Charleston (LKA 113) - Naval Cruise Book

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i T w - In September 1979. CHARLESTON deployed to the Mediterranean to participate in the NATO Amphibious exercise ' Display Determination 79. In November 1979 CHARLESTON transferred to the Naval Reserve Force and gained the additional responsibility of training Naval Reservists. She entered the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard in July 1982 for an extensive six month over- haul. CHARLESTON reentered the Active Fleet or ' - i=eca ' y 1983. Shortly there- after. CHARLESTON completed AHUAS TARA II. a major amphibious exercise m Honduras. In February 1984. CHARLES- TON participated in exercise UNITED EFFORT-TEAMWORK 84. which consisted of an amphibious landing in Norway and port visits to Belgium. England. Ireland and Spain. August 1984 found CHARLESTON off Florida to cc-d-jct shock :es:5 o- USS JOHN F. KENNEDY and USS YORK- TOWN. CHARLESTON deployed to the Meoiterranean Aprn to November 1986. and participated in exercises SOLID SHIELD in April and SOLAR FLARE in July 1987. After completing a bnef shipyard penod from August to November 1987. CHARLESTON resumed normal amphibious ooe a- ons. In Apnl 1988. CHARLESTON participated in exercise OCEAN VENTURE 88. Following this exercise. CHARLESTON epioyed to the Mediterranean from August 1988 to February 1989 and participated in exercises ■•DISPLAY DETERMINATION 8 ' and -AFRICAN EAGLE 88 while there. In May 1989. CHARLESTON sarticipated in exercise -SOLID SHIELD 89 ' and made port visit to the Bahamas. Having completed an extendea 5n,pyara maintenance penod from September 1989 until March 1990. 1 which a NIXIE Anti-Torpedo System, six Titanium Fire Pumps and a Cargo Magazine were installed as well as major work on ie ship ' s propulsion and auxiliary systems. CHARLESTON is fully prepared for its future Naval objectives.

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COMMAND HISTORY USS CHARLESTON (LKA 113) is the first ship in the Navy to be designed and construct- ed as an Amphibious Cargo Ship. CHARLESTON was commissioned on 14 December 1968 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. She is capable of cruis- ing at speeds in excess of 20 knots and car- ries the latest advances in habitability and crew comfort. CHARLESTON ' S pride is her main battery of LCM-8 and LCM-6 Landing Craft as well as (8) 15 ton booms, (2) 40 ton and (2) 70 ton booms and she can handle heavy equipment and supplies with greater speed and flexibility than any other ship in the Atlantic Fleet. Since her commissioning, CHARLESTON has seen service in a host of exercises in the Mediterranean, Pacific and Indianii Oceans as well as the Caribbean, North Atlantic and off our East Coast. In the spring of 1971, in company with units of thei; SEVENTH Fleet , CHARLESTON completed an around the world cruise during which she carried building materials and sup- , plies for establishment of Naval Communications Facility at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. When assigned to the Fleet ' s Atlantic Amphibious Ready Group (LARG), CHARLESTON has landed Marines and equipment on Caribbean beaches and has conducted training for foreign Marine and Naval Forces. This ship ' s great flexibility has been demonstrated through a wide variety of surface and helo assault operations. CHARLESTON also participated in the first evacuation of civilians fromi Lebanon in June of 1976. In February 1979 CHARLESTON completed an extensive overhaul in the shipyard and began her second decade of service in the U.S. Navy.

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Captain Frank H. Tryon, JR.