Duluth (LPD 6) - Naval Cruise Book

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FORWARD Western Pacific Deployment WESTPAC ; the term stirs different emotions in all of us. For some, it meant lengthy separation from family and friends, for others, it meant the adventure, excitement and intrigue of the Pacific and Far East. For all it meant new challenges to face and overcome. To each, WESTPAC 87 meant a professional pride, a commitment to excellence. WESTPAC 87 brought us to Okinawa, Japan; the Republic of the Philippines; Pattaya Beac h, Thailand; the country of Singapore; Perth, Australia; Pohang and Pusan, Korea and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Along the journey, DULUTH took full advantage of every opportunity to train and quality ship personnel. The inside joke in the squadron was DULUTH was not on WESTPAC, but rather on WESTBUFF 87 . Much to their envy and dismay, DULUTH was not only the cleanest ship, but the finest amphibious ship in the squadron. DULUTH ' S sustained superior performance, exemplary material readiness, unparalled attention-to-detail, and model professionalism have become the standard by which all other amphibious ships are judged. Proceeding from overhaul to deployment in less than one year, and maintaining exemplary performance throughout the deployment is the result of total commitment of DULUTH ' S crew to professional excellence. USS DULUTH achieved a remarkable high level of excellence across a wide spectrum of amphibious operations. While in every port, DULUTH engaged in sporting events when available. In Singapore the basketball team competed against one of Singapore ' s national basketball teams. In the Philippines, DULUTH sponsored a ten kilometer run complete with finish line festivities; T-shirts and trophy. While in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, DULUTH participated and won the eleven event Professional Olympics sponsored by Commander, Amphibious Squadron Five. USS DULUTH, during WESTPAC 87, achieved and substained a level of excellence often aspired to, but seldom, if ever, attained. By any standard of achievement, DULUTH truely represents professional pride, the total crew commit- ment to excellence. FORWARD 3

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at the New York Naval Shipyard, with her keel being laid on December 18, 1963. She was commissioned two years later, on December 18, 1965. The DULUTH is named for the city of DULUTH, Minnesota, and is the second Navy ship to bear the name. The first ship to be named DULUTH was a Cleveland Class Light cruiser (CL 87) which saw service during the Second World War. During her long and colorful career, DULUTH has made nine deployments to the Western Pacific, the most recent of which ended on April 26, 1985, following six and one-half months away from San Diego. Over the past twenty years DULUTH has visited many exotic and exciting ports from Aukland, New Zealand to Vancouver, British Columbia; from Mazatlan, Mexico to Mombasa, Kenya. She has also been involved in numerous exercises and operations. In early September 1983, while visiting Mombasa, Kenya, DULUTH was unexpectedly ordered to waters off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon, to support the Multi-National Peacekeeping Force (MNPF) ashore. While transiting to the Mediterranean, DULUTH was part of the FIRST AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUP from the west coast to transit the Suez Canal. As a result of her participation in the MNPF, DULUTH was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and Meritorious Unit Commendation. In July 1984, DULUTH made a port call to Juneau, Alaska to share in that city ' s Fourth of July celebration and commemoration of Alaska ' s Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Statehood. DULUTH is a proud ship with a proud tradition. DULUTH was awarded her second consecutive Battle Efficiency E in March 1985, by Commander Amphibious Squadron ONE. During that same competitive period, which ended on 31 December 1984, DULUTH was awarded her seventh consecutive Amphibious Assault Award, fourth consecutive Engineering E , third consecutive Damage Control DC and third consecutive Electronic Warfare EW . DULUTH was«lso awarded the Air E , Communications C and Gunnery E . In December 1983, th e Ch ief of Naval Operations awarded the DULUTH the prestigious Marjorie Sterrett Awaj flApIl most combat ready ship in the Pacific Fleet. ' 1 DUPflftfl ' is 569 feet long, has beam of 110 feet, and displaces 16,710 tons when fully loaded. DULUTH is propelled by Babcock and Wilcox boilers and has a sustained speed capability of twenty kiiots. Shqj|pn oarry four M8 boats or one LCU, operate 4 CH-53 ' s or CH-46 ' s, and can ■ ■ ' • ' — ' ' e ovj 900 coj|reat troops. DULUTH can also carry 2,000 tons of supplies and to »T crew of 30 officers and 370 enlist( d. ged home ports and began a nine-moi th Regular Overhaul in rt of a un| ige competition between civiHaii rnvned and government he operational fleet in} June of 1986. --- -«;9 iJSiK ' - FORTITER IN RE