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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Casa Grande (LSD-13)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - November - Hotel
NJNH
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Dominican Republic) - Philippines Liberation Medal


Casa Grande Class Dock Landing Ship:
  • Authorized under the Lend-Lease Act as British Mechanized Artillery Transport BAPM-5
  • Reclassified Landing Ship Dock LSD-13, 1 July 1942
  • Contract awarded for LSD-13 to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA., 10 September 1942
  • LSD-13 was laid down, 11 November 1943 as HMS Spear at Newport New Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News VA.
  • Launched, 11 April, 1944
  • Lend-Lease canceled or modified never commissioned in Royal Navy as HMS Portway (F-144)
  • Commissioned USS Casa Grande (LSD-13), 5 June 1944, LCDR. F. E. Strumm, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Casa Grande was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 20 to 22 October 1844
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 3 June 1945
    Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landing, 9 to 30 January 1945
    .

  • Decommissioned, 23 October 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Norfolk Group;
  • Recommissioned, 1 November 1950
  • Decommissioned, (date unknown)
  • Struck form the Naval Register, 11 October 1976
  • Final Disposition, sold, 6 April 6 1992, for $270,000 to Baxter Shipping Inc, Burbank, CA., fate unknown
  • USS Casa Grande received three battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications: (as reported by Office of Naval Intelligence, 7 April 1944)
    Displacement 4,032 (light draft), 7,930 (seagoing - loaded)
    Length 457' 9" o.a.
    Beam 72"
    Draft 8' 2 ½" fwd, 10' ½" aft (light draft); 15' 5 ½" fwd, 16' 2" aft (seagoing loaded)
    Speed 17 knots maximum (design speed)
    Endurance 8,000 miles @ 15 knots
    Crew Complement 17 officers, 237 men; Landing Craft: 6 officers, 30 men
    Troop Complement 22 officers, 218 men
    Landing Craft 6 officers, 30 men
    Speed 17 knots maximum (design speed)
    Endurance 8,000 miles @ 15 knots
    Crew Complement 17 officers, 237 men; Landing Craft: 6 officers, 30 men
    Troop Complement 22 officers, 218 men
    Well Deck Capacity (without prefabricated "Super-Decks" installed)
  • 3 LCT (Mk V or VI) each w/ 5 medium tanks or
  • 2 LCT (Mk III or IV) each w/ 12 medium tanks or
  • 14 LCM (Mk III) each w/ 1 medium tank or 1, 500 long tons cargo or
  • 47 DUKW or
  • 41 LVT or
  • Any combination of landing vehicles and landing craft up to capacity
    Well Deck Capacity (with prefabricated "Super-Decks" installed)
  • 108 DUKWs or
  • 92 LVTs or
  • Any combination of tracked/wheeled vehicles up to capacity
    (Note: LSDs were incapable of repairing landing craft in this configuration)
    Aircraft LSDs 1 - 27 (still in commission in late 40's or early 50's) were fitted/retro-fitted with a prefabricated steel grated "Portable Deck" suspended between the wing walls and supported by removable I-beam girders. The aft end of the portable deck contained a wooden helicopter platform, enabling the ship to land and launch 1 helicopter at a time. Stowage of helicopters was limited to capacity of the portable deck installed for the mission. Aircraft servicing was limited to re-fueling. With portable deck and aircraft platform installed, the Landing ship, dock was still capable of transporting, launching and repairing smaller amphibious craft and vehicles up to the size of a Landing craft, utility (LCU) in their well decks
    Armament
  • 1 - 5"/.38 caliber Dual Purpose single barrel mount in open tub (w/director)
  • 2 - 40MM quad barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (w/directors)
  • 2 - 40MM twin barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (w/directors)
  • 16- 20MM single barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (local control)
    Propulsion
  • 2 - Babcock and Wilcox Boilers, D Type, 2 Drum, Single Furnace, Single Uptake,
    Oil Fired
  • 2 - Skinner Engines - steam turbine (geared)
  • Twin screws
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Casa Grande 141k USS Casa Grande (LSD-13) at anchor, date and location unknown .
    Casa Grande 203k USS Casa Grande (LSD-13) discharging LCU-1491 from her well deck, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine September 1957 issue.
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Casa Grande 48k USS Casa Grande (LSD-13) in the Antarctic ice, circa June-July 1969. Submitted by Donald Wagner, courtesy Phil Burt, webmaster USS Casa Grande web site
    Glacier 670k USS Casa Grande (LSD-13) and USS Nipmuc (ATF-157) moored at Thule, Greenland, circa June-July 1969 Marc Schenck, Photo by his father LTjg. Bernard Schenck USS Glacier

    View the USS Casa Grande (LSD-13)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Casa Grande (LSD-13) Reunion Association
    The LSDs of the US Navy
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 22 February 2008