• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

USS Nassau Celebrates 28th Birthday

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070801-18
Release Date: 8/1/2007 3:17:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist Chief Terrina Weatherspoon, USS Nassau Public Affairs

LEONARDO, N.J. (NNS) -- USS Nassau (LHA 4) commemorated its 28th birthday July 27 during an all hands celebration while pierside at Weapons Station Earle in Leonardo.

Celebrating 28 years since its commissioning, the Navy’s "Top Gator" had very special guests to help commemorate their golden birthday.

Firefighters of Battalion 57, Engine Company 235 from New York City were on hand to participate in the traditional cake-cutting ceremony. Their station was directly affected by the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

“Nassau and Battalion 57, Engine Company 235 have a very special relationship,” said Command Master Chief Electronics Technician Kevin Goodrich. “They were some of the first responders to the attacks on the World Trade [Center}. It was an honor to have them come out. We’re both patriots, we both love America and that’s what bonds us.”

In the wake of the tragedy, Nassau’s then-commanding officer, Capt. Russell Tjepkema, a Brooklyn, N.Y. native, reunited with a high school friend with ties to the New York Fire Department (FDNY), which had suffered great personnel losses as a result of the terrorist attacks. To honor the fallen firefighters, Tjepkema requested a FDNY flag from a New York firehouse for Nassau to fly while on station in the Persian Gulf during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Not only did Nassau receive the flag, but accompanying the flag was a firefighter’s helmet showing the scars of 20 years of service and a patch of a fallen fireman. The FDNY gift has a permanent memorial on board the ship.

Battalion 57, Engine Company 235 brought Nassau another very special helmet to honor its 28th birthday. Part of the inscription read: “… events of 9/11 united us, may that bond grow stronger as we continue our journey.”

In return, Nassau damage controlmen gave the New York firemen a fireman’s axe with a ships coin mounted on the handle.

After the celebration, it was back to work as usual. It is the crew’s job to continue to keep the ship looking as young as they can.

“The ship is in fantastic shape,” said Goodrich. “It’s obvious that our deck-plate Sailors are making the right choices at the right times each time they are tasked because we answer all bells, complete all missions and keep the ship sailing throughout the water."