Dock Landing Ship Photo Index LSD-7 Oak Hill

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Patch at left contributed by Mike Smolinski, patch at right by David Buell

APM-7 / LSD-7 Oak Hill


Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Xray - Sierra - Lima
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - China Service (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (7-Quemoy-Matsu) - Vietnam Service Medal (6)
Fourth Row - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (15) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal
Ashland Class Dock Landing Ship:
  • Originally authorized as (APM-7), a Mechanized Artillery Transport
  • Reclassified Landing Ship Dock (LSD-7), 1 July1941;
  • Laid down, 9 March 1943, at Moore Dry Dock Co. Oakland, CA.
  • Launched, 25 June 1943
  • Commissioned USS Oak Hill (LSD-7), 5 January 1944, CDR. Carl A. Peterson in command
  • During WWII Oak Hill was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 to 22 June 1944     		Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 January 1945
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, Anguar,
    5 to 21 September 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 10 June 1945
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 20 October 1944     		.

  • Decommissioned, 17 March 1947, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 25 January 1951, at San Diego
  • During the Vietnam War Oak Hill participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Defense
    27 to 28 October 1965     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    2 to 8 June 1967
    29 June to 8 July 1967
    19 to 22 July 1967
    27 July to 2 August 1967
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    1 January to 24 February 1966
    12 March to 1 April 1966     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    2 to 9 September 1968
    20 to 24 September 1968
    28 to 30 September 1968
    12 October to 1 November 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    4 to 14 March 1967
    2 to 5 April 1967
    13 to 23 April 1967     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    2 to 9 November 1968
    5 to 9 December 1968
    20 December to 5 January 1969
    30 January to 2 February 1969
    5 to 7 February 1969

  • Decommissioned, 26 October 1969
  • Struck from the Naval Register 31 October 1969
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 April 1970, to Marine Power and Equipment Co., Seattle WA.
  • Oak Hill earned five battle stars for World War II service and six campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications: (as reported by Office of Naval Intelligence, 7 April 1944)
    Displacement 4,032 (light draft), 7,930 (seagoing - loaded)
    Length 457' 9" o.a.
    Beam 72"
    Draft 8' 2 ½" fwd, 10' ½" aft (light draft); 15' 5 ½" fwd, 16' 2" aft (seagoing loaded)
    Speed 17 knots maximum (design speed)
    Endurance 8,000 miles @ 15 knots
    Crew Complement 17 officers, 237 men; Landing Craft: 6 officers, 30 men
    Troop Complement 22 officers, 218 men
    Well Deck Capacity (varies with mission)
  • 3 LCT (Mk V or VI) each w/ 5 medium tanks or
  • 2 LCT (Mk III or IV) each w/ 12 medium tanks or
  • 14 LCM (Mk III) each w/ 1 medium tank or 1, 500 long tons cargo or
  • 47 DUKW or
  • 41 LVT or
  • Any combination of landing vehicles and landing craft up to capacity
    Armament
  • 1 - 5"/.38 caliber Dual Purpose single barrel mount in open tub (w/director)
  • 2 - 40MM quad barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (w/directors)
  • 2 - 40MM twin barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (w/directors)
  • 16- 20MM single barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (local control)
    Aircraft (still in commission in late 40's or early 50's) were fitted/retro-fitted with a prefabricated steel grated "Portable Deck" suspended between the wing walls and supported by removable I-beam girders. The aft end of the portable deck contained a wooden helicopter platform, enabling the ship to land and launch 1 helicopter at a time. Stowage of helicopters was limited to capacity of the portable deck installed for the mission. Aircraft servicing was limited to re-fueling. With portable deck and aircraft platform installed, the Landing ship, dock was still capable of transporting, launching and repairing smaller amphibious craft and vehicles up to the size of a Landing craft, utility (LCU) in their well decks.
    Propulsion
  • 2 - Babcock and Wilcox Boilers, D Type, 2 Drum, Single Furnace, Single Uptake,
    Oil Fired
  • 2 - Skinner Uni-Flow reciprocating engines
  • Twin screws
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Oak Hill 69k Oak Hill (LSD-7) underway, 21 March 1944, place unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII web site
    Oak Hill 81k Oak Hill (LSD-7), San Marcos (LSD-25), and Carter Hall (LSD-3) all recommissioned, 26 January 1951, at the Destroyer Repair Base (Naval Station) San Diego, CA. Photo by Bob Allport, RD2 USN USS Carter Hall, 26 January 1951
    Oak Hill 131k Oak Hill (LSD-7) underway in San Francisco Bay, November 1957.
    Photo by Allied Photographers.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Oak Hill 456k Oak Hill (LSD-7) underway off Point Loma, San Diego, CA., circa early-1960s.
    US Navy photo from PIO Commander Amphibious Force, US Pacific Fleet.    		 David Buell in honor of his deceased father CWO4 Benton E. Buell, USN (Ret), Main Propulsion Assistant USS Oak Hill
    Oak Hill 37k Oak Hill (LSD-7) at Subic Bay, PI, March 1966. © Richard Leonhardt
    Oak Hill 49k Oak Hill (LSD-7) at Oak Hill at Subic Bay PI, January 1969. Photo by Joe Criscione
    Oak Hill 71k Oak Hill (LSD-7) at Subic Bay, PI loading YFU-58 and LCU-1499 into her well deck after the two craft had completed a two month yard period at Naval Station Subic Bay, P.I. Oak Hill will carry them back to South Vietnam, circa 1969 Photo by Joe Criscione
    View the Oak Hill (LSD-7)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The LSD's of the US Navy
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 10 August 2007