Over 3,064,780 active members

Opening unit directory

Building the branch units surface

Loading unit filters, rankings, and the branch unit grid.

Overview

Members

Units

Opening branch overview

Building the branch home surface

Loading branch highlights, featured unit context, and gallery moments.

Overview

Members

Units

USS NASSAU

U.S. Navy•70 members

USS NASSAU Homepage Photos Posts Members

Did you serve with the USS NASSAU?

Find familiar faces
Explore unit photos
Share your photos

New to VetFriends?

Create a free account to explore unit members and photos, and reconnect with people you served with.

Create a free account

Already a member? Log in

About this Unit

USS NASSAU

U.S. Navy

USS Nassau (LHA-4) was a Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1979. Designed to carry and deploy Marines, helicopters, and landing craft, Nassau played a key role in projecting American power and humanitarian assistance worldwide. The ship participated in notable operations, including the Gulf War’s Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and supported missions in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Middle East. USS Nassau was decommissioned in 2011 after over three decades of distinguished service.

About USS NASSAU

About this Unit

Historical Facts

Commissioning: USS Nassau (LHA-4) was commissioned on 28 July 1979, serving as the fourth ship in the Tarawa-class of amphibious assault ships.
Name Origin: The ship was named after the Battle of Nassau (1776), the first amphibious landing by the United States Marine Corps during the American Revolution.
Versatility: USS Nassau was designed to serve as a "mini aircraft carrier," capable of carrying helicopters, Harrier jump jets, and a full Marine Expeditionary Unit.
First Deployment: Nassau’s maiden deployment was in 1981, participating in exercises and operations in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic.
Desert Storm: During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Nassau served as a flagship and launched Marine air and amphibious assaults against Iraqi forces.
Humanitarian Missions: The ship was involved in multiple humanitarian missions, including disaster relief operations in the Caribbean and off the coast of Africa.
Groundbreaking Role: Nassau was the first amphibious assault ship to operate as an aircraft carrier when she filled in for the USS America (CV-66) in 1994, launching fixed-wing aircraft during a deployment.
9/11 Response: Shortly after the September 11 attacks, Nassau was rapidly deployed to support Operation Enduring Freedom, providing essential support in the early stages of the Afghanistan campaign.
Decommissioning: After more than 31 years of service, USS Nassau was decommissioned on 31 March 2011, having completed 25 deployments and traveled over 700,000 nautical miles.
Legacy: USS Nassau’s legacy continues through her support of Marine Corps and Navy operations, her participation in joint and international exercises, and the thousands of sailors and Marines who served aboard her.

Opening unit directory

Building the branch units surface

Loading unit filters, rankings, and the branch unit grid.

Overview

Members

Units

USS NASSAU

U.S. Navy•70 members

USS NASSAU Homepage Photos Posts Members

Did you serve with the USS NASSAU?

Find familiar faces
Explore unit photos
Share your photos

New to VetFriends?

Create a free account to explore unit members and photos, and reconnect with people you served with.

Create a free account

Already a member? Log in

About this Unit

USS NASSAU

U.S. Navy

Unit members

Don Wilson

U.S. Navy Active Duty · 2004 - 2006

U.S. Navy

U.S. Navy Military Retiree · 1982 - 1985

Message View Profile

Henry Taylor

U.S. Navy · 1991 - 1994

Message View Profile

View all members

Navy photos

Somewhere in Kuwait near the Iraqi border

Siezed Soviet/Iraqi Tank that was abandoned

View all photos

About USS NASSAU

About this Unit

Historical Facts

Commissioning: USS Nassau (LHA-4) was commissioned on 28 July 1979, serving as the fourth ship in the Tarawa-class of amphibious assault ships.
Name Origin: The ship was named after the Battle of Nassau (1776), the first amphibious landing by the United States Marine Corps during the American Revolution.
Versatility: USS Nassau was designed to serve as a "mini aircraft carrier," capable of carrying helicopters, Harrier jump jets, and a full Marine Expeditionary Unit.
First Deployment: Nassau’s maiden deployment was in 1981, participating in exercises and operations in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic.
Desert Storm: During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Nassau served as a flagship and launched Marine air and amphibious assaults against Iraqi forces.
Humanitarian Missions: The ship was involved in multiple humanitarian missions, including disaster relief operations in the Caribbean and off the coast of Africa.
Groundbreaking Role: Nassau was the first amphibious assault ship to operate as an aircraft carrier when she filled in for the USS America (CV-66) in 1994, launching fixed-wing aircraft during a deployment.
9/11 Response: Shortly after the September 11 attacks, Nassau was rapidly deployed to support Operation Enduring Freedom, providing essential support in the early stages of the Afghanistan campaign.
Decommissioning: After more than 31 years of service, USS Nassau was decommissioned on 31 March 2011, having completed 25 deployments and traveled over 700,000 nautical miles.
Legacy: USS Nassau’s legacy continues through her support of Marine Corps and Navy operations, her participation in joint and international exercises, and the thousands of sailors and Marines who served aboard her.