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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Saginaw (LST-1188)


Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from left to right Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Expeditionary Medal (2-Lebanon) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (4-Lebanon) - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Humanitarian Service Medal (1-Beirut Evacuation, 1-Cuban Resettlement)



USS Saginaw (LST-1188) was transferred to Australia and renamed HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51)
LST-1179 Newport Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 24 May 1969, at National Steel and Shipbuilding Corp, San Diego, CA. Launched, 7 February 1970
  • Commissioned USS Saginaw (LST-1188), 23 January 1971, CDR. G. P. Brown in command
  • Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 24 August 1994
  • Final Disposition, sold to Australia, 27 September 1994 under the Security Assistance Program, renamed HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51)
    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 dual purpose 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
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Saginaw (LST-1188)
    Saginaw 409k USS Saginaw (LST-1188) entering the port of Genoa, Italy, 2 August 1972. Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    Saginaw 24k USS Saginaw (LST-1188) underway, circa 1977 LST Home Port web site
    Saginaw 37k USS Saginaw (LST-1188) underway, circa 1977 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
    Saginaw 72k USS Saginaw (LST-1188) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.
    Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr.
    Saginaw 381k USS Saginaw (LST-1188) and an unidentified Newport class LST in Philippine waters during her 1977 WestPac tour.
    Photo by Dave Seigar.
    Derick S. Hartshorn
    Saginaw 87k USS Saginaw (LST-1188) off loading Marines and equipment at Beirut Lebanon, 1982 James D. Case
    Saginaw 113k USS Saginaw (LST-1188) off loading Marines and equipment at Beirut Lebanon, 1982 James D. Case
    Saginaw 53k USS Saginaw (LST-1188) underway on to Potomac River after an open house at the Government Services Administration pier, Alexandria, VA., 5 April 1987.
    Defense Imagery photo # DN-ST-87-05477 a US Navy by Don S. Montgomery, now in the collections of Defense Imagery
    Robert Hurst
    Saginaw and Fairfax County 66k USS Saginaw (LST-1188) and USS Fairfax County (LST-1193) moored pierside at NAB Little Creek VA., September 1994, prior to transfer to the Australia. US Navy Photo
    Saginaw 138k USS Saginaw (LST-1188) Master At Arms Badge. Robert M. Cieri
    HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51)
    Saginaw 48k Ex-USS Saginaw (LST-1188) in Australian service as HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51) coming alongside a replenishment ship, during Operation "Ocean Protector," February 2001. Note: the "Romeo" flag flying from her port yardarm. Australian Navy web site
    Saginaw 66k HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51) leaving Port Jackson (Sydney Harbor) Australia for Operation Falconer, the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Photo taken by Benedict Spearritt. Robert Hurst
    Saginaw 416k HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51) at her moorings at Darwin, Australia in July 2006. Photo by Stephen Barnett. Robert Hurst
    Saginaw 391k HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51) approaching Garden Island in Sydney Harbor with a tug alongside, 13 March 2009. Photo by Glenn Towler
    Saginaw 274k HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51) and HMAS Farncomb (SSG-74) anchored in Sydney Harbor following a ceremonial fleet entry in March 2009. Robert Hurst
    Guadalupe 420k USNS Guadalupe (T-AO-200) refuels the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) left, and the Royal Australian Navy amphibious ship HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51), right during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2010 exercises. RIMPAC is a biennial, multinational exercise designed to strengthen regional partnerships and improve multinational interoperability
    US Navy photo # 100713-N-7058E-449 PACIFIC OCEAN (July 13, 2010) by LT. Ed Early.
    Robert Hurst
    Saginaw 375k A Royal Australian Navy Sea King helicopter lands on the aft flight deck of the Royal Australian Navy amphibious ship HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51), 13 July, 2010 during the at-sea phase of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2010 exercises.
    US Navy photo #100713-N-7058E-050 PACIFIC OCEAN (July 13, 2010) by LT. Ed Early.
    Robert Hurst
    Saginaw 1692k HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51) returns to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after participating in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2010 exercises.
    US Navy photo #100730-N-6854D-103 PEARL HARBOR (July 30, 2010) by MC2 Jon Dasbach.
    Robert Hurst


    For more photos and information about USS Saginaw, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • USS Saginaw (LST 1188)
  • Commanding Officers

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

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    LST Home Port
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 10 February 2012