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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

LST-1187 Tuscaloosa

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Mike - Zulu

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation(2)
Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Iran/Indian Ocean)
Second Row - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Op. Frequent Wind) - Vietnam Service Medal (4)
Third Row - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Humanitarian Service Medal (1-Frequent Wind) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

LST-1179 Newport Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 23 November 1968, at National Steel and Shipbuilding Corp, San Diego, CA.

Launched, 6 September 1969

Commissioned USS Tuscaloosa (LST-1187), 24 October 1970, CDR. Harry W. Kinsley, Jr., in command

Tuscaloosa is the ninth ship of the twenty ship Newport tank landing ship class, which replaced the traditional bow door design LST. Two derrick arms support a thirty-ton, 112-foot bow ramp for the unloading of tanks and other vehicles ashore, additionally, amphibious vehicles can be launched from the tank deck via the ship's stern gate and the ship's flight deck can accommodate most Navy helicopter types.

During the Vietnam War Tuscaloosa (LST-1187) participated in the following campaigns:

**Vietnam War Campaigns**
Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII 5 to 9 June 1971	Consolidation II 6 to 19 February 1972
Consolidation I 25 to 27 October 1971	Vietnam Ceasefire 9 April to 3 May 1972 18 to 27 May 1972 2 to 10 June 1972

Decommissioned, 18 February 1994

Laid at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF) Pearl Harbor, HI., in maintenance category "B" status

Tuscaloosa earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation and four campaign battle stars Vietnam War service

Specifications:
Displacement 5,190 t.(lt), 8,550 t.(fl)
Length 522' 3" (ovl)
Beam 69' 9 1/2" (max)
Draft max forward (fl) 13' 6", max aft (fl) 16' 3" 15'
Speed 27 kts. max.
Complement

14 Officers

15 CPO

226 Other Enlisted
Troop Accommodations

18 Officers

21 SNCO

268 Other Enlisted
Boats

three 36' LCVPs

one 36' LCPL
Aircraft

flight deck one spot
Armament

As Built

two twin 3"/50 DP gun mounts

Upgraded

two .25mm chain guns

six .50 cal machine guns

one 20mm Phalanx (CIWS)
Propulsion

six 16 cylinder ALCO 16-251E main propulsion diesel engines

two shafts, three engines per shaft, shaft horsepower 15,000

two controllable reversible pitch propellers, twin rudders

three ALCO 251-C, 8 cylinder generator sets, 750KW

one 800 hp variable thrust bowthruster

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
19k	Tuscaloosa (LST 1187) undergoing shock tests of San Diego, CA. in January 1978.	Gerald Peterson
23k	Tuscaloosa (LST 1187) undergoing shock tests of San Diego, CA. in January 1978.	Gerald Peterson
18k	Tuscaloosa (LST 1187) undergoing shock tests of San Diego, CA. in January 1978.	Gerald Peterson
88k	Tuscaloosa (LST 1187) underway, date and place unknown. US Navy photo from the PAO Package, Naval Station Treasure Island, CA. for the towing of the Nautilus (SSN 571) from US Naval Shipyard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA. to the Naval Sub Base at Groton, CT in 1985. *Tuscaloosa* was the Pacific escort ship for the tow.	Darryl L. Baker
97k	Tuscaloosa (LST 1187) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr.
102k	Tuscaloosa (LST-1187) passing the Southwest Marine Inc shipyard on San Diego Bay, escorted by the commercial tugboat *Mister Randy, 19 December 1986. In the background is the Spruance Class Destroyer John Young* (DD 973) in dry dock at the Southwest Marine Inc shipyard at San Diego, California (CA). To the left of the *John Young* are Fife (DD-991) and Brooke (FFG-1). In the background are the Coronado Bridge and the city of San Diego. DVIC photo # DN-SC-05-10451 by PHC Kristofferson, USN, from the collections of the Defense Visual Information Center	Bill Gonyo
39k	A bow view of Tuscaloosa (LST-1187) in the medium auxiliary floating dry dock Steadfast (AFDM-14), at San Diego, CA., 1 April 1986. Photo by PH1 O`Connor USN Department of Defense photo # DNSC9001938.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
21k	Tuscaloosa (LST-1187) at sea, date unknown	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
104k	Tuscaloosa (LST 1187) crew members board the ship for the last time prior to her decommissioning ceremony at Naval Station San Diego, CA., 18 February 1994. On the opposite side of the pier is the guided missile cruiser FOX (CG-33). DVIC photo # DN-ST-94-02354 by PH1 Robert S. Shanks, USN, from the collections of the Defense Visual Information Center	Bill Gonyo
29k	Tuscaloosa (LST 1187) and Peoria (LST 1183) moored at the Naval Inactive Ship's Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor, HI. June 1999.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret

View the Tuscaloosa (LST-1187)
DANFS history entries located at the US Naval Historical Center

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Mobile Riverine Force Association
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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Last Updated 16 November 2007