The ship deployed on 6 December 2004 once again in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of the Expeditionary Strike Group ( ESG 5 ) . On the way to the Fifth Fleet Area of Responsibility , the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami occurred , which would change the course of '' Rushmore '' and begin a massive U.S. military humanitarian operation , dubbed Operation Unified Assistance . The tsunami that flooded parts of Southeast Asia took the lives of more than 100,000 people in a matter of hours . USS '' Rushmore '' and the elements of Expeditionary Strike Group Five were called into action
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
USS Rushmore (LSD-47)