama Canal May 20, 1980, and arrived at its first homeport, U.S. Naval Station Long Beach, Calif., in June 1980. The ship got underway for its initial Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment March 27, 1982.

Now, more than 20 years later, and almost as many deployments, Peleliu is stationed at the 32nd Street Naval Station in San Diego and is gearing up for another western Pacific deployment (WESTPAC).

Its last deployment took Peleliu and its crew, along with over 1,200 embarked Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and made history. It was the first ship in the war on terrorism to deploy Marines to the beach, and then fly over 200 miles to the desert country of Afghanistan. The missions eventually led to the to expulsion of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, and a major victory.

Peleliu's Command Master Chief, CMDCM (SW) Fred Cetnar, remembers how it used to be on board Peleliu. This is his second tour aboard the ship; his first was from 1984 to 1988. He was selected as chief petty officer during this tour, and things have changed since then.

"There have been 12 years of differences: spaces changed, technology has changed, and the number of personnel has increased. The ship went from smoking to non-smoking. We've added the Hall of Heroes.before there was no history about the ship," said Cetnar.

Peleliu is making history again as it takes on the role of Flagship for the newly formed Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 1. In the past, Peleliu deployed as an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), consisting of Peleliu and two other amphibious ships, and was commanded by a commodore.

As ESG 1, the three amphibious ships will be augmented by a guided-missile cruiser, a guided-missile destroyer, a guided-missile frigate and a fast-attack submarine. This will give ESG 1 more flexibility and firepower than any amphibious force before, allowing the group to operate at an operational level of war. Peleliu is expected to deploy again later this summer.