Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Thomaston (LSD-28)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - Papa - Xray NTPX

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 (2) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Iran/Indian Ocean)
Second Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 9-Vietnam, 1-Op. Eagle Pull, 1-Op. Frequent Wind) - Vietnam Service Medal (11)
Third Row - Humanitarian Service Medal (1-Eagle Pull, 1-Frequent Wind, 1-Eniwetok Cleanup, 1-Boat People) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - Vietnam Campaign Medal

Thomaston Class Dock Landing Ship:

Launched, 9 February 1954, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS.

Commissioned USS Thomaston (LSD-28), 17 September 1954, CAPT. Marion F. Ramirez de Arellano in command

During the Vietnam War USS Thomaston participated in the following campaigns:

**Vietnam War Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnam Defense 23 to 26 August 1965 14 to 17 September 1965	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 25 to 28 August 1969 11 September to 25 October 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive 4 to 7 and 22 to 28 February 1966 13 to 16 March 1966	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 15 to 25 November 1969 7 to 15 and 29 December 1969 1 to 9 January 1970 9 to 11 February 1970 9 to 11 March 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II 13 to 31 August 1966 13 to 28 September 1966 6 October to 11 November 1966 1 to 13 January 1967 13 February to 4 March 1967	Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VII 30 April to 4 May 1971 12 to 14 and 20 to 23 May 1971 12 to 18, 20 to 22 and 25 to 26 June 1971
Tet Counteroffensive 12 March to 1 April 1968	Consolidation I 15 to 17 and 21 to 22 July 1971 13 to 15 August 1971 5 to 7 September 1971 10 September to 13 October 1971
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 2 to 16-April 1968 27 April to 17 June 1968	Vietnam Ceasefire 29 to 30 June 1972
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 6 July to 21 August 1968	.

Decommissioned, 5 September 1984

Struck from the Naval Register, 2 February 1992

Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, under temporary custody of the Maritime Administration (MARAD)

Final Disposition, sold, 29 September 1995 by MARAD to Pegasus Inc.

Repossessed by the Navy, 1 July 1997

Permanent custody reassigned to MARAD, 18 November 1998 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay Benecia, CA. and placed on sale list

USS Thomaston earned eleven campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Specifications:
Displacement 8,899 t.(lt), 11,525 t(fl)
Length 510'
Beam 84'
Draft 19'
Speed 21 kts.
Complement 304
Troops Accommodations 300
Armament (as built) 8 twin 3"/50, 6 twin 20mm AA guns
Boat Capacity (Well Deck) 21 LCM(6)s
Aircraft Capacity up to 8 helicopters
Propulsion 2 steam turbines, 2 shafts, 23,000 SHP

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
114k	*USS Thomaston* (LSD-28) circa 1955-56. During this period Thomaston** took part in the Arctic Resupply Project of provisioning stations on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line and cold weather amphibious landing exercises in the Aleutians in November 1955 and in January and February 1956. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine December 1956 issue	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
89k	*USS Thomaston* (LSD-28)** underway, circa 1955, location unknown US Navy photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships 1956-57".	Robert Hurst
62k	*USS Thomaston* (LSD-28)** departing San Diego, June 1957 for amphibious landing exercises at Camp Pendelton, CA.	Photo by Dale Haskin
66k	*USS Thomaston* (LSD-28) and USS Stone County (LST-1141** at anchor in Subic Bay, P.I. with other fleet units, circa 1957.	Photo by Donald J. Wagner SM3, USN USS Gunston Hall
63k	*USS Thomaston* (LSD-28)** departing San Diego Harbor US Navy photo	Cris Wren
40k	*USS Thomaston* (LSD-28) being refueled by USS Ashtabula (AO-51)**, circa January-February 1963, Pacific Ocean	Ron Reeves
89k	*USS Thomaston* (LSD-28) at anchor in the background at right with USS Valley Forge (LPH-8) in the foreground. Valley Forge** has Marine Corps CH-46 helicopters embarked, probably during operations off South Vietnam, circa 1968. Photo was received by "All Hands" magazine on 30 July 1968. US Navy photo # NH 96947 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	Robert M. Cieri
330k	*USS Thomaston* (LSD-28) approaching USS Vega (AF-59) for refueling/replenishment while underway in the Gulf of Siam during Operation Eagle Pull in March 1975. Thomaston was operating with TG 76.4. CTG was USS Okinawa* (LPH-3), the ship in the background.*	Photo by Richard Spring, CMDCM(SW/AW) USN Ret.
79k	*USS Thomaston* (LSD-28)** off San Diego in 1982 US Navy photo	Robert G Jarshaw QM2 USN USS Thomaston 1982-1984

View the USS Thomaston (LSD-28)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center

Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Thomaston (LSD-28)
The LSDs of the US Navy

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index

Back To The Dock Landing Ship (LSD) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

Last Updated 17 April 2009