USS Raleigh (LPD-1), the lead ship of her class of amphibious transport docks, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy named for the capital of North Carolina, which in turn honors the English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, the first to attempt the establishment of an English settlement in the United States of America.
USS Raleigh (LPD-1)
Raleigh, circa 1968
USS Raleigh moored at Naval Station Rota (Spain) in February 1982 along with the USS Saipan and Spanish carrier Dédalo
USS Saipan (LHA-2) was a Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship, the second United States Navy ship named in honor of the World War II Battle of Saipan. Commissioned in 1977, the ship saw service until 2007 when she was decommissioned. In 2009 the ship was sold for scrapping.
USS Saipan underway on 5 April 2004
USS Saipan moored at Naval Station Rota (Spain) in February 1982 along with the USS Raleigh and Spanish carrier Dédalo
OV-10 Broncos of VMO-1 parked aboard Saipan in 1987
Saipan conducts an underway replenishment with USS Simpson during exercise Phoenix Express 2006.