NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The USS Fort Lauderdale will return to Naval Station Norfolk Thursday after an 11-month deployment to the U.S. Fourth Fleet area of operations, according to a press release.
WAVY’s Navy Ship Salute: USS Fort Lauderdale
The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship’s return comes after it left the base with USS Iwo Jima and USS San Antonio on Aug. 14, 2025.
During the ship’s deployment, it supported U.S. Southern Command missions, Department of Defense-related operations and disrupting drug trafficking.
Sailors and marines aboard USS Fort Lauderdale operated with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit and Littoral Combat Force-24. The ship conducted 3,194 sorties, logged 792 flight hours and traveled more than 51,093 nautical miles.
The ship also delivered relief supplies after Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica and served as a primary coordination hub for U.S. government relief efforts after the 7.5-magnitude earthquake in Venezuela.
For more information, you can visit Commander, Carrier Strike Group 12’s website here.
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