USS Bataan (LHD-5) is a in the United States Navy. The ship is named after the Battle of Bataan, fought in the Philippines during World War II. The ship enables the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps team to seamlessly transition from the sea to a land battle, as the lead ship and centerpiece of an Amphibious Ready Group. She is capable of amphibious assault, advance force, and special purpose operations, as well as evacuation and humanitarian assistance.

Commissioning

Ship's sponsor, Linda Sloan Mundy, wife of former Marine Corps Commandant Gen Carl E. Mundy, Jr., christened the new ship "in the name of the United States and in honor of the heroic defenders of Bataan" at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi. More than 100 members of veterans groups associated with both the Battle of Bataan and the infamous "Bataan Death March" that followed, as well as the Battle of Corregidor, and the aircraft carrier , were at the christening ceremony. She was launched on 15 March 1996, and commissioned on 20 September 1997. Her homeport is Norfolk, Virginia. The ship is capable of amphibious assault, advance force, and special purpose operations, as well as evacuation and humanitarian assistance.

2008: Hurricane Gustav

thumb|Bataan underway to participate in a hurricane exercise, 2 September 2008.

In September 2008, Bataan participated in the HURREX exercise where the U.S. Second Fleet directed tests designed to evaluate the ship's ability to respond to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief needs during the 2008 hurricane season. She was ordered to be prepared to deploy in the event that the Navy was directed to provide assistance to civilian authorities after Hurricane Gustav came ashore.

2008: Use as a prison ship

In June 2008, the UK-based human rights organization Reprieve issued a report that listed Bataan as one of up to 17 ships they believed were used to imprison terrorism suspects. On 2 June 2008, The Guardian reported that "The US had admitted that Bataan and were used as prison ships between December 2001 and January 2002".

2010: Haiti earthquake

On 13 January 2010, Bataan was ordered to assist in the humanitarian relief efforts following the 7.0 magnitude 2010 Haiti earthquake. She was deployed to Grand-Goâve, and returned home 1 April 2010.

2011: Libya and Italy

thumb|[[Gulf of Oman, (15 December 2011). A firefighting team enters a smoke-filled room to extinguish a mock fire during a general quarters drill aboard Bataan]]

On 23 March 2011, Bataan was deployed to Italy to assist in enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya.

2016: Mark VI patrol boat operations

thumb|A [[Mark VI patrol boat docking with Bataan]]

In May 2016, Bataan conducted well deck operations with the Mark VI patrol boat, demonstrating the capability to launch and dock the 85 ft patrol boat with an amphibious assault ship. This was the first time the Mark VI operated out of an LHD, and the second time it operated out of a well deck overall.

2020: Iran's increasing threat and tensions

The Bataan served as an operations center for activities in the Persian Gulf after the assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The ship was tasked to be on standby for potential retaliation from Iran and Iranian-backed paramilitary forces such as Hezbollah or Houthis.

2022

On 19 January 2022, Bataan completed a 16-month maintenance at Norfolk.

During November 2022, a hybrid manufacturing technology for metals combining Meltio's wire-laser directed energy deposition head with the Haas CNC milling machine built by Phillips Corporation was installed in a U.S. Navy surface ship, becoming the first ever integration of metal additive manufacturing on this type of naval platform.

2023: The Red Sea Crisis

On 10 July 2023, Bataan ARG, comprising Bataan, , and , departed Norfolk for a scheduled deployment. On 11 October 2023, while operating in the Persian Gulf Bataan, with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), along with Carter Hall, were ordered to leave exercises off Kuwait to potentially sail to the Mediterranean due to the ongoing Gaza war. The Bataan and Carter Hall operated in the Red Sea from October to December 2023 before transiting the Suez Canal north to the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

2024

thumb|The Bataan [[Amphibious ready group|Amphibious Ready Group (ships included are , , and ) conducts a PASSEX with , 25 February 2024.]]

In January 2024 during the Red Sea crisis one of the Harriers was modified for air defense; its pilot Captain Ehrhart is reported to have shot down seven Houthi suicide attack drones. In May 2024 Bataan, was part of Fleet Week at Port Miami in Florida and also Fleet Week at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in New York.

2025–2026

As of late March 2026, Bataan is currently receiving heavy maintenance. A fire broke out on the ship in maintenance in December 2025; the fire was subsequently extinguished with 2 reported injuries. Bataan is set to re-enter service in mid-2026.

Awards

  • Combat Action Ribbon (2023–2024))
  • National Defense Service Medal
  • Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with three service stars (2001, 2003, 2004, 2023)
  • Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
  • Humanitarian Service Medal with service star – (14–25 January 2010) 2010 Haiti earthquake
  • Navy Sea Service Ribbon (2023–2024)

References

  • USS Bataan Homepage
  • Maritimequest USS Bataan LHD-5 Photo Gallery
  • OPEVAL II testing report in pdf form
  • The case of the Taliban American CNN
  • Navy ship nearby underused Chicago Tribune 4 September 2005 - Link Does Not Work
  • Harrier carrier: Strike force for freedom
  • USS Bataan history at U.S. Carriers