USS Tortuga (LSD-46)

He was succeeded by Commander James P. Driscoll, and in October 2000, the ship was ordered on an emergency deployment to support UNITAS 2000 in the South Pacific after USS La Moure County had run aground on an underwater mountain off the coast of Valparaíso, Chile suffering catastrophic damage.She was the first Navy warship to sail up the Mississippi River following the hurricane and berthed on the West Bank of New Orleans Naval Station.Tortuga's crew conducted rescue missions in the flooded Ninth Ward and assisted local officials from St. Bernard Parish.Crew members employed combat rubber raiding craft (CRRCs) which allowed them to search flooded areas with many underwater obstacles.As water receded in New Orleans and the CRRCs became useless, the ship served as the headquarters for the 618th ESC "Nasty", and the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division U.S. Army camped out on the Naval Station, while they worked in conjunction with U.S. Navy units to conduct rescue and clean up missions.Tortuga arrived in Sasebo 31 March 2006 for turnover and assignment as part of the U.S. Navy's Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF).[2] As part of Operation Tomodachi, the ship transported Japanese Self-Defense Force personnel and equipment from Hokkaido to Honshu island.
Tortuga in September 2005, moored pier side in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina relief efforts
USS TortugaCuracaoDry TortugasLittle CreekWhidbey Island-classdock landing shipPhalanxRolling Airframe MissileUnited States NavyKey Westlaid downAvondale ShipyardsNew OrleansHurricane GilbertGulf of Mexicochristening ceremonychampagnecommissionedHurricane KatrinaCommanderUSS La Moure CountyValparaísoflagshipStanding Naval Forces AtlanticU.S. Fifth FleetOperation Iraqi FreedomNAB Little CreekVirginiaAtlantic FleetJoint Task Force KatrinaMississippi RiverSaseboUSS Fort McHenrytask groupSingaporeHopperCrommelinUSNS SalvorUnited States Coast GuardUSCGC ShermanThailandIndonesiaMalaysiaBruneiPhilippinesIwo JimaWorld War II battle fought there2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunamiOperation TomodachiHokkaidoHonshuHachinohe, AomoriMiyako, IwateArmed Forces of the PhilippinesUSS AshlandLittle Creek, VirginiaTomakomai, HokkaidoOminato, AomoriYomiuri ShimbunNaval Vessel Registerpublic domainWhidbey Island-class dock landing shipsWhidbey IslandGermantownFort McHenryGunston HallComstockRushmoreAshlandAnchorage classHarpers Ferry classList of United States Navy amphibious warfare ships