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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

LPH / MCS-12 Inchon

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



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (5) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (2-Lebanon, 1-Liberia-Op Sharp Edge) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Op. Restore Hope, Somalia) - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Iwo Jima Class Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) / Inchon Class Mine Countermeasures Command and Support Ship:
  • Laid down, 8 April 1968, at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, MS.
  • Launched, 24 May 1969
  • Commissioned USS Inchon (LPH-12), 20 June 1970
  • During the Vietnam War Inchon (LPH-12) participated in the:
  • Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign
    18 to 19 November 1972
    20 December 1972 to 8 January 1973
    21 to 27 January 1973
    27 February to 28 March 1973
  • Designated Mine Countermeasures Command and Support Ship (MCS-12), 6 March 1995
  • Converted at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, MS. between March 1995 and 28 May 1996
  • Assigned to the Active Naval Reserve Force, 30 September 1996
  • Decommissioned, 20 June 2002, at Naval Station, Ingleside, TX.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Final Disposition, sunk, 5 December 2004 at 36:42.30N° 71:40.00W°, in 2150 fathoms of water, 207 NM East of Virginia Beach, VA.
  • Inchon earned one campaign star for Vietnam War service
    LPH Specifications:
    Displacement 11,000 t.(lt), 18,474 t.(fl)
    Length 592'
    Beam 84'
    Flight Deck Beam 105'
    Draft 27'
    Speed 22 kts.
    Complement 667
    Troop Accommodations 2,157
    Aircraft 25 helicopters
    Armament
    (as built) 4 3"/50 AA guns, eight .50 cal Machine Guns
    (modifications) two 3"/50s removed and replaced with 8 cell Sea Sparrow BPDMS launchers, and two Phalanx CIWS
    Propulsion two 600 psi boilers, one geared steam turbine, one shaft, 22,000 shaft horsepower
     MCS Modifications:
    Facilities added for Mine Countermeasures Group Commander;
  • Aircraft configuration changed to accommodate 11 Mine Sweeper and Utility Helicopters
  • Troop spaces converted to standard berthing spaces to accommodate complement of 46 Officers and 634 Enlisted and additional 652 Officers/Enlisted attached to assigned detachments
  • Armament reconfigured by removing Sea Sparrow missile launchers and remaining 3"/50 guns and adding four 25mm Bushmaster cannons
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Inchon (LPH-12)
    Inchon 78k Inchon (LPH-12) underway in June 1973 with RH-53A Sea Stallions on board equipped for mine clearing operations of North Vietnamese ports and waterways. Robert Hurst
    Inchon 53k Inchon (LPH-12) starboard side view while at Naples, Italy in June 1974. Photo by Larry B. Lynn USS Inchon
    Inchon 72k Inchon (LPH-12) underway in the Mediterranean Sea, 7 November 1975.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Inchon 32k Inchon (LPH-12) underway in the Mediterranean Sea, 1979. The helicopter squadron is supposed to be MAG-32 composed of HMH-362 and HML(A)-167. Markings on the two AH-1Js show this photo was taken during the transition from high-viz Vietnam-era markings to the later dark USMC green and black subdued schemes. Pete Harlem
    Inchon 111k Inchon (LPH-12) launching a Sea Sparrow missile, circa 1970s. Tim Collins FTM2, USS Inchon, 1980-84
    Inchon 71k Inchon (LPH-12) moored pierside at Palermo, Sicily, 1980. Photo by Alan Voils USS Inchon 1979-84
    Inchon 62k Inchon (LPH-12) underway in the Mediterranean Sea, 1982. Pete Harlem, Courtesy Mario Mederos, USMC
    Inchon 25k Inchon (LPH-12) underway in the Mediterranean Sea, with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM-263) embarked, 1982. Pete Harlem, Courtesy Mario Mederos, USMC
    Inchon 64k Inchon (LPH-12) underway probably in the Persian Gulf, 1982. Pete Harlem, Courtesy Mario Mederos, USMC
    Inchon 28k Inchon (LPH-12) moored pierside at Naval Station Rota, Spain, 1982. Pete Harlem, Courtesy Mario Mederos, USMC
    Inchon 71k Inchon (LPH-12) underway in the North Atlantic, view of ships island structure, 1983 Photo by Alan Voils USS Inchon 1979-84
    Inchon 61k Inchon (LPH-12) underway in the North Atlantic, view of BDMS, 1983 Photo by Alan Voils USS Inchon 1979-84
    Inchon 45k Inchon (LPH-12) flight deck while underway in the North Atlantic for minesweeping exercises, The ship's helicopter is on the right, 1983. Photo by Alan Voils USS Inchon 1979-84
    Inchon 94k Inchon (LPH-12) launching a Sea Sparrow missile, circa 19780-84. Tim Collins FTM2, USS Inchon, 1980-84
    Inchon 60k Inchon (LPH-12) pierside at Rota, Spain, 1987. Good views of the island, CIWS, Sea Sparrow launchers, and 3"/50 gun mounts. Tom LaLumiere, former Sgt, USMC
    Inchon 84k Inchon (LPH-12) in port, date and place unknown. © Richard Leonhardt
    Inchon 64k Overhead view of Inchon (LPH-12) underway, date and place unknown. Robert Hurst
    USS Inchon (MCS-12)
    Inchon 69k Inchon (MCS-12) underway, September 1997.
    US Navy photo # 970900-N-0000X-001    		 .
    Inchon 47k Inchon (MCS-12-12) underway in the Gulf of Mexico, date unknown
    US Navy photo.    		 Naval Minewarfare Association
    Inchon 104k Inchon (MCS-12), decommissioning ceremony at Naval Station Ingleside, TX. 20 June 2002.
    US Navy photo # 020620-N-5745B-001 by Lt. Marc Boyd.     		Submitted by Fabio Peņa, a US Navy Public Affairs photo
    Inchon 54k Inchon (MCS-12) in reserve at the Philadelphia Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility (formerly Philadelphia Naval Shipyard), 31 August 2002 Photo by Roy J. Brooks IS1 (SW) USNR
    Inchon 55k Inchon (MCS-12) in reserve at the Philadelphia Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility, 31 August 2002. The fantail on the left side of the photo is that of Mahan (DDG-42), and the bow of a ship on the right side of the photo is that of Des Moines (CA-134). Also note that the top portion of Inchon's mainmast has been removed to allow the ship to pass under the draw bridge (entrance to the basin) and is sitting on the flight deck forward of the bridge. Photo by Roy J. Brooks IS1 (SW) USNR
    Inchon 57k Inchon (MCS-12) moored pierside in the reserve basin at the Philadelphia Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility, starboard side view, 15 July 2004. Photo by Brian S. Bell AO3, USNR
    Inchon 54k Inchon (MCS-12) moored pierside in the reserve basin at the Philadelphia Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility, starboard side view, 15 July 2004. Photo by Brian S. Bell AO3, USNR
    Inchon (LPH-12) Memorabilia
    Inchon
    Commissioning Program
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    There is no DANFS history available for Inchon (LPH / MCS-12) at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    USS Inchon Association
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    2007 Reunion Information
    Place: Virginia Beach, VA.
    Dates: 10 to 14 October 2007
    Contact: David F. Fix, Chairman
    E-mail: David F. Fix - USS Inchon Reunion 2007
    Additional Resources and Web sites of Interest
    MCS-12 Mine Countermeasures Support Ship
    Naval Minewarfare Association
    Association of Minemen

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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 4 May 2007