Anchorage (LSD 36) - Naval Cruise Book

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a. — ji ' Sill GENERIS ' LSD -36 THE LSD The LSD is designed to operate as an integral part of a balanced, mobile and modern amphibious striking force giving greater dimen- sions 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 versatility. 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 of the 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 facilities to provide drydock repair services to small ships up to the size of harbor tugs. This class of LSD has the capability to berth, feed and transport over 400 fully equipped combat troops and equipment and to unload them in pre-loaded landing craft or to other boats in the landing force. Intrinsically a part of the well deck operation is a ballasting system which allows the well deck to be flooded with sea water to a depth necessary for loading such landing craft as the LCU or the smaller LCM-8. Although not specifically designed for hel- icopter operations in great volume, the flight deck is large enough to service and stow one medium -sized helo. Aviation features include limited repair and maintenance facilities, hel icopter refueling stations, aviation fuel stowage tanks and troop debarkation stations for hel- icopter assaults. ANCHQHAG DOCK G SHf ir;?. ALASKA . IC ORATICM INSIGNIA OF USS ANCHORAGE (LSD- 36) The ANCHORAGE insignia portrays both the origin and meaning of her name, including the reason for her existence and depicting that she is the first of her type in a new class of Dock Landing ships. Symbolized in the anchor and line are stability and security which this ship will provide for the United States Navy on the high seas. The Latin term Sui Generis is literally translated to mean of a particular kind or first of a class. This ship is unique in two respects; first, it is the largest LSD ever con- structed and second, it is the first ship to be named after the largest city of alaska, AN- CHORAGE, which is represented by the star on the map.

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M !.rl-|«i T S . ' f rir j ' ' THE ANCHORAGE The USS ANCHORAGE (LSD- 36) was launch- ed at Pascagoula, Mississippi on 5 May 1968 Eind was officially commissioned on 15 March 1969 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, Virginia. Following Class Standardization Trails near Andros Island in the Bahamas, the ship departed Norfolk enroute to her homeport, San Diego, California where she arrived on 26 July. After completing Shakedown Training and various amphibious exercises, the ship underwent two months of Post Shakedown corrections at Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California. From 31 January to 12 March 1970, the ship assisted in the redeployment of USMC units from RVN to the United States. On 1 May, the ANCHORAGE departed her homeport as a unit of Amphibious Squadron FIVE to begin her first extended deployment in the Western Pacific and Far East area. During the cruise the ship participated in various amphibious exercises and a typhoon relief operation in the Philippines, provided wet -well services along the coast of RVN and visited ports in Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan and Hong Kong, BBC. The ANCHORAGE returned to San Diego on 10 December completing a 7 1 2 month and 42,000 mile cruise. After loading construction mate- rials, on 22 February 1971, the ANCHORAGE departed PortHueneme, enroute to Diego Garcia, the future site of an austere communications station. This mini -deployment included visits to Sydney and Perth, Australia, Hong Kong, and Danang, RVN. On March 25, 1971, at Perth, Australia, Captain Cyrus A. RANK, USN relieved Captain Percy S. BEAMAN as Commanding Officer. From July 19 to July 29, ANCHORAGE underwent Refresher Training off the coast of San Diego, upon completion of which AN- CHORAGE served as Primary Control Ship (PCS) for a Reserve Marine Amphibious Land- ing exercise at Camp Pendleton. The ANCHORAGE is 562 feet long, 84 feet wide at the beam and is armed with four twin 3 inch 50 cal. gun mounts. Maximum speed is 21.5 knots. Her personnel allowance consists of 21 officers and 286 enlisted. Utilizing ANCHORAGE ' S troop capacity, the ship can accomodate 51 officers and 742 enlisted.

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COMMANDING OFFICER CYRUS A. RANK CAPT. USN