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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Anchorage (LSD-36)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Romeo - Quebec
NGRQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons






Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation
Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - Joint Meritorious Unit Award - Navy Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2)
Third Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (7) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Iran/Indian Ocean) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (OP Frequent Wind, OP Restore Hope Somalia, Bosnia) - *Vietnam Service Medal (6 or 7) - Southwest Asia Service Medal
Fifth Row - Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal - Humanitarian Service Medal (Frequent Wind) - Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Fifth Row - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)


Anchorage Class Dock Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 13 March 1967, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS.
  • Launched, 5 May 1968
  • Commissioned USS Anchorage (LSD-36), at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA. 15 March 1969
  • During The Vietnam War USS Anchorage (LSD-36) participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    18 to 21 February 1970
    Consolidation II
    12 to 18 December 1971
    28 January to 1 February 1972
    7 to 9 February 1972
    15 to 17 February 1972
    21 March 1972
    Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    7 to 18 June 1970
    26 to 28 June 1970
    Vietnam Ceasefire
    1 April to 7 May 1972
    19 May to 11 June 1972
    24 to 26 June 1972
    29 June to 1 July 1972
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    23 to 27 July 1970
    9 to 12 August 1970
    12 to 15 and 25 to 29 September 1970
    1 to 3 October and 5 to 7 October 1970
    5 to 6 November 1970
    11 to 12 April 1971
    22 to 24 April 1971
    *Vietnam Evacuation (Operation Frequent Wind)
    29 to 30 April 1975
    Consolidation I
    25 to 26 October 1971
    14 to 16 November 1971
    19 to 21 November 1971
     

  • Decommissioned, 1 October 2003 at Naval Base San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 March 2004
  • USS Anchorage earned six campaign stars for Vietnam service and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for Operation Frequent Wind or seven campaign stars for the Vietnam Service Medal if the Armed Forces Medal is exchanged for the 18th Vietnam campaign, Operation Frequent Wind
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for disposal
  • Planned transfer to Taiwan in FY 2005 to replace ROCS Chung Cheng ex-USS Comstock (LSD 19), canceled
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target, 17 July 2010, 70 miles off Kauai, HI. by one MK48 ADCAP torpedo fired from USS Bremerton (SSN-698)
    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 Accommodations 320
    Boats (Well Deck Capacity) 3 LCACs or 2 LCUs
    Armament
    four twin 3"/50 gun mounts (removed 1980)
    two Phalanx CIWS gun mounts
    two 25mm Bushmaster chain guns
    Propulsion
    two 600psi boilers
    two De Laval Steam Turbines
    two propellers, 24,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Anchorage 97k Anchorage (LSD-36) launching, Sunday 5 May 1968, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS.
    AP Wirephoto
    Tommy Trampp
    Anchorage 142k Anchorage (LSD-36) under way during builders trials in the Gulf of Mexico, 1968.
    US Navy photo
    Robert Hurst
    Anchorage 57k Anchorage (LSD-36) under way, 27 January 1969, near Pascagoula, MS., probably during builders trials
    US Navy photo # USN 1139429
    Robert Hurst
    Anchorage
    10123624
    238k USS Anchorage (LSD-36) outbound to sea from San Diego, Ca., passing Point Loma, date unknown.
    ©George Barber
    Nicholas Tiberio
    Anchorage
    10123625
    225k USS Anchorage (LSD-36) outbound to sea from San Diego, CA., date unknown.
    ©George Barber
    Nicholas Tiberio
    Anchorage 523k One of USS Anchorage (LSD-36)'s four 3"/50 twin gun mounts, circa 1971-72, location unknown. The four 3"/50s were removed in 1980. Note the Iwo Jima class Amphibious Assault Ship in the background. Photos by Joe O’Loughlin, USS Anchorage, 11/23/70 to 4/6/72; Electronics Material Officer & CIC Officer
    Anchorage 255k
    Mispillion 159k USS Anchorage (LSD-36) conducting an underway replenishment with USS Mispillion (AO-105), circa 1973 Derick Hartshorn, courtesy Del Loewe
    BlueRidge
    100119150
    68k U.S. Navy Amphibious Squadron 5 (PHIBRON 5) underway in the Gulf of Tonkin, in 1972. The Squadron consisted of; the Amphibious Assault Ship USS Tripoli (LPH-10), left; the Amphibious Transport Dock USS Duluth (LPD-6), Dock Landing Ship USS Anchorage (LSD-36); and Attack Transport USS Mobile (LKA-115), right; and the Tank Landing Ship USS Schenectady (LST-1185), not visible. Also visible is the Amphibious Command Ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) on her first deployment. Blue Ridge and Anchorage are replenished by a Mars-class Combat Stores Ship. PHIBRON 5 was deployed to the Western Pacific, the Indian Ocean and Vietnam from 1 October 1971 to 8 August 1972.
    U.S. Navy photo from the USS Mobile (LKA-115) 1971-1972 cruise book
    Robert Hurst
    Mispillion 159k USS Anchorage (LSD-36) conducting an underway replenishment with USS Mispillion (AO-105) with USS White Plains (AFS-4) in the distance, circa 1973. Derick Hartshorn, courtesy Del Loewe
    Anchorage 61k USS Anchorage (LSD 36) during an UNREP, circa 1985, location unknown. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Anchorage 70k USS Anchorage (LSD 36) at San Diego, date unknown. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Anchorage 58k USS Anchorage (LSD 36) under way, date and location unknown. Jerry Hays
    Anchorage 88k USS Anchorage (LSD 36) off Darwin, Australia.
    US Navy photo # 000907-N-8743M-018 by PH1 David Miller, 7 September 2000.
    Navy Newsstand
    Anchorage
    10123619
    205k USS Anchorage (LSD-36) underway off San Diego, CA., date unknown.
    ©George Barber
    Nicholas Tiberio and
    Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Anchorage 51k USS Anchorage (LSD 36) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy Photo
    USS Anchorage web site
    Anchorage 103k USS Anchorage (LSD 36) under way, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Anchorage 91k USS Anchorage (LSD 36) departs San Diego Bay heading for sea.
    US Navy photo # 030117-N-2069B-003 by PH3 Gregory Badger, 17 January 2003.
    Bernard A. Cardali USS LST-306
    Anchorage 234k USS Anchorage (LSD 36) departs San Diego Bay heading for sea.
    US Navy photo # 030117-N-2069B-002 by PH3 Gregory Badger, 17 January 2003.
    Robert Hurst and Bernard A. Cardali USS LST-306
    Anchorage 70k USS Anchorage (LSD 36) departs San Diego Bay heading for sea.
    US Navy photo # 030117-N-2069B-001 by PH3 Gregory Badger, 17 January 2003.
    Bernard A. Cardali USS LST-306
    Anchorage
    10123626
    333k USS Anchorage (LSD-36) underway off San Diego, CA., with a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) approaching her well deck, date unknown.
    ©George Barber
    Nicholas Tiberio
    Bonhomme Richard 4166k Amphibious Task Force-West (ATF-West), comprised of;
    USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6),
    USS Boxer (LHD-4),
    USS Dubuque (LPD-8),
    USS Comstock (LSD-45),
    USS Anchorage (LSD-36),
    USS Pearl Harbor (LSD-52), and
    USS Cleveland (LPD-7),
    steam in formation with Military Sealift Command (MSC) oiler USNS Guadalupe (T-AO-200). ATF-West deployed from San Diego January 17, transporting Marines and their gear to Kuwait for further deployment into Iraq.US Navy photo # 030524-N-1352S-006 Arabian Gulf (May 24, 2003) by PH2 Jennifer Swader.
    Robert M. Cieri
    Anchorage 2147k The decommissioned Ex-USS Anchorage (LSD 36) is towed to sea, 15 July 2010, by USNS Navajo (T-ATF-169) for a (RIMPAC) 2010 sinking exercise. RIMPAC is a biennial, multinational exercise designed to strengthen regional partnerships and improve multinational interoperability
    US Navy photo # 100715-N-8539M-468 PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (July 15, 2010) by MC2 N. Brett Morton.
     
    Anchorage 80k Attempts to sink ex-USS Anchorage (LSD-36) by Maverick missiles fired by aircraft from VP-4 and VP-40 were inconclusive. She would not yield to anti-ship cruise missiles. Ex-USS Anchorage was ultimately sunk with one MK48 ADCAP torpedo fired from USS Bremerton (SSN-698). CAPT Howard C. Warner III USN ex CO USS Bremerton


    For more photos and information about USS Anchorage, see:
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • Welcome Aboard Pamphlet

  • Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Beaman, Percy Stuart15 March 1969 - 25 March 1971
    02CAPT. Rank, Cyrus A.25 March 1971 - 10 August 1972
    03CAPT. Congdon, Robert Newton10 October 1972 - 23 September 1973
    04CDR. Aldana, Louis Pelayo23 September 1973 - 28 June 1975
    05CDR. Wright, Arthur St.Clair, USN (USNA 1957)28 June 1975 - 1 September 1975
    06CDR. Lund, John Robert1 September 1975 - 24 November 1976
    07CDR. Bledsoe, Paul Isham24 November 1976 - 29 August 1978
    06CDR. Forster, Robert Douglas, USN (USNA 1963)29 August 1978 - 1 October 1980
    09CDR. McCann Jr., William Robert, USN (USNA 1963)1 October 1980 - 25 September 1982
    10CDR. Kruszona, Raymond Robert, USN25 September 1982 - 1 December 1984
    11CDR. Quigley, Michael Dennis1 December 1984 - 11 December 1986
    12CDR. Wein, Michael Clark11 DEcember 1986 - 15 December 1988
    13CDR. Butler, Gregory Clinton15 December 1988 - 29 December 1990
    14CDR. LaBrecque, Terence Paul, USN29 December 1990 - 11 September 1992
    15CDR. Brown Jr., Thomas Joseph11 September 1992 - 24 March 1994
    16CDR. Cassani, Paul Christopher24 March 1994 - 22 January 1996
    17CDR. Read, John Alexander22 January 1996 - 22 August 1997
    18CDR. Thomas, Ronald Louis22 August 1997 - 30 March 1999
    19CDR. Angood, David Stevens30 March 1999 - 10 November 2000
    20CDR. Flowers, Kent Vernell10 November 2000 - 3 May 2002
    21CDR. Cedrun, Mark Edward, USN (USNA 1984)3 May 2002 - 1 October 2003
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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    Last Updated 23 February 2024