USS ASHLAND (LSD-48)

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USS ASHLAND (LSD-48) COMMISSIONED 9 MAY 1992 16
YEARS OF NAVAL SERVICE
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ASHLAND History

• Ashland is the eighth and last ship of the
  WHIDBEY ISLAND (LSD 41) Class Ships.
• Ashland is the second ship to bear the name.
• The Keel was laid on 4 April 1988 at New Orleans,
  LA.
• Launching and Christening took place on 11
  November 1989.

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ASHLAND NAMESAKE

• ASHLAND takes its name from the Lexington,
  Kentucky, estate of Henry Clay.
• Ashland was his home from 1809 until his death in
  1852.

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The First ASHLAND
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(No Transcript)
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ASHLAND (LSD 1) HISTORY

• Commissioned - 5 June 1943
• Decommissioned - March 1946
• Commissioned - 27 December 1950
• Decommissioned - 14 September 1957
• Commissioned - 29 November 1961
• Decommissioned - 22 November 1969
• Struck and sold for scrap May 1970
• First Dock Landing Ship in the Fleet
• First Ship named after Henry Clay Estate, Ashland
• Built in Oakland, California when keel was laid
  on 22 June 1942.

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More LSD 1 History

• After commissioning on 5 June 1943 ASHLAND was
  sent out for sea trials. Following two months of
  sea trials, the dock landing ship loaded
  amphibious craft and personnel at San Diego, CA,
  and then headed out to sea. Over the course of
  the next two and a half years, from 11 August
  1943 until January 1946, USS ASHLAND (LSD 1) took
  part in several amphibious exercises and assaults
  throughout the Western Pacific serving as a troop
  transport and small boat repair ship. On 23
  January 1944 she sortied with Task Force 52 for
  the assault on the Marshall Islands. ASHLAND was
  directly involved in the assaults on Kwajalein
  Island and Eniwotok and several of the other
  small islands which would soon become major
  supply and fuel depots for friendly forces.
• In the fall of 1944, ASHLAND was assigned to Task
  Force 79 and prepared for the invasion of the
  Philippines where she took part in the assaults
  against Leyte and Luzon. The following year she
  launched her boats against Iwo Jima on 19
  February 1945.
• She went on to flex her power in many more
  exercises and assaults until her final
  decommissioning on 22 November 1969.

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HENRY CLAY AN AMERICAN PIONEER(April 12, 1777
June 29, 1852) was a nineteenth-century American
statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in
both the House of Representatives and Senate. He
was a dominant figure in both the First Party
System to 1824, and the Second Party System after
that. Known as "The Great Compromiser" and "The
Great Pacifier" for his ability to bring others
to agreement, he was the founder and leader of
the Whig Party and a leading advocate of programs
for modernizing the economy, especially tariffs
to protect industry, a national bank, and
internal improvements to promote canals, ports
and railroads. He was a leading War Hawk and,
according to historian Clement Eaton, was "more
than any other individual" responsible for the
War of 1812. Clay made an immediate impact in his
first congressional term, including becoming
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Clay was also called "Henry of the West" and
"The Western Star."
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The Lafayette class submarine USS Henry Clay
(SSBN-625) remains the only ship of the United
States Navy named in his honor.
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DID YOU KNOW?

• Clay's Lexington home for many years was his farm
  and mansion, Ashland, named for the many ash
  trees on the property.
• Rebuilt and remodeled by his heirs, Ashland is
  now a museum.
• Ashland Ave. in Chicago, Illinois was named after
  his estate.
• The town of Ashland, Virginia located in the
  county of Clay's birth, Ashland County, Ohio and
  Ashland County, Wisconsin were named for his
  estate, as were the cities of Ashland, Kentucky,
  Ashland, Alabama, and Ashland, Pennsylvania.

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SYMBOLISM

• SHIELD Red, White, Blue are our National
  colors. Dark Blue and gold symbolize the sea of
  excellence. The stars commemorate the SEVEN
  battle stars awarded for WWII service of the
  previous ASHLAND. The wavy division of the shield
  highlights the shoreline while the chevron
  simulates the prow of a ship, alluding to the
  LSDs theater of operations and amphibious
  mission of delivering forces ashore. The pale
  vertical bar suggests the numeral I, honoring
  the previous ASHLANDs historic role as the first
  ship in the LSD class. The Mameluke, together
  with the gold palm on the red background suggest
  the Marine force and underscores cooperation and
  military preparedness.
• CREST The bald eagle symbolizes the
  distinguished American Statesman Henry Clay and
  his vital magisterial role in both the United
  States Congress and the development of our
  country. LSD 48 is named in honor of Ashland, the
  Kentucky estate of Henry Clay. Our national bird
  embodies the tenets of liberty and freedom with
  majesty and strength. The wreath of laurel
  conveys honor and achievement.
• MOTTO Deliver Liberty, Defend Freedom
  exemplifies the spirit and the strength of
  character of the Honorable Henry Clay. It clearly
  illustrates the mission and capabilities of the
  combined Navy/Marine Corps team for which the
  ship was designed. It epitomizes the strength,
  drive, and courage that has made our country the
  proud nation it is today.

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DELIVER LIBERTY

• DEFEND FREEDOM