LSD 51 Is the second U.S. Navy ship to be named for Oak Hill, the home of President James Monroe in Loudoun County, Virginia.

February 18, 2000 USS Oak Hill departed Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek for a scheduled deployment, with the USS Wasp (LHD 1) Amphibious Ready Group, in Mediterranean Sea. The dock landing ship returned to homeport in July after participating in exercises Dynamic Response 2000, Dynamic Mix and Noble Shirley.

February 22, 2002 LSD 51 again deployed with the Wasp ARG and the 22nd MEU, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Since relieving the USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) on station, the Oak Hill Sailors and Marines have participated in several exercises keeping the "Blue/Green team" sharp and mission ready. After visiting Split, Croatia, she returned home Aug. 23, following the successful completion of a six-month combat deployment.

October 1, 2004 Cmdr. Curtis J. Gilbert relieved Cmdr. John L. Bryant as commanding officer of USS Oak Hill, during a change of command ceremony held on the flight deck.

January 19, 2005 USS Oak Hill deployed for approximately two months to the Caribbean, as part of the Saipan Expeditionary Strike Group, in support of a humanitarian assistance exercise in Haiti, entitled New Horizons.

March 9, LSD 51 returned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek after supporting humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti.

January 24, 2006 USS Oak Hill departed Little Creek for approximately three-month underway period to conduct maritime security operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Along with USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) and USS Vicksburg (CG 69), she will work with allies to detect, disrupt, and deny international terrorist organizations the use of the maritime environment.

February 9, The dock landing ship pulled to Souda Bay, Crete, for a routine port visit.

March 26, Cmdr. Ray A. Staff relieved Cmdr. Curtis J. Gilbert as CO of USS Oak Hill during a change of command ceremony on the ship's flight deck, in Manama, Bahrain.

March 30, USS Oak Hill provided assistance to a vessel in distress approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, while conducting maritime security operations (MSO), as part of the Dutch-led Coalition Task Force (CTF) 150, in the area.

May 31, USS Oak Hill returned to homeport after a four-month surge deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism. During her transit home through the Mediterranean Sea, she conducted engineering certification before enjoying a port visit to Cittivecchia, Italy.

August 19, The docl landing ship is currently in the Atlantic Ocean, conducting an Expeditionary Strike Group Integration (ESGINT) with USS Bataan (LHD 5), USS Shreveport (LPD 12), embarked elements of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) Two and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in preparation for an upcoming deployment.

October 21, LSD 51 is currently underway off the East Coast conducting Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX).

January 4, 2007 USS Oak Hill departed NAB Little Creek for a scheduled deployment, with the USS Bataan ESG-2, in support of the global war on terrorism.

February 14, The dock landing ship and Marines from the 26th MEU began a two-week Operation Image Nautilus 2007 on Feb. 5 by successfully offloading the Marine Expeditionary Unit and their supplies in Djibouti on the northeast coast of Africa. The Marines will participate in community service project and live-fire exercises. In addition, Oak Hill's boarding team is conducting training with boarding officers from the Djiboutian Coast Guard.

April 14, USS Oak Hill is currently conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the Persian Gulf.

July 3, LSD 51 returned to homeport after a six-month underway period in the 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AoR).

May 28, 2008 The Oak Hill along with ships from Bahrain, New Zealand, and U.K. concluded a three-day operation Stake Net, focused on protecting key economic infrastructure in the Central and Southern Persian Gulf.

October 18, USS Oak Hill, commanded by Cmdr. Heidi Agle, returned home after a seven-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism.

June 3, 2009 LSD 51 departed Little Creek for a three-month underway period in support of Southern Partnership Station '09. The Oak Hill will also support U.S Marine Corps Forces South multinational amphibious exercise Southern Exchange 2009.

June 9, The dock landing ship pulled to Castries, St. Lucia, for a goodwill port visit.

July 1, USS Oak Hill departed Puerto Belgrano, Argentina, after a scheduled port call.

July 4, The Oak Hill recently arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay, to celebrate the U.S. Independence Day.

July 12, LSD 51 pulled to Rio de Janeiro to participate in a two-week training exercise in Brazil.

August 21, USS Oak Hill returned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story after a scheduled deployment.

September 3, 2010 Cmdr. David E. Bauer relieved Cmdr. Daniel Blackburn as CO of the Oak Hill during a change-of-command ceremony in Little Creek.

April 21, 2011 The dock landing ship returned to homeport after an 11-day underway period for routine training.

May 31, The U.S. Navy successfully tested the ability to dock and secure the Riverine Command Boat (RCB) and Riverine Patrol Boat (RPB), from Riverine Squadrons (RIVRON) 2 and 3, aboard the anchored USS Oak Hill, during a well deck certification held at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.

June 20, The Oak Hill arrived in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, for a two-day port visit to participate in the 49th Windjammer Days Festival.

June 23, LSD 51 anchored off the coast of Gloucester, Mass., for a four-day port visit to participate in the 89th annual St. Peter’s Fiesta.

June 29, USS Oak Hill arrived pierside at the North Jetty of the Boston Marine Industrial Park to celebrate Boston Harborfest and the July 4th festivities.

August 3, The dock landing ship departed Little Creek for a two-day Friends and Family Cruise.

August 18, USS Oak Hill is currently conducting certification evolutions off the East Coast in preparation for a three-month deployment.

August 25, The Oak Hill departed Little Creak as the first ship to sortie away from the approaching Category 2 Hurricane Irene. 27 ships are moving out to sea, beginning at 8:00 a.m., and will rendezvous with 11 other ships that are already at sea, at the location east of Bermuda. Another 28 are being moved to other places such as repair shipyards that are safer than the piers at Norfolk to avoid the storm, that will hit Hampton Roads area Saturday evening.

September 7, Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark I. Hernandez died this morning from self-inflicted gunshot wound, aboard the Oak Hill, while pierside at Naval Station Norfolk.

October 3, USS Oak Hill departed Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort for a scheduled deployment to the Caribbean Sea and southern Atlantic Ocean in support of Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station (A-SPS).

November 3, The Oak Hill pulled into Colon, Panama, for a brief port call to pick up fuel and supplies.

November 16, LSD 51 arrived in Cartagena, Colombia, for a three-day port visit to deliver 30 tons of humanitarian aid.

November 20, USS Oak Hill pulled into Puerto Castilla, Honduras, to participate in a joint weapons training exercises with Honduran troops over the next two weeks as part of a Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs).

December 2, USS Oak Hill intercepted the motor vessel Mr. Geo in international waters off the Caribbean coast of Honduras. The Coast Guard boarding team recovered the shipment of cocaine, weighing more than 4,400 pounds worth an estimated street value of $245 million.

December 13, The dock landing ship arrived in Guantanamo Bay for a routine port call to conduct agricultural counter-measure washdowns of all embarked equipment. LSD 51 recently departed Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala, its final port visit as part of A-SPS.

December 21, USS Oak Hill returned to homeport after an 80-day deployment to Central America.

January 23, 2012 The Oak Hill departed Little Creek for a friends and family day cruise to Yorktown Naval Weapons Station.

February 4, USS Oak Hill is currently participating in a joint and multinational amphibious assault exercise Bold Aligator 2012 (BA12), off the coast of Virginia and North Carolina, Jan. 30- Feb. 12.