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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Portland (LSD-37)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Bravo - Golf
NCBG
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Glitter X-ray, 1970-72
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 (3) - 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, at Boston Naval Shipyard, Charlestown, MA., 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 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
    USS Portland (LSD-37)
    Portland
    10123725    		 166k Portland (LSD-37)'s 67-ton bow section is added while under construction at Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA., circa 1969.
    US Navy "All Hands" magazine, January 1970, p.2.    		 Robert Hurst
    Portland 107k 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 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 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 112k Raising of the Colors during the commissioning ceremony for USS Portland (LSD-37), 3 October 1970, at Boston Naval Shipyard.
    Photo by Carroll Myett.    		 Tommy Trampp
    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 710k USS Portland (LSD-37) underway with stern gate down, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 DCC(SS/SW) David Johnston, 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 83k USS Portland (LSD-37) moored at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 26 February 1971. © Richard Leonhardt
    Portland 57k USS Portland (LSD-37) date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		  
    Portland 48k USS Portland (LSD-37) riding at anchor in the harbor at Naples, Italy in 1986, Note Mt. Vesuvius in background. Yolanda Dravigny
    Portland 310k USS Portland (LSD-37) riding at anchor in the harbor at Genoa, Italy, date unknown. Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    Trenton
    10091436    		 304k USS Trenton (LPD-14), center, and USS Portland (LSD-37), left, at anchor in the lagoon at Venice, Italy, in 1986.
    U.S. Navy photo from the USS Trenton (LPD-14) 1986 cruise book    		 Robert Hurst
    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
    10123726    		 328k USS Portland (LSD-37) underway off Norfolk, VA., date unknown.
    ©Nobe Smith    		 Nicholas Tiberio
    Portland 84k USS Portland (LSD-37) with her stern ramp down at Manama, Bahrain, 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 62k USS Portland (LSD-37) pier side Little Creek Amphibious Base, summer 1992 Photo by Adam Robison
    Portland
    10123727    		 375k USS Portland (LSD-37) underway outbound to sea from NAB Little Creek just past the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, date unknown.
    ©Nobe Smith    		 Nicholas Tiberio
    Portland 130k USS Portland (LSD-37) moored pierside at at Truman Annex in May 1995. Photo by Raymond L. Blazevic.
    Image from Flickr courtesy of Florida Keys Public Libraries photo # MM00040100x.    		 Robert Hurst
    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 863k 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 and Robert Hurst
    Portland 58k USS Portland (LSD-37) underway date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Portland 674k 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    		 Robert Hurst and Bernard A. Cardali
    Portland
    10123728    		 290k USS Portland (LSD-37) underway off Norfolk, VA., date unknown.
    ©Nobe Smith    		 Nicholas Tiberio
    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

    For more photos and information about USS Portland, see:
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • Welcome Aboard brochure - 2000-2001
    • Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Zenni, Martin M., USN (USNA 1946)3 October 1967 - 29 October 1971
    02CAPT. Josephson, John Vernon, USN (USNA 1949)29 October 1971 - 15 May 1973
    03CAPT. Felkins, Charles Gerritt, USN15 May 1973 - 2 May 1975
    04CDR. Lucas, Robert Peter, USN2 May 1975 - 13 October 1976
    05CDR. Foberg, Raymond Howard, USN13 October 1976 - 18 October 1976
    06CDR. Ianucci, Robert Joseph, USN (USNA 196018 October 1976 - 21 November 1978
    07CDR. Connolly, Michael Brian, USN21 November 1978 - 4 March 1982
    08CDR. McDonald, Jerry Ralph, USN4 March 1982 - 13 December 1983
    09CDR. Gastar, Stanley Douglas, USN13 December 1983 - 15 March 1986
    10CDR. Cook II, James Ballou, USN (USNA 1967)15 March 1986 - 7 May 1988
    11CDR. Green Jr., Joseph Michael, USN (USNA 1969)7 May 1988 - 17 April 1990
    12CDR. Falkey, Mark Steven, USN (USNA 1972)17 April 1990 - 17 January 1992
    13CDR. Striffler, Paul Christian, USN17 January 1992 - 8 October 1993
    14CDR. Brewer Jr., Robert George, USN (USNA 1975)8 October 1993 - 10 August 1995
    15CDR. Slaton, Don Eugene, 10 August 1995 - 21 March 1997
    16CDR. Nugent III, Alfred Steven, USN (USNA 1978)21 March 1997 - 11 December 1998
    17CDR. Mitchell, Anthony Ellis, USN11 December 1998 - 5 July 2000
    18CDR. Malone, Thomas Joseph, USN5 July 2000 - 20 October 2001
    19CDR. Creevy, Lawrence Edward (Larry), USN (USNA 1984)20 October 2001 - 4 August 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 2 December 2022