USN

USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy, commissioned on August 19, 2000. Named in honor of Private First Class Oscar P. Austin, a Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War, the ship is homeported in Norfolk, Virginia. Throughout its service, USS Oscar Austin has participated in numerous deployments, including operations in the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East, and support for Operation Enduring Freedom. The destroyer is equipped with advanced Aegis combat systems, enabling it to perform a wide range of missions, from air defense to anti-submarine warfare.

USS OZARK (MCS-2) was originally laid down as LSV-2, a vehicle landing ship, and commissioned in 1944 during World War II. She served in the Pacific Theater, supporting amphibious operations by transporting troops, vehicles, and equipment to combat zones. After the war, OZARK was converted into a mine countermeasures support ship and redesignated MCS-2 in 1955. Throughout her service, she played a vital role in supporting mine warfare operations until her decommissioning in 1974.

USS Passumpsic (AO-107) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler commissioned by the United States Navy in 1946. Designed to refuel warships at sea, she played a crucial logistical role during the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Cold War operations in the Pacific. Passumpsic conducted numerous underway replenishments, enabling sustained naval operations far from port. After decades of distinguished service, she was decommissioned in 1973 and later transferred to the Military Sealift Command, continuing her support role under a civilian crew.

USS Pearl Harbor (LSD-52) is a Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship commissioned into the U.S. Navy on May 30, 1998. Named in honor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the ship has been pivotal in supporting amphibious operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief missions worldwide. Over its service, USS Pearl Harbor has participated in major exercises and deployments, including Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, providing logistical support and transport for Marines, vehicles, and landing craft. The ship’s versatility and advanced capabilities have made it a key asset in maintaining U.S. maritime readiness and projecting power across the globe.

USS PERMIT (SSN-594) was the lead ship of her class of nuclear-powered attack submarines in the United States Navy. Commissioned on May 29, 1962, she played a crucial role during the Cold War, conducting surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and intelligence-gathering missions in the Pacific Ocean. Permit was notable for being part of the first class of submarines designed from the outset for nuclear propulsion, significantly enhancing the Navy's underwater capabilities. After nearly three decades of service, USS PERMIT was decommissioned on July 23, 1991.

USS Polk County (LST-1084) was a tank landing ship of the United States Navy, commissioned in May 1945 near the end of World War II. Initially serving in the Pacific, she assisted in occupation duties in the Far East after Japan’s surrender. The ship was decommissioned but later recommissioned for service during the Korean War, where she transported troops, vehicles, and equipment to support United Nations operations. USS Polk County continued to serve through the Cold War period until she was decommissioned in 1969 and subsequently transferred to the Republic of China Navy.

USS Pollack (SSN-603) was a Permit-class nuclear-powered attack submarine commissioned by the United States Navy in 1964. Named after the pollack fish, she played an important role in Cold War naval operations, conducting numerous surveillance and deterrence patrols. Pollack participated in various fleet exercises and was noted for her advanced sonar and stealth capabilities. After nearly three decades of service, she was decommissioned in 1989 and later scrapped under the Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program.

USS Preserver (ARS-8) was a Diver-class rescue and salvage ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1943. Throughout World War II, she provided vital salvage, towing, and rescue operations in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters, notably supporting the Normandy Invasion in 1944. After the war, Preserver continued her service, participating in peacetime operations and Cold War missions, including the recovery of sunken aircraft and submarines. Decommissioned in 1992, USS Preserver earned several commendations for her decades of dedicated and versatile service.

USS Rainier (AE-5) was an ammunition ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1941. Throughout World War II, she played a critical logistics role, supplying ammunition to Allied naval forces in the Pacific Theater, including during major campaigns such as Guadalcanal and the Philippines. After the war, Rainier was decommissioned, but was later recommissioned for service during the Korean War and again during the Vietnam War, continuing her vital support missions. Rainier was finally decommissioned in 1970, having earned numerous battle stars for her dedicated service across three major conflicts.

USS Ranger (CV-4) was the United States Navy's first purpose-built aircraft carrier, commissioned in 1934. During World War II, she primarily operated in the Atlantic, providing critical air cover for convoys and participating in Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942. Ranger also conducted air strikes against German shipping and installations along the Norwegian coast in 1943. After serving as a training and transport carrier later in the war, USS Ranger was decommissioned in 1946 and sold for scrap in 1947.

USS Reuben James (FFG-57) was an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate of the United States Navy, commissioned on March 22, 1986. Named in honor of Boatswain’s Mate Reuben James, a naval hero of the First Barbary War, the ship conducted multiple deployments to the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf, often supporting maritime security operations and coalition exercises. Notably, Reuben James participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, providing escort and patrol duties in the volatile Middle East region. After over 27 years of distinguished service, the frigate was decommissioned on July 18, 2013, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

USS Rockbridge (APA-228) was a Haskell-class attack transport commissioned by the United States Navy in November 1944. She served in the Pacific Theater during World War II, participating in the Okinawa campaign by transporting troops and equipment for amphibious assaults. After the war, Rockbridge supported occupation duties in Japan and later took part in Operation Magic Carpet, repatriating American servicemen. The vessel was decommissioned in 1947 but was recommissioned for service during the Korean War and continued to serve until her final decommissioning in 1968.

USS Rowan (DD-782) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy in 1945. After serving briefly in the final months of World War II, Rowan was active during the Korean War, providing naval gunfire support and screening aircraft carriers. The ship also saw extensive service during the Vietnam War, participating in operations such as Sea Dragon and offering naval gunfire support along the Vietnamese coast. Decommissioned from U.S. service in 1975, Rowan was transferred to the Republic of China Navy, where she served as ROCS Lai Yang (DD-20) until her retirement.

USS **Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413)** was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort commissioned by the United States Navy in April 1944. The ship gained legendary status during the Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944, when her crew bravely engaged a vastly superior Japanese fleet to protect American escort carriers. Despite being heavily outgunned and eventually sunk, Samuel B. Roberts inflicted significant damage on enemy ships and bought crucial time for the American task force to escape. The ship's extraordinary courage earned her and her crew the nickname "the destroyer escort that fought like a battleship" and a lasting place in naval history.

USS **Samuel Eliot Morison (FFG-13)** was an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate of the United States Navy, commissioned on 11 June 1983. Named in honor of Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison, a distinguished naval historian, the ship served primarily in the Atlantic Fleet. Throughout its service, FFG-13 participated in various operations, including counter-narcotics patrols in the Caribbean and multinational exercises, demonstrating versatility and commitment to maritime security. The frigate was decommissioned on 11 July 2002, after nearly two decades of service.

USS San Juan (SSN-751) is a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine commissioned into the United States Navy on August 6, 1988. She was the first of her class to be built with the improved 688i (Improved) design, featuring advanced quieting technologies and enhanced combat capabilities. Throughout her service, USS San Juan has participated in numerous deployments, including under-ice operations in the Arctic and supporting various fleet exercises and missions worldwide. Notably, she made headlines in 2007 during a brief loss of contact under the Atlantic, but was quickly located with all crew safe, highlighting the risks and professionalism associated with submarine operations.

USS **Seadragon** was the name given to two submarines in the United States Navy. The first, **USS Seadragon (SS-194)**, was a Sargo-class submarine commissioned in 1939. She served with distinction during World War II in the Pacific, conducting numerous war patrols, sinking enemy vessels, and earning multiple battle stars before being decommissioned in 1946. The second, **USS Seadragon (SSN-584)**, was a Skate-class nuclear-powered submarine commissioned in 1959, notable for her Arctic operations, including the first transit of the Northwest Passage by a submarine and surfacing at the North Pole. Both vessels played significant roles in advancing U.S. submarine capabilities and naval operations during their respective service periods.

USS Shadwell (LSD-15) was an Ashland-class dock landing ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1944. She played a vital role in World War II, participating in the assault and occupation of Okinawa, where she supported amphibious operations by carrying and launching landing craft and vehicles. After the war, Shadwell took part in occupation duties in the Far East before being decommissioned in 1947, but was later recommissioned for service during the Korean War and Cold War era. In her later years, the ship was converted into a test platform for fire and damage control research, serving the Navy in experimental roles until her final decommissioning.

USS Soley (DD-707) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy in 1944. Named after Lieutenant Commander James R. Soley, she served in the Pacific during the final months of World War II, supporting operations such as the bombardment of Japanese-held islands and escorting aircraft carriers. After the war, USS Soley participated in the Korean War, providing naval gunfire support and screening carriers. The ship continued her service during the Cold War, conducting various operations and training exercises until she was decommissioned in 1970.

**USS Spear (AM-322)** was an Auk-class minesweeper commissioned by the United States Navy during World War II. Launched in 1943, she played a crucial role in clearing minefields in the Pacific Theater, ensuring safe passage for Allied ships during key island-hopping campaigns. After the war, USS Spear assisted with post-war mine clearance operations before being decommissioned in 1946. In 1948, she was transferred to the Mexican Navy, where she served under the name ARM Hermenegildo Galeana.

USS Thetis Bay (CVE-90), a Casablanca-class escort carrier, was commissioned in July 1944 and served with distinction in the Pacific Theater during World War II, providing vital air support for amphibious operations and convoy protection. After the war, she was decommissioned in 1946 but was later reactivated and extensively converted into the Navy’s first assault helicopter carrier, redesignated as CVHA-1 (and later LPH-6) in 1955. As USS Thetis Bay (LPH-6), she pioneered the integration of helicopters into amphibious warfare, supporting Marine Corps operations and training exercises throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s. She was decommissioned in 1964, having played a key role in the evolution of naval aviation and amphibious assault tactics.

USS Tingey (DD-539) was a Fletcher-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy in 1943 during World War II. She participated in numerous Pacific Theater operations, including the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and shore bombardments in support of amphibious landings. Tingey was credited with rescuing survivors and providing vital anti-aircraft and anti-submarine defense for carrier task forces. After the war, she served briefly before being decommissioned in 1947, having earned eight battle stars for her distinguished service.

USS Tioga County (LST-1158) was a Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1953. Designed for amphibious operations, she served primarily in the Atlantic Fleet before being deployed to the Western Pacific, where she supported logistics and landing exercises. During the Vietnam War, Tioga County played a crucial role in transporting troops, vehicles, and supplies to combat zones along the South Vietnamese coast. After nearly two decades of service, she was decommissioned in 1972 and later transferred to the Republic of the Philippines, where she served as BRP Benguet (LT-507).

USS Tombigbee (AOG-11) was a Patapsco-class gasoline tanker commissioned by the United States Navy in 1943. Serving throughout World War II, she supplied fuel to warships and remote bases in the Pacific Theater, supporting operations in locations such as the Solomon and Philippine Islands. After the war, Tombigbee continued to provide vital logistics support during the Korean War and later in the Vietnam War, demonstrating her versatility and endurance. Decommissioned in 1972, she was eventually transferred to the Hellenic Navy, where she served as Ariadni (A414).