USS Rushmore (LSD-14)

• Namesake: USS Rushmore (LSD-14) was named after Mount Rushmore, the famous monument in South Dakota featuring the carved faces of four U.S. presidents. • Class & Launch: She was an Ashland-class dock landing ship, launched on October 3, 1943, by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland, Oregon. • World War II Service: Rushmore played a significant role in the Pacific Theater during World War II, participating in major campaigns such as Leyte Gulf, Lingayen Gulf, and Okinawa. • Unique Role: During the Leyte Gulf landings, Rushmore was used to transport and land British motor torpedo boats, showcasing joint Allied cooperation. • Kamikaze Attack: On January 10, 1945, Rushmore narrowly avoided a kamikaze attack at Lingayen Gulf, thanks to prompt anti-aircraft fire and evasive maneuvers. • Operation Crossroads: In 1946, she supported Operation Crossroads, the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll, by transporting landing craft and equipment. • Decommissionings and Recommissionings: Rushmore was decommissioned in 1947, then recommissioned in 1950 for the Korean War, and served in peacetime and crises throughout the 1950s and 1960s. • Rescue Mission: In 1952, Rushmore rescued the crew of the Italian freighter SS Eugenio C when it ran aground near the Azores. • Arctic Operations: She participated in Arctic resupply missions, assisting in the construction of the DEW (Distant Early Warning) Line radar stations during the Cold War. • Final Fate: USS Rushmore was decommissioned for the last time in 1970 and sold for scrapping in 1978, after earning three battle stars for World War II service and one for the Korean War.