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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Tarawa (LHA-1)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Lima - Hotel - Alpha
NLHA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Joint Meritorious Unit Award - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (2) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Iran/Indian Ocean)- National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Lebanon, 1-Somalia) - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)


Tarawa Class Amphibious Assault Ship (General Purpose):
  • Laid down in November 1972, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. Pascagoula MS.
  • Launched, 1 December 1973
  • Commissioned USS Tarawa (LHA-1), 29 May 1976, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. Pascagoula MS., CAPT. James H. Morris USN in command
  • USS Tarawa is a unit of Amphibious Group Three, Naval Surfaces Forces Pacific, US Third Fleet, US Pacific Fleet, and is homeported at San Diego, CA.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 38,900 tons (fl.)
    Length 820'
    Beam 106'
    Draft 26'
    Speed 24 kts.
    Complement 82 Officer, 882 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations 1900 plus
    Armament
    two RAM launchers
    two single 5"/54 dual purpose gun mounts
    two single 20mm Phalanx (CIWS)
    six single 25mm chain guns
    Aircraft 28 amphibious transport helicopters
    Propulsion two 600 psi boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total shaft horsepower

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Tarawa 155k "Navy Times" 1986 Ship in the Spotlight featuring USS Tarawa (LHA-1). Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa 118k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway during at-sea trials, Summer 1975.
    US Navy photo from "NAVSEA Journal."
    Bob Bush
    Tarawa 146k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway during at-sea trials, Summer 1975.
    US Navy photo from "NAVSEA Journal."
    Bob Bush
    Tarawa 95k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Tarawa 89k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) arriving at White Beach, Okinawa, 4 April 1979. Ken Moss EN3 CTF-76 Staff
    Tarawa 89k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) moored at White Beach, Okinawa, April 1979. In the foreground LCU-1666 is underway entering the pier area after leaving Tarawa's well deck. Ken Moss EN3 CTF-76 Staff
    Tarawa 60k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) about to recover a Marine Corps AV-8A Harrier during the exercise "Valiant Blitz", in the Philippines, 1980. Robert Hurst
    Tarawa 77k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Tarawa 105k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway, date and place unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Tarawa 242k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway at San Diego, CA, date unknown.
    US Navy photo
    .
    Tarawa 62k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway location unknown, June 1986.
    US Navy photo
    Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa 53k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    .
    Tarawa 55k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) at anchor in Hong Kong harbor, BCC, 24 November 1989. William Chiu
    Tarawa 59k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) at anchor in Hong Kong harbor, BCC, 24 November 1989. William Chiu
    Tarawa 63k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) at anchor in Hong Kong harbor, BCC, 24 November 1989. William Chiu
    Tarawa 73k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway, September 1995, location unknown. Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa 105k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) on patrol off southern California in support of exercise Kernel Blitz '97, 28 June 1997.
    US Navy photo # 970628-N-3962B-001.
    Bill Gonyo
    Tarawa 70k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) at anchor off Bahrain, 11 March 1998
    US Navy photo 980311-N-1717N
    .
    Tarawa 97k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway, July 2001, location unknown. Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa 58k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) departing Pearl Harbor, 28 June 2002.
    US Navy photo # 1-020628-N-3228G-002 from the US Navy Newsstand web site.
    Bernard A. Cardali USN, USS LST-308
    Tarawa 51k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) moored pierside at NAS North Island, San Diego, CA., 2003. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Yukon 96k USNS Yukon (T-AO-202) delivers fuel to USS Tarawa (LHA 1) during an underway replenishment (UNREP), in the Arabian Gulf, 7 April 2003.
    US Navy photo # 030407-N-2515C-005 by PH2 Larry S. Carlson.
    Navy Newsstand
    Yukon 82k USNS Yukon (T-AO-202) delivers fuel to USS Tarawa (LHA 1) during an underway replenishment (UNREP), in the Arabian Gulf, 7 April 2003.
    US Navy photo # 030407-N-2515C-009 by PH2 Larry S. Carlson.
    Navy Newsstand
    Tarawa 63k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) during amphibious operations, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Bill Gonyo
    Tarawa 50k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway, date and location unknown. Photo by Justin Kavalauskas, USMC HMM-163 REIN Mark Tilton
    Tarawa 79k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) underway aerial view, date and location unknown. Photo by Justin Kavalauskas, USMC HMM-163 (REIN) Mark Tilton
    Tarawa 62k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) flight deck view, date and location unknown. Photo by Justin Kavalauskas, USMC HMM-163 REIN Mark Tilton
    Tarawa 45k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) stern gate view, date and location unknown. Photo by Justin Kavalauskas, USMC HMM-163 REIN Mark Tilton
    Tarawa 74k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) leading the Parade of Ships passing Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, 9 October 2003, during Fleet Week 2004. Photo by CAPT. Jack C. Goldthorpe, USCG Ret.
    Tarawa 63k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) departing from her home port, San Diego, CA., 16 July 2005 for a WESTPAC deployment. The ship returned to San Diego, 20 February 2006.
    US Navy photo.
    Jack Treutle
    Tarawa 483k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) moored pierside at Naval Station San Diego, CA., March 2006. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Tarawa 447k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) moored pierside at Naval Station San Diego, CA., 2006. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Tarawa 181k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) moored pierside at Naval Station San Diego, CA., August 2006. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Tarawa 404k USS Tarawa (LHA-1) and USNS Pecos (T-AO-197) moored pierside at Naval Station San Diego, CA., October 2006. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Tarawa 770k An AV-8B Harrier assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM-166 (reinforced) launches from the flight deck of USS Tarawa (LHA-1). U.S. forces maintain a naval and air presence in the region that deters destabilizing activities while safeguarding the region's vital links to the global economy.
    US Navy photo # 080301-N-6597HN-093, PERSIAN GULF (March 1, 2008) by MCSN Jon Husman.
    Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa 309k Aboard USS Tarawa (LHA-1) Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit run and train on the fight deck, 7 March 2008.
    US Navy photo # 080307-N-1786N-018, PERSIAN GULF (March 7, 2008) by MC3 Bryan Niegel.
    Robert M. Cieri

    USS Tarawa (LHA-1) Memorabilia
    Tarawa
    Christening Program

    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa
    Commissioning Program

    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa
    Ship's Namesake

    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa
    Welcome Aboard - 1980

    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa
    Welcome Aboard - 1986

    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa
    Welcome Aboard - 1995

    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    Tarawa
    Welcome Aboard - 2001

    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri

    View the USS Tarawa (LHA-1)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    View the USS Tarawa (LHA-1)
    Ship History/Command Operations Reports
    located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    USS Tarawa Veterans' Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Amphibious Assault Ships - LHA/LHD/LHA(R)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 25 April 2008