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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Charleston (LKA-113)
ex
 USS Charleston (AKA-113) (1968 - 1969)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - November - Hotel - Uniform
 NNHU
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Joint Meritorious Unit Award - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (3) - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Humanitarian Service Medal (1-Beirut Lebanon Evacuation) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Charleston Class Amphibious Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down (date unknown) at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA.
  • Launched, 2 December 1967
  • Commissioned USS Charleston (AKA-113), 14 December 1968
  • Redesignated (LKA-113), 1 January 1969
  • During the Vietnam War USS Charleston (LKA-113) participated in the following campaign:
    Vietnam Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase VII Campaign, 4 to 8 April 1971

  • Decommissioned, 27 April 1992
  • Laid up at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF), Portsmouth, VA. in maintenance category "B" reserve status
  • Towed, date unknown, to the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Philadelphia, PA.
  • USS Charleston was the lead ship of a five vessel class of cargo ships, all equipped with a helicopter landing area on the stern
  • USS Charleston earned one campaign star for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 10,216.(lt) 18,589 t.(fl)
    Length 575' 6"
    Beam 82'
    Draft 26'
    Speed 20 kts.
    Armament
    As Built - four twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    Updated - two 20mm Phalanx CIWS
    Complement
    Officers 34
    Enlisted 375
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 15
    Enlisted 211
    Boats
    four LCM-8s
    four LCM-6s
    two LCVP
    two LCP
    Aircraft landing platform
    Propulsion
    one geared turbine
    two boilers
    one propeller, 22,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Charleston (AKA-113)
    Charleston 92k Invitation to the launching ceremony of USS Charleston (AKA-113) at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA. on 2 December 1967. S. Dale Hargrave
    Charleston 120k Mayor J. Palmer Gaillard, Jr. of Charleston, SC at the podium prior to the launching USS Charleston (AKA-113) at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA. on 2 December 1967. S. Dale Hargrave
    Charleston 87k The ship's sponsor, Mrs. John H. Thatch, wife of ADM. John Thatch, breaking the traditional bottle of champagne over the ships bow during the launching ceremony of USS Charleston (AKA-113) at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA. on 2 December 1967. S. Dale Hargrave
    Charleston 212k Launching of USS Charleston (AKA-113) at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA. on 2 December 1967. S. Dale Hargrave
    Charleston 213k Launching of USS Charleston (AKA-113) at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA. on 2 December 1967. S. Dale Hargrave
    Charleston 123k USS Charleston (AKA-113) underway, 18 November 1968 off Hampton Roads. The big craft on her sides are LCM(8)s; an LCVP nests in a LCM(6) carried athwartships. The big splayed kingposts are for the German Stuelken heavy-lift boom system. Note that only the bow guns have weather shields.
    Photo Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. Photo and text from "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman.    		 Robert Hurst
    Charleston 15k USS Charleston (AKA-113) underway, date and location unknown.  
    USS Charleston (LKA-113)
    Charleston 95k USS Charleston (LKA-113) moored inboard of USS El Paso (LKA-117) at Naval Station Norfolk, 5 June 1974. Photos by S. Dale Hargrave
    Charleston 101k
    Charleston 12k USS Charleston (LKA-113) at anchor in the Mediterranean Sea, March 1976. © Richard Leonhardt
    Charleston 572k USS Charleston (LKA-113) at anchor in the Kithira Strait, Mediterranean Sea, 25 June 1976, with her amphibious group. Photo from the Soviet DDG Krasny Krim. Eugene Ivkin
    Charleston 48k USS Charleston (LKA-113) underway, date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Charleston 54k USS Charleston (LKA-113) underway in the Caribbean Sea, February 1977. © Richard Leonhardt
    Charleston 298k USS Charleston (LKA-113) moored pierside at Genoa, IT., 10 January 1978 Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    Charleston 77k USS Charleston (LKA-113) arriving/departing, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July1981.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Charleston 77k USS Charleston (LKA-113) moored pierside at Fort Lauderdale, FL. in September, 1984. Bill Fessenden
    Charleston 101k "Charlene" the USS Charleston (LKA-113) mascot, 1984. Charlene was a mutt the crew rescued from the pound's death row. She was "assigned" to the ship's Navigation Department. Photo by Bill Fessenden
    Charleston 170k "Charlene" the USS Charleston (LKA-113) mascot, 1984. Photo by Bill Fessenden
    Butte 78k USS Charleston (LKA-113) and USS Butte (AE-27) laid up at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Philadelphia, PA., September 2004 Photo by Jon White STG-3, USS Luce, 1985-87
    Mobile 209k USS Mobile (LKA-115) (outboard), USS El Paso (LKA-117) (center) and USS Charleston (LKA-113) (inboard closest to the pier) laid up at the Philadelphia Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF), 29 October 29, 2007. Photo by ©Marc Piché Vercheres, Quebec, Canada. TJ Tropea, Courtesy Marc Piché
    Ticonderoga 194k From outboard to inboard; ex-USS Yorktown (CG-47), ex-USS Mobile (LKA-115), ex-USS El Paso (LKA-117) and ex-USS Charleston (LKA-113) moored at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Philadelphia, date unknown. Ron Reeves
    There is no DANFS history available for USS Charleston (AKA / LKA-113) at NavSource

    For more photos and information about USS Charleston, see;
  • LKA-113 Charleston Class Specifications
  • USS Charleston (LKA-113)
  • Commanding Officers
    • Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 10 August 2012