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 Portland (LSD-37)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Bravo - Golf
NCBG
Voice Radio Call Sign "Glitter X-ray" during the period 70-72
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (5)
Third Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Lebanon) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Lebanon, 2-Persian Gulf, 1-Somalia)
Fourth Row - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Armed Forces Service Medal - Humanitarian Service Medal (1-Beirut Lebanon Evacuation, 1-Jamaica Relief)
Fifth Row - Coast Guard SOS Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Anchorage Class Dock Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 21 September 1967, at General Dynamics Corp. Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 5 May 1968;
  • Commissioned USS Portland (LSD-37), 3 October 1970, CAPT. Martin M. Zenni in command
  • Decommissioned, 4 August 2003, at NAB Little Creek, VA.
  • Laid up at NISMF, Portsmouth, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 March 2004
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target, 25 April 2004, at location: 034° 55' 48.9" North, 070° 14' 56.3" West at a Depth of 2621 fathoms, Tonnage, 8600
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,325 t.(lt), 14,095 t.(fl)
    Length 553'
    Beam 84'
    Draft 19'
    Speed 20+kts.
    Complement 24 Officers, 300 Enlisted
    Troop Capacity 320
    Boats (Well Deck Capacity) 3 LCACs or 2 LCUs
    Armament
    four twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts (removed 1980)
    two Phalanx CIWS
    two 25mm Bushmaster chain guns
    Propulsion two 600psi boilers, two De Laval Steam Turbines; two shafts, 24,000 SHP
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Portland 107k USS Portland (LSD-37) launching, 5 May 1968, at General Dynamics Corp. Quincy, MA..
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1970.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Portland 81k Pre-commissioning photo of USS Portland (LSD-37) underway during builders trials, circa September 1970, off the coast of Massachusetts.
    General Dynamics photo.    		 Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Portland 91k Pre-commissioning photoUSS Portland (LSD-37) underway during builders trials, circa September 1970, off the coast of Massachusetts.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, March 1971.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Portland 109k USS Portland (LSD-37) underway during "operation Hiline" in which Portland supported two PG's across the Atlantic Ocean for their deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, circa 1971. CAPT. Ray Harvey USN
    Portland 105k USS Portland (LSD-37) moored at Portland, Maine, date unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, September 1979.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Portland 62k USS Portland (LSD-37) pier side Little Creek Amphibious Base, summer 1992 Photo by Adam Robison
    Portland 83k USS Portland (LSD-37) date and location unknown. © Richard Leonhardt
    Portland 57k USS Portland (LSD-37) date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 .
    Portland 78k USS Portland (LSD-37) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, January 1988.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Portland 84k USS Portland (LSD-37) with her stern ramp down at Manama, Bahrein, 30 January 1988. Portland is carrying PB Mk.111 patrol boats on the superdeck. Note cargo containers in the well deck.
    US Navy photo from "US Amphibious Ships and Craft", by Norman Friedman.    		 Robert Hurst
    Campti 86k USS Portland (LSD-37) departing Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA., for deployment to the Middle East to take part in Operation Desert Shield, 15 August 1990. The large harbor tug Campti (YTB 816) is alongside to provide assistance as needed.
    DVIC photo # DNST9107738, a US Navy photo by Edward E. Crawford PH2 USN.    		 Defense Visual Information Center
    Campti 89k USS Portland (LSD-37) being assisted by Campti (YTB 816), departs her homeport at Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA., for the Persian Gulf in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, 17 August 1990.
    DVIC photo # DNST9011285, a US Navy photo by Edward E. Crawford PH2 USN.    		 Defense Visual Information Center
    Santaquin 71k USS Portland (LSD-37) is assisted into her berth at Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA., 20 April 1991, by the large harbor tug Santaquin (YTB-824). Portland was returning to her homeport following a deployment to the Persian Gulf region for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.
    DVIC photo # DNST9110400, a US Navy photo by Carl PH2 USN.    		 Defense Visual Information Center
    Santaquin 60k USS Portland (LSD-37) is being moved into her berth at Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA., 20 April 1991, by the large harbor tug Santaquin (YTB-824). Portland was returning to her homeport following a deployment to the Persian Gulf region for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.
    DVIC photo # DNST9110402, a US Navy photo by Carl PH2 USN.    		 Defense Visual Information Center
    Santaquin 80k Line handlers stand by as the large harbor tug Santaquin (YTB-824) moves USS Portland (LSD-37) toward the pier, 20 April 1991. Portland was returning to Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA., following a deployment to the Persian Gulf region for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.
    DVIC photo # DNST9110405, a US Navy photo by Carl PH2 USN.    		 Defense Visual Information Center
    Portland 216k USS Portland (LSD-37) gets underway in the Chesapeake Bay for a scheduled six-month deployment to the Mediterranean. Note the Landing Craft Air Cushioned (LCAC) hovercraft flying by Portland's port quarter.
    US Navy photo # 001128-N-2383B-506 by PH1 Johnny Bivera.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Portland 58k USS Portland (LSD-37) at Barcelona, Spain, 20 January 2001 Fabio Peņa
    Portland 77k USS Portland (LSD-37) at Barcelona, Spain, 20 January 2001 Fabio Peņa
    Portland 61k USS Portland (LSD-37) steams through the Atlantic Ocean as one of seven ships attached to Amphibious Task Force-East (ATF-E). All seven ships were deployed early in their schedules to support the ongoing efforts of Operation Enduring Freedom, 26 January 2003.
    US Navy photo [030126-N-5027S-006] by PH3 Robert M. Schalk.    		 Fabio Peņa
    Portland 56k USS Portland (LSD-37) departing NAB Little Creek, VA. January 12, 2003.
    US Navy photo [1-030112-N-3537A-007] from the Navy Newsstand web site    		 Bernard A. Cardali
    Portland 47k USS Portland (LSD-37) moored pierside at NAB Little Creek, VA. while getting ready for decommissioning, circa July 2003. CAPT. Ray Harvey USN
    View the USS Portland (LSD-37)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    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.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 9 January 2009