South Thimble Island in Virginia Beach, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Chesapeake Bay : History Happened Here
Your Navy at Work
Inscription.
Every type of Navy ship operates on the Chesapeake Bay en route to or from the great naval installations of Hampton Roads. There are easy ways to identify them, starting with color. Most navies in the world paint their ships gray- although some are white. Most also have big numbers on the bow. Modern ships have guns and missiles, but they are small and often hard to see. Some of the more common ships are pictured here.
Sailors aboard Nimitz~class aircraft carried USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) man the rails as the ship transits the Chesapeake Bay.
The coastal patrol craft USS Chinook (PG 9) deploys from Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA., in support of Operations Enduring Freedom. The primary mission of these ships is coastal patrol and interdiction surveillance.
The rescue and salvage ship USS Grapple (ARS 53) endures a rare snow storm on board Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) Little Creek, Va. Rescue and salvage ships render assistance to disabled ships including towing, diving and firefighting.
The fast attack submarine USS Hampton (SSN 767), left, passes the Navy's newest attack submarine, PCU Virginia (SSN 774) at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay The guided-missile destroyer USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) departs on a six-month deployment from Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
Landing Craft Utility (LCU 1664) from Little Creek Amphibious Base, Va., and other LCUs operate in the bay.
Aircraft Carrier, Coastal Patrol Boat, Cruisers, Dock Landing Ships, Frigate, Submarine, Guided Missile Destroyer.
Erected by Hampton Roads Naval Museum Local History World Events.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 36° 57.999′ N, 76° 6.753′ W. Marker is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It is on South Thimble Island. It is on Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (U.S. 13), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Virginia Beach VA 23455, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads, specifically in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Lucius J. Kellam, Jr. (here, next to this marker); The Chesapeake Bay: History Happened Here (a few steps from this marker); Tribute to Admiral de Grasse (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named The Chesapeake Bay : History Happened Here (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The Chesapeake Bay : History Happened Here (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The Chesapeake Bay: History Happened Here (within shouting distance of this marker); Protecting Our Waterways and Wildlife (approx. 4.1 miles away); The Canoes, 2018 (approx. 4.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Virginia Beach.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 25, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 1,000 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 24, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on August 25, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.








