Tripoli (LPH 10) - Naval Cruise Book

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After commissioning on August 6, 1966, the United States Ship Tripoli KLPH-102 was outfitted at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Moving to the West Coast via the Panama Canal, the ship began operating out of her home port of San Diego, California. After extensive training off the California coast, Tripoli departed the United States on May 1, 1967, for the Western Pacific. Arriving. on station near the Demilitar- ized Zone of Vietnam, Tripoli joined Amphib- ious Ready Group Bravo , where she served as flagship for the Ready Group Commander. As a member of the Seventh Fleet Ready Group, g Tripoli launched eight, fullgscale am- phibious assaults against insurgent com- munist guerilla and North Vietnamese Regu- lar Army troops. The ship also served as a support vessel, providing troops ashore with food, ammunition, water, and a base for the immediate evacuation and treatment of wounded personnel. ' Tripoli returned to her .home port on December 23, 1967. Her actions during the first deployment were rewarded when the Secretary of the Navy presented the assault ship the Navy Unit Commendation ,and the Meritorious Unit Commendation in May 1968. Early that same year, Tripoli again underwent training in preparation for her second Vietnam deployment. On June 12, after six months in the United States, she left port for Vietnamese waters.

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USS Trfpoli KLPH-101 underway in support of amphibious operations off the coast of the Republic of Vietnam

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Arriving on station, Tripoli again served as flagship for Amphibious Ready Group Bravo , participating in nine major am- phibious assault and support operations against communist elements in Vietnam. This included Operation Bold Mariner'q', the largest amphibious landing since the Kor- ean conflict in the 1950s. On March 19, 1969, Tripoli returned to San Diego, completing a 280-day deployment. Following upkeep at the San Diego Naval Station in June, the ship again underwent training in preparation for her third Vietnam deployment. Departing San Diego on November 1, Tripoli assumed duties as flagship for Am- phibious Ready Group Alfa . In early Feb- ruary 1970, she participated in the Phase III withdrawal of American combat forces from Vietnam, transporting over 1,200 U.S. Marines from Da Nang to San Diego. Returning to the West Pacific area in early March, Tripoli participated in Oper- ation Golden Dragon , a major amphibious training exercise off the coast of the Re- public of South Korea. She completed her third deployment on June 24, 1970.