USS Belleau Wood ( LHA - 3 ) USS " Belleau Wood " ( LHA - 3 ) , nicknamed " Devil Dog " , was the second ship named after the battle of Belleau Wood in World War I . Her keel was laid down on 5 March 1973 at Pascagoula , Mississippi , by Ingalls Shipbuilding . She was launched on 11 April 1977 , and commissioned on 23 September 1978 , with Captain T . C . Steele in command . " Belleau Wood " was the third of five ships in a new class ( " Tarawa " - class ) of general - purpose amphibious assault ships and combined into one ship type the functions previously performed by four different types : the amphibious assault ship ( LPH / Landing Platform Helicopter ) , the amphibious transport dock ( LPD ) , the amphibious cargo ship ( LKA ) , and the dock landing ship ( LSD ) . She was capable of landing elements of a United States Marine Corps battalion landing team and their supporting equipment by landing craft , by helicopter s , or by a combination of both . Operational history . Homeported in NS San Diego , California in October 1978 , " Belleau Wood " participated in her first full - scale operation in 1979 off the coast of Hawaii . In early 1979 , she reported to Long Beach Naval Shipyard in Long Beach , California for a one - year engine overhaul . " Belleau Wood " began her first major deployment in January 1981 . The ship rescued 150 Vietnamese refugees , earning the crew the Humanitarian Service Medal . The deployment included three major exercises and eight port visits . " Belleau Wood " returned to San Diego in August 1981 . In August 1982 , the ship began her second deployment , and participated in four major amphibious exercises including Jade Tiger 83 . Her third successful deployment ran from January to July 1984 . The ship then completed an 11 - month complex overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard , Bremerton , Washington . In January 1987 , " Belleau Wood " got underway for her fourth deployment . The crew participated in four major exercises , including the first winter amphibious exercises conducted in the Aleutian Islands since World War II , and introduced the ship to the AV - 8B Harrier " jump jet " . The ship also received the Admiral Flatley Memorial Award for Aviation Safety in 1987 . In January 1989 , " Belleau Wood " departed for the Western Pacific . Over the next five months , the ship participated in Exercise Team Spirit 89 in Korea and Exercise Valiant Usher in the Philippines and Korea . On 4 October 1989 , the ship hosted the Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union during his historic visit to the United States . " Belleau Wood " entered her second complex overhaul at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 1990 . Major work included an upgrade to CIWS and installation of the Rolling Airframe Missile ( RAM ) System . On 31 August 1992 , " Belleau Wood " sailed out of San Diego for the last time , bound for her new homeport in Sasebo , Japan . During this transit , the ship provided disaster relief to the people of Kauai , Hawaii after Hurricane Iniki ravaged the island . For this , the crew was awarded its second Humanitarian Service Medal . Upon arrival in Japan , " Belleau Wood " joined Amphibious Group 1 and Amphibious Squadron 11 , and became the world ' s only forward deployed large deck amphibious ship . On 24 November 1992 , " Belleau Wood " became the last ship to sail out of the Philippines while conducting the final withdrawal of U . S . forces from Subic Bay Naval Base and Naval Air Station Cubi Point . Following her move to Japan , " Belleau Wood " became a familiar sight at joint military exercises such as Valiant Usher in Australia , Team Spirit in Korea , Cobra Gold in Thailand , and Tandem Thrust near Guam ( originally in Australia ) . " Belleau Wood " also became the first large - deck Navy ship to undergo pierside maintenance by COMLOGWESTPAC in Singapore . From January to April 1995 , " Belleau Wood " served as the Command Platform for Operation United Shield " Belleau Wood " was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian - led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 5 to 28 October 1999 . In July 2000 , " Belleau Wood " took part in the largest crew swap to date when she was relieved as forward deployed amphibious assault ship . The procedure started when arrived in Sasebo on 13 July 2000 . The swap was part of a planned rotation of forward deployed naval forces in Japan , and was the third crew - swap exchange . The ships ’ crews simply switched ships , minimizing the impact of moving families from homeport to homeport . Sailors in Sasebo assigned to " Belleau Wood " , moved on to " Essex " , while sailors from San Diego assigned to " Essex " moved aboard " Belleau Wood " . " Belleau Wood " and the San Diego - based crew then returned to San Diego in mid - August to begin overhaul and maintenance cycles . During 2002 , " Belleau Wood " was the backdrop for the making of the movie " Antwone Fisher " . In November 2003 , " Belleau Wood " was the site of another first when Brigadier General Joseph V . Medina took command of Expeditionary Strike Group " Three " , of which " Belleau Wood " was the flagship . This event marked the first time in history that a United States Marine Corps officer took command of a naval flotilla . Decommissioning and fate . The ship was decommissioned on 28 October 2005 . She was sunk off the coast of Hawaii as part of RIMPAC ' 06 exercises on 13 July 2006 . Significance of the name . The ship was named in memory of the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood , in which United States Marines of the Fourth Brigade , American Expeditionary Forces , defeated German forces after nearly four weeks of intense fighting . It is said that the Germans referred to them as " Teufel Hunde " ( correctly " Teufelshunde " ) — Devil Dogs — and it was this moniker that became the ship ' s mascot , and one of the nicknames for US Marines ( Devil Dog ) . Coat of arms . The official seal of " Belleau Wood " is a blend of symbols . An image of a fighting U . S . Marine , in World War I battle dress , is at the center of the plaque . He carries a rifle with bayonet , and seems to be beckoning someone to follow him . Surrounding the figure are the gold cross , shield and swords of the Croix de guerre , the French medal awarded to the Marines who distinguished themselves at Belleau Wood . In that tradition , Marines of the Fourth Brigade are permitted to wear the French fourragère to this day . Twelve gold battle stars in a field of blue line the top of the coat of arms . They stand for the World War II record of the first . The gap between the sixth and seventh stars represents the ship ' s only break in her war record . On 30 October 1944 , while off Leyte Gulf , " Belleau Wood " was struck by a kamikaze . The light aircraft carrier had to undergo repairs and an overhaul , hence the gap . Blue and gold , prevailing hues of the coat of arms , are the traditional colors of the United States Navy . The tricolor ( red over white over blue ) is a reminder that the Battle of Belleau Wood occurred in France , and that Marines who gave their lives at Belleau Wood did so in the defense of another nation ' s freedom . The segments also bring to mind the colors of the United States .