Anchorage (LSD 36) - Naval Cruise Book

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uss ANCHORAGE QLSD 367 The USS ANCHORAGE QLSD-36l was launched at Pascagoula, Mississippi, on 5 May 1968 and was officially commis- sioned on 15 March 1969 at N f Ik N ' ' ' ' , or o aval Shipyard at Portsmouth, Virginia. I ANCHORAGE participated in the evacuation of Vietnam, Operation FREQUENT WIND, in April 1975. During WEST' PAC 1989, ANCHORAGE visited several foreign ports including a trip to Djibouti, North Africa, a visit which received national media coverage. In May 1989 ANCHORAGE visited her home city in Alaska and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and warm hospitality of the 49th state. Th h' h'f ' ' e s up s I ted homeport from San Diego to Long Beach in August 1984 U f ' pon return rom her eighth WESTPAC deployment, ANCHORAGE successfully conducted numerous training exercises and inspections, culminating with receipt of the Battle Efficiency Award for the period of 1 January 1935 through 30 June 1986. ANCHORAGE also won the Pacific Fleet Arleigh Burke Award for fiscal year 1986. In July 1987 ANCHORAGE returned from her ninth Western Pacific deployment. During the deployment ANCHOR- AGE operated in Am hibiou S ' ' ' p s quadron THREE and participated in exercises KERNEL POTLATCH in the Aleutians, VALIANT USHER 87 in Thailand and TEAM SPIRIT 87 off Korea P . ort visits included stops in the Philippines, Thailand' South Korea and Hobart, Tasmania. The ship earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation as a participant in KERNEL POTLATCH, the first winter amphibious exercise in the Aleutians since World War II In September 1987 ANCHORAGE , resumed operations off thecoast of Southern California in KERNEL BLITZ 87. In October 1987, ANCHORAGE participated in FLEET WEEK in S F ' an rancisco. ANCHORAGE conducted local operationS off the coast of Southern California until her first exercise of the new year, KERNEL BLITZ 88, during the month of February. In March 1988, ANCHORAGE independently steamed to Ensenada, Mexico, for a weekend port visit- In April 1988 ANCHORAGE commenced an e t ' x ensive overhaul at Southwest Marine Shipyard, San Pedr0, 00mP'et' ing overhaul in November 1988. During this overhaul the shi . I p was refitted to accommodate the Landing Craft Air Cushion QLCACJ vehicles and two Phalanx Close-In Weapons Systems were added.

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Xff I' fri MQW 0 Mg ,iw , ff H0 Q-fy T sg, , gt? 'Q fs. S, X55 'Q lib Et MT The LSD is designed to operate as an integral part of a balanced, mobile and modern amphibious striking force giv- ing greater dimensions to the Navy's troop and vehicle lifting ability. Designated a Dock Landing Ship, the ship couples a well deck, mezzanine deck and a flight deck for added versa- tility. A system of joining ramps allows vehicles to be loaded by boat, crane or helicopter, stored on any of the three decks and unloaded by the same or any other means. Primarily designed to transport pre-loaded landing craft to an objective area and discharge them rapidly, the ship is also equipped with machine shops and repair facili- ties to provide drydock repair services to small ships up to the size of harbor tugs. This class LSD has the capability to berth, feed and transport over three hundred fully equipped troops and equipment and to unload them in pre- loaded landing craft or to other boats in the landing force. An integral part of the well dock operation is the bal- lasting system which allows the well deck to be flooded with sea water to a depth necessary for loading such land- ing crafts as the LCU or the smaller LCM-8. The ship is equipped with two three- inch 50-caliber gun mounts. Each can fire 45 rounds per minute, or 90 rounds per mount per minute. The guns have an accurate range of six miles with a maximum range of seven miles. They are for use primarily as anti-aircraft guns, but can be used against a surface target or for shore bombardment during amphibious op- erations. Although not specifically designed for helicopter operations in great vol- ume, the flight deck is large enough to service and stow three medium-sized helo's. Aviation features include limit- ed repair and maintenance facilities, helicopter refueling stations, aviation fuel stowage tanks and troop debarka- tion stations for helicopter assaults. The ship was recently refitted to ac- commodate Landing Craft Air Cushion QLCACQ Vehicles. This new dimension enables high speed, over-the-horizon amphibious operations.

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LCDR LIONEL L. CHERI, JR. EXECUTIVE OFFICER Lieutenant Commander Cheri is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from Tulane University of New Orleans, Louisiana with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology in 1977. He was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy through the NROTC program. His initial sea tour, after completion of Surface Officer School Basic, Coronado, California, was Communications Officer and CIC Officer on board USS RICHARD S. EDWARDS QDD-9501. He then returned to his home town and served as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer, Military Sealift Command Office, New Orleans, Louisiana. After completion of the Department Head Course at the Surface Warfare Officer School, Newport, Rhode Island, he served as Operations Officer in USS RACINE QLST-1191i and USS ROANOKE QAOR-79. Prior to reporting as Executive Officer, USS ANCHORAGE QLSD-361, he attended the prospective Executive Officer course, at Surface- Warfare Officer School, Newport, R.l. In addition to the Command Ashore pin, his awards include the Navy Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Expedition- ary Medal and the Navy Expert Pistol Medal. Lieutenant Commander Cheri is married to the former Marianne Mclndoe of Suva, Fiji Islands and has three children, Brandon Michael, Ashley Elizabeth and Christopher Lionel.