With the new millennium , came a year of local operations for '' Rushmore '' . '' Rushmore '' participated in CARAT 2001 in cooperation with other navies in the Western Pacific , South China Sea and Southeast Asia . Returning home just days prior to the September 11 attacks , '' Rushmore '' began preparations to deploy to areas of national security interests . After coming out of " the yards " USS '' Rushmore '' participated in RIMPAC 2002 with a host of nations off the shores of Hawaii . The ship set sail in the early month of January 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of the '' Bonhomme Richard '' Amphibious Ready Group ( ARG )
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
USS Rushmore (LSD-47)