USS Duluth (LPD-6)
.jpg)
USS Duluth in 2004
|
|
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
|
|
| Name: | USS Duluth |
| Namesake: | Duluth, Minnesota |
| Operator: |
 United States Navy
|
| Ordered: | 21 September 1961 |
| Laid down: | 18 December 1963 |
| Launched: | 14 August 1965 |
| Commissioned: | 18 December 1965 |
| Decommissioned: | 13 October 2005 |
| Struck: | 28 September 2005 |
| Homeport: | San Diego, California |
| Motto: |
|
| Nickname(s): | Dirty D |
| Fate: | Stricken, towed to Brownsville, TX in January 2014 and scrapped. |
| Notes: | One of the anchors is now in Duluth, MN, on display. |
| Badge: |
 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Austin class amphibious transport dock |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: |
|
| Beam: |
|
| Draught: |
|
| Speed: | 20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h) |
| Troops: | about 600 |
| Complement: | 101 officers, 1337 men |
| Crew: | about 450 |
USS Duluth (LPD-6), an Austin-class amphibious transport dock, is the second ship of the United States Navy named for the city in Minnesota.
Duluth was laid down on 18 December 1963 by the New York Naval Shipyard. She was launched on 14 August 1965 and commissioned on 18 December 1965. She was the last ship to be launched from the Brooklyn Navy Yard before it was closed.
The ship left New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, in April 1966 for the US Naval Shipyard Philadelphia for final fitting out and preparation for refresher training and transit to its Home Port of US Naval Station San Diego, California. On 15 June 1966, a Sikorsky H-34 from HC-4 made the first helicopter landing on board. USS Duluth arrived via the Panama Canal in San Diego in September 1966. In April 1967 ship sailed via Hawaii and Australia to join the Amphibious Ready Group, U.S. 7th Fleet in the Vietnam War.
In 1967, from the months of May until November the Duluth operated with Amphibious Ready Group, Seventh Fleet, in South China Sea. Conducted amphibious landing operations Bear Claw and Beacon Guide at Hue (7 June), Chu Lai (12 June), Cue Viet ( 3, 27 July), and Phu Loc (21 July). Took part in Operations Beacon Gate at Song Cua Dai and Chu Lai ( 7–16 August) and Beacon Point off Thua Thien province. The LPD then steamed off Quang Nam and Quang Tin provinces during Operation Ballistic Charge ( 16–28 September). After refitting at Subic Bay, Duluth participated in helicopter-centered Operation Bastion Hill near Cua Viet (10 October – 1 November). Following vehicle ferry operations from Subic early in the month, the LPD steamed to Hong Kong, arriving there 17 November.
Underway for a WestPac cruise on 1 May 1970, Duluth loaded BLT 1/9 at Okinawa for transfer to Subic Bay at the end of the month. She then made several cargo lifts to Danang or to Yankee Station, delivering an H-3 helicopter to USS America (CVA-66), spare parts, and carried YFU-52 back to Subic Bay before steaming to Sasebo, Japan, for rest and recreation 3–15 July. Returning to Subic on 19 July, she spent the next three months conducting amphibious training and logistics operations from Subic to Danang and Vung Tau. In mid-October, Duluth embarked 140 Philippine marines for a joint exercise near Manila, but disaster recovery efforts in the wake of Typhoon Joan forced a cancellation of the operation. Arriving in Lagoney Gulf on 22 October, Duluth operated as a fuel stop and ready deck ship for helicopters during three days of relief operations in a swath of devastated barrios and villages 80 by 20 miles (32 km) wide and including the cities of Virac and Naga. Following another month of logistics support out of Subic Bay, Duluth steamed for home, reaching San Diego on 10 December.
...
Wikipedia