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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Monticello (LSD-35)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Delta - Victor NGDV

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (3) - Navy Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Row - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (11)
Fourth Row - Humanitarian Service Medal (Eniwetok Clean Up, Boat People) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (11) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Thomaston Class Dock Landing Ship:

Laid down, 6 June 1955, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS.

Launched, 10 August 1956

Commissioned USS Monticello (LSD-35), 29 March 1957, CAPT. J. T. Hodgson, Jr., in command

During the Vietnam War USS Monticello (LSD-35) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 17 October 1962 to 2 May 1963 18 June to 18 December 1964 20 May to 3 July 1965	Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase V 22 August to 25 August 1968 31 August to 5 October 1968 1 November 1968
Vietnam Defense 22 to 23 October 1965 14 to 18 November 1965 28 November to 24 December 1965	Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase VI 2 November to 8 December 1968 29 December to 18 February 1969
Vietnam Counteroffensive 25 December 1965 27 January to 1 March 1966 11 to 12 March 1966	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 25 February to 4 March 1970 26 to 30 April 1970
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase II 25 February to 1 March 1967 17 March to 7 April 1967 19 April to 28 May 1967	Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1 to 5 May 1970
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase III 9 June to 4 August 1967 19 August to 8 September 1967	Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase VII 21 to 29 July 1970 5 to 6 August 1970 17 to 19 August 1970 24 August 1970 4 to 7 September 1970 28 to 31 March 1971 17 to 21 November 1971
Tet Counteroffensive 15 to 17 March 1968	Vietnam Ceasefire 28 October to 12 November 1972 8 to 20 December 1972 8 to 28 January 1973

Decommissioned, 1 October 1985

Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet

Title transferred to the MARAD

Struck from the Naval Register, 24 February 1992

USS Monticello earned the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with eleven campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Sold 29 September 1995 to Pegasus Inc.

Repossessed by the Navy 1 July 1997

Transferred to MARAD, 18 December 1998

Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Final Disposition, sunk as a target, 14 July 2010, 70 miles off Kauai, HI. by aircraft from VP-4 and VP-40

Specifications:
Displacement 8,899 t.(lt), 11,525 t(fl)
Length 510'
Beam 84'
Draft 19'
Speed 20 kts.

Complement

Officers 18

Enlisted 330

Troop Accommodations 325

Armament (as built)

eight twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

three twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Boat Capacity (Well Deck)

three LCUs or nine LCM-8's or fifty AAV's/LVTP-7's amphibious tractors

Aircraft Capacity helicopter landing area

Propulsion

two D-type boilers, 600psi.

two steam turbines

two propellers, 24,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
10123530	255k	*Namesake* Monticello the home of Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826), 3rd President of the United States, author of the Declaration of Independence. Charlottesville, VA.	Photo by Dale Hargrave
	148k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** by John Robert Barrett. With permission from the artist.	©John Robert Barrett
	101k	Monticello (LSD-35) under way off her builder's yard, 13 March 1957, soon after completion. Compared to wartime LSDs, she is more heavily armed with eight twin 3"/50 guns as well as a pair of twin 20mms in the bows and another atop the bridge. The battery was cut to six twin 3"/50 mounts during the 1960s and to only three in the 1970s (forward of the bridge, one abaft the bridge). Photos Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation.	Robert Hurst
	12k
	21k
10123534	2362k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35) and USS Muary (AGS-16 moored at NOB Norfolk, VA., Pier 7, circa March-May 1957. Note either USS Forrestal (CVA-59) or USS Saratoga (CVA-60)** riding at anchor in the background in Hampton Roads. Donald Tenney photo - USS Randolph CVA-15 Naval Station Norfolk Photo #56	Bob Canchola
10123531	222k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** outbound to sea from San Diego, CA., date unknown. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
10123532	200k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** outbound to sea from San Diego, CA. passing Point Loma, date unknown. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
	107k	*USS Neches* (AO-47), USS Winston (AKA-94) and USS Monticello (LSD-35)** moored in the harbor at San Diego, CA. in 1962.	Tommy Trampp
	111k		Tommy Trampp
	111k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35) and USS Winston (AKA-94)** moored in the harbor at San Diego, CA. in 1962.	Tommy Trampp
	29k	*LCU-1476* launches from *USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** during Operation Beacon Hill on the north coast of Cua Viet, South Vietnam, 20 March 1967.	Bob Behm and Tommy Trampp Robert Hurst
	84k
USN 1142236	512k
	57k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** moored in Victoria Harbor, date unknown.	Bob Behm
	121k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** underway, date and location unknown.	Bob Behm
	50k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** moored pierside, date and location unknown.	Bob Behm
	28k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** underway, date and location unknown.	Bob Behm
	46k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** underway, date and location unknown.	Bob Behm
10123533	307k	Monticello (LSD-35) outbound to sea from San Diego, CA. date unknown. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
	18k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Bob Behm
	74k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35)** moored in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, off Benecia, CA. 2003.	Photo by Bob Behm
	46k	*USS Monticello* (LSD-35) plaque mounted in the memorial ship USS Turner Joy (DD-951)** at Bremerton, WA.	Photo by Robert Hall
	155k	Ex-*USS Monticello* (LSD-35) at anchor, 14 July 2010, 70 miles off Kauai, HI. Monticello was the target for a SINKEX during RIMPAC 2010. She was towed to the site from Pearl Harbor by USNS Navajo (T-ATF-169) on 12 July 2010 and sunk by Maverick missiles fired by aircraft from VP-4 and VP-40*. US Navy photo 100714-N-6855K-271* by MC2 Meagan E. Klein.	Ron Reeves

For more photos and information about USS Monticello, see:
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
USS Monticello LSD-35
Welcome Aboard Brochure

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Hodgson Jr., James T.	29 March 1957 - 5 October 1957
02	CAPT. Kellogg, Frederic David	5 October 1957 - 28 November 1958
03	CAPT. Overton, William Arthur	28 November 1958 - 22 January 1960
04	CAPT. King Jr., Ira Manning (Ace)	22 January 1960 - 7 November 1960
05	CAPT. Brian Jr., O.	7 November 1960 - 29 November 1961
06	CAPT. Sweeny Jr., James Blaine, USN	29 November 1961 - 27 November 1962
07	CAPT. Ellison, Harold Huntington, USN (USNA 1942)	27 November 1962 - 24 January 1964
08	CAPT. Loomis, David F.	24 January 1964 - 22 January 1965
09	CAPT. Folta Jr., George William, USN (USNA 1942)	22 January 1965 - 18 February 1966
10	CAPT. Kelley, Vincent F.	18 February 1966 - 20 March 1967
11	CAPT. Stanton, Robert Franklin, USN (USNA 1945)	20 March 1967 - 12 October 1968
12	CAPT. Homyak, James Alex	12 October 1968 - 13 October 1969
13	CAPT. Benson Jr., Francis Wyse	13 October 1969 - 16 November 1970
14	CAPT. Spangenberg Jr., Walter, USN (USNA 1948-A)	16 November 1970 - 21 December 1971
15	CDR. Tager, Bruce Alan	21 December 1971 - 23 August 1973
16	CDR. Flynn, John Joseph, USN	23 August 1973 - 11 August 1975
17	CDR. Dennis Jr., Jefferson Rice	11 August 1975 - 10 June 1977
18	CAPT. Conklin, Andrew Janke	10 June 1977 - 27 August 1979
19	CAPT. Worthington II, James Townsley	27 August 1979 - 12 November 1981
20	CDR. Wetherall, David L.	12 November 1981 - 23 September 1983
21	CDR. Hough, James Arthur	23 September 1983 - 8 July 1985
22	CDR. Ertel, Gregory William	8 July 1985 - 1 October 1985


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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Last Updated 30 June 2023