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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Patch at left from (1958-1963) contributed by Darrell E Osborn, patch at right contributed Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Cabildo (LSD-16)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Quebec - Lima
NZQL

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive April 1952) - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (7)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba, Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (7) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (11)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Casa Grande Class Dock Landing Ship:

Laid down, date unknown, at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA.

Launched, 22 December 1944

Commissioned USS Cabildo (LSD-16), 15 March 1945, CDR. E. B. Holdorff, USNR, in command

During World War II USS Cabildo was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Following World War II and the Korean War USS Cabildo was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
2 to 27 September 1945	1 to 5 May 1956
12 October 1945 to 19 April 1946
1 to 5 May 1956

Decommissioned, 15 January 1947

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet

Recommissioned, 5 October 1950, at San Diego, CA.

USS Cabildo participated the Atomic Energy Commission Project "Operation Greenhouse", in which she was one of the first ships to become radioactive. After extensive decontamination, Cabildo deployed to the Korean Theater of Operation in 1951

During the Korean War USS Cabildo (LSD-16) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Korean War Campaigns
Second Korean Winter 28 to 30 December 1951 11 January 1952 22 to 23 January 1952 3 to 4 February 1952 31 March to 1 April 1952 6 April to 30 May 1952	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 1 to 5 May 1952 13 to 27 May 1952 17 to 18 June 1952 5 to 10 July 1952

In April 1952 Cabildo while loading minesweeping boats at Wonsan, South Korea for Mine Squadron THREE, suffered a direct hit amidships but was able to carry out her mission after local repairs

During the Vietnam War USS Cabildo (LSD-16) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 08 to 11 June 1965	Tet Counteroffensive 3 to 5 February 1967 12 to 15 February 1967 27 February to 11 March 1967
Vietnam Defense 4 to 7 July 1965 18 July 1965 30 to 31 July 1965 15 to 23 August 1965 4 to 27 September 1965 19 October 1965	Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase IV 7 to 10 April 1967 30 May to 7 June 1968 19 to 25 June 1968 28 to 30 June 1968
Vietnam Counteroffensive 29 April to 8 June 1966 13 to 14 June 1966	Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase IV 1 to 2 July 1968 23 July to 6 August 1968 13 to 20 August 1968 3 to 11 September 1968 5 to 10 October 1968 29 October to 1 November1968
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase III 17 to 24 January 1967	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 2 to 3 November 1968

Decommissioned, 31 March 1970, at Long Beach, CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet

Struck from the Naval Register, 15 October 1976

Final Disposition, utilized as a fleet target, sunk by grounding at San Nicholas Island CA. in September 1985

USS Cabildo earned two battle stars for Korean War service, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with seven battle 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 kts (design speed)

Endurance 8,000 miles @ 15 knots

Complement

Officers 17

Enlisted 237

Troop Accommodations

Officers 22

Enlisted 218

Well Deck Capacity (varies with mission)

three LCT (Mk V or VI) each w/ 5 medium tanks or

two LCT (Mk III or IV) each w/ 12 medium tanks or

fourteen LCM (Mk III) each w/ 1 medium tank or 1, 500 long tons cargo or

forty-seven DUKW or

forty-one LVT or

Any combination of landing vehicles and landing craft up to capacity

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.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount in open tub (w/director)

two quad 40mm AA gun mounts (w/directors)

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts (w/directors)

sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts (local control)

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 11,720 Bbls

Diesel 160 Bbls

Gasoline 5,085 Gals

Propulsion

two Newport News Shipbuilding steam turbines

two Babcock and Wilcox oil fired D-type boilers, two drum, single furnace, single uptake, 250psi

single Newport New Main Reduction Gears

two turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship' Service Generators

twin propellers, 7,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
	34k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** under way, mid-1950s, location unknown. US Navy photo	USS Cabildo Association
	29k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** under way in 1954 location unknown.	USS Cabildo Association
	476k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** conducting engineering trials at the south end of Mare Island, 10 May 10, 1955. File name: LSD 16 25311-5-55, Navy Photo, 5/10/55	Darryl Baker
	436k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** off the south end of Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 1 August 1957. File name: LSD 16 35880-8-57, Navy Photo, 8/1/57	Darryl Baker
	33k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	USS Cabildo Association
	124k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** under way in San Francisco Bay, August 1957. Photo by Allied Photographers, San Francisco, CA.	Robert M. Cieri
	613k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** under way, date and location unknown. Photo from "Our Navy" magazine	David Buell
	75k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** under way and proceeding to berth M 7 (Indicated by flag hoist - "Desig M 7" inboard on starboard yardarm. Outboard hoist indicates she is proceeding at 08 knots. She is coming into her anchorage in Long Beach, CA., her homeport at the time. Note the Sea and Anchor Detail on the forecastle and the starboard anchor which is ready to be let go. summer, year unknown.	Donald J. Wagner
	76k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** at anchor while conducting Boat Operations off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands, 1964.	Photo by LT Richard Dawson USNR USS Renville
	93k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
10121613	94k	*USS Cabildo* (LSD-16)** at anchor in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, date unknown.	David Wright

USS Cabildo (LSD-16)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Holdorff, Ernest Bernard, USNR	15 March 1945 - 14 December 1945
02	LT. White, Maurice N., USNR	14 December 1945 - 15 December 1945
03	CDR. Lindsay, Hugh Wilson, USN (USNA 1922), acting	15 December 1945 - 22 December 1945
04	CDR. Gregg, Wallace Howard, USN	22 December 1945 - ?
	Decommissioned	15 January 1947- 5 October 1950
05	CDR. Babb, Richard Edward, USN (USNA 1935)	5 October 1950 - October 1951
06	CDR. Bertholf, Charles Marriner, USN (USNA 1934)	October 1951 - January 1953
07	CDR. Lee, George Russell, USN (USNA 1935)	January 1953 - 1954
08	CDR. Morse, Walter Harrison, USN	1954 - 15 October 1956
09	CDR. Kelsey Philip Culver, USN	15 October 1956 - 15 September 1958
10	CDR. McCaughey, William Hunnewell, USN (USNA 1943)	15 September 1958 - 1960
11	CDR. Gray Jr., John Albert, USN	1960 - 17 July 1962
12	CDR. Itte, Charles Marius, USN	17 July 1962 - 5 February 1964
13	CDR. Dietrichson, Warren Douglas, USN (USNA 1946)	5 February 1964 - 30 January 1965
14	CDR. Grause, Jerome Edward, USN	30 January 1965 - 9 January 1967
15	CDR. Freytag, David Robert, USN	9 January 1967 - 20 June 1968
16	CDR. Johnston, Richard Carter, USN	20 June 1968 - 9 July 1970


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Cabildo (LSD-16) Association

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 17 February 2023