USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41) is a (LSD) of the United States Navy. She was named for Whidbey Island, in Puget Sound, Washington, the location of NAS Whidbey Island; the name ultimately derives from the sailor, explorer and engineer Joseph Whidbey. Whidbey Island was laid down on 4 August 1981, by the Lockheed Shipbuilding, Seattle, Washington; launched on 10 June 1983, sponsored by Mrs. Sally Gorton, wife of Senator Slade Gorton; and commissioned on 9 February 1985. History In February 1981, the U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Shipbuilding Company of Seattle, Washington, a contract to construct LSD-41, first of a new Dock Landing Ship class to replace the aging LSDs. At the 4 August 1981 keel laying ceremony, the Honorable John F. Lehman, Secretary of the Navy, affixed his signature to the LSD-41 keel; the first keel of an amphibious assault ship lain in more than five years. Although the first ship to carry the name Whidbey Island, there was at one time a ship named USS Whidbey (AG-141), a small transport purchased from the U.S. Army and servicing U.S. Trust Territories in the late 1940s. Whidbey Island, the first ship in a class designed specifically to interface with the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), assisted in the operational and developmental testing of the amphibious assault craft from July to September 1985 and again in May and July 1986. 1986 – 1991 In August 1986, Whidbey Island embarked on her first major operation, participating in the NATO Exercise Northern Wedding/Bold Guard '86. Whidbey Islands first deployment was to the Mediterranean in January 1987. The ship took part in seven amphibious exercises carrying out duties as Presidential Support Ship for the World Economic Summit in Venice, Italy, May 1987. Whidbey Island deployed to the Mediterranean for the second time in December 1988 with MARG 1-89, participating in three major landing exercises with the Spanish, French and Italian navies before returning to homeport in June 1989. Whidbey Island was the first amphibious ship from the East Coast to deploy to the European Theater with LCACs. In September and October 1989, Whidbey Island participated in Hurricane Hugo disaster relief operations in the Caribbean. In August 1990, Whidbey Island again deployed to the Mediterranean as part of MARG 3-90. During the trans-Atlantic crossing, the ship received orders to sail to Mamba Station off the coast of Monrovia, Liberia, serving as the flagship for evacuation operations in