Portland (LSD 37) - Naval Cruise Book

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T THE PORTLAND IS NAMED AFTER TWO FA- MOUS SEAPORT CITIES OF THE UNITED STATES, . PORTLAND, OREGON, AND PORTLAND, MAINE. LCDR A. F. I THE TWO CITIES SEALS ARE APPROPRIATELY A LIVERS, JR. PART OF THE SHIP,S INSIGNE. THE SEA OF PORTLAND, OREGON, PRESENTS THE CITY AS A LT J. P. MAJOR SEAPORT THROUGH THE SAILING VES- STMANTQN SEL. THE ERUITEUL LADY IS STANDING AT THE CONELUENCE OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER ON WHOSE WATERS FLOW THE MANY INDUSTRIAL LTJG T- AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS OF THE RE- WALDRON GION. THE FIR TREES REPRESENT THE LARGE LUMBER RESOURCES AND MT. HOOD, THE SCE- BT3 J, NIC ATTRIBUTES OF THE REGION. THE SEAL OF PATTERSON PORTLAND, MAINE, IS ONE OF HERALDRY. THE PHOENIX CHERONJ SYMBOLIZES IMMORTALI- TY. THE ANCHOR IS FREQUENTLY USED IN CIT- BTFA S- A- IES HAVING A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTTESEN SEA AND IN HERALDRY THE ANCHOR REPRE- AUSS PORTLM SENTS HOPE. THE DOLPHINS SYMEOLIZE DIL- IGENCE, LOVE, AND SWIFTNESS. THE SHIP IS T 1 INTERPRETED AS REPRESENTING THE CITY AS I 1 I .L I L.,, A GREAT SHIPEUILDING CITY. ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT OF THE INSIGNE ARE THE NAVY EMBLEM AND THE MARINE CORPS EMBLEM. THESE EMBLEMS TOGETHER REPRESENT THE JOINT EFFORTS OF THESE SERVICES IN THE PERFORMANCE OF MISSIONS ASSIGNED THE AMPHIBIOUS FORCES. THE STERN VIEW OF THE PORTLAND REVEALS THE SHIPIS CHARACTERISTICS INHERENT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS PRIMARY MISSION. THE FLOODED WELL DECK REPRESENTS THE SHIP'S CAPABILITY TO LAUNCH, RECEIVE, AND REPAIR SMALL CRAFT, THE FLIGHT DECK REPRESENTS THE SHIP'S CAPABILITY TO LAUNCH AND RECEIVE HELICOPTERS CARRYING CARGO OR MARINES, THE CRANES SYMBOLIZE THE SHIP'S ABILITY TO LOAD AND UNLOAD CARGO RAPIDLY.

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PORTLAND'S HISTORY USS PORTLAND CLSD 373 is the second of the Anchorage, CLSD 361 class dock landing ships. Built by the Quincy Division of General Dynamics, her keel was laid on 27 September 1967. She was commissioned on 3 October 1970 at the Boston Naval Shipyard. From 1972 to 1983, PORTLAND completed 1 1 deployments to the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and North Atlantic as a member of Amphibious Squadrons TWO, FOUR, SIX and EIGHT. Additionally, she has undertaken a variety of unique missions. In 1970, she transported TEKTITE II, a Department of the Interior underwater research habitat. She was later awarded the Meritorious, Unit Commendation for support of two Navy Patrol Gunboats, USS DEFIANCE CPG 951 and USS SURPRISE CPG 971, in August 1970. During October 1973, PORTLAND carried the Navy's Deep Submergence Research Submarine, NR-1, for bottom survey and data collection in the vicinity of Puerto Rico. In March 1976 she was instrumental in building an artificial fishing reef in Chesapeake Bay by sinking numerous obsolete boats. On 29 July 1976, PORTLAND participated in the evacuation of over 300 U.S. citizens and third country nationals from civil war-torn Beirut, Lebanon. PORTLAND'S first regular overhaul was performed at Sun Shipyard in Chester, Pennsylvania from November 1979 to January 1981. During Caribbean Operations '82 from 22 February until 14 April 1982, PORTLAND served as flagship for CINCLANTFLT, COMNAVSURFLANT and DEPCINCLANTFLT and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. PORTLAND deployed in support of UNITAS XXIII in June 1982 and passed through the Panama Canal in August 1982, entering the Pacific Ocean for the first time in the shipls history. Deployed as a member of the Multi-National Peacekeeping Force at Beirut, Lebanon from May through December 1983, PORTLAND was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation and Navy Expeditionary Medal for actions during that deployment. PORTLAND completed regular overhaul at Norfolk Ship- building and Drydock Company in Berkley, South Norfolk, Virginia from 16 January to 19 July 1985. In August, PORTLAND visited one of her namesake cities, Portland, Maine. In April 1986 PORTLAND was fitted with two Vulcan Phanlanz Close-in Weapon Systems for missile defense. From May to November PORTLAND deployed with MARG 2-86 and participated in the NATO exercise Display Determination. From May 6 to July 31, 1987, PORTLAND underwent a Planned Maintenance Overhaul at Moon engineering, Portsmouth, Virginia. In August, she embarked several members of the original PORTLAND QCA-333 for a cruise to one of her namesake cities Portland, Maine. From December 31, 1987 to April 1, 1988 PORTLAND deployed to the Persian Gulf as Middle East Force Minesweeper mothership. From May to July, PORTLAND took part in midshipman training and visited such ports as Roseau, Dominican Republic, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, Plymouth, England, Glascow and Edinburg, Scotland, St. Nazaire, France and Portland, England. In September, PORTLAND participated in Teamwork 88 off Norway. The trip ended with a visit to Newcastle, England. PORTLAND completed a Planned Maintenance Availability period between November 1988 through February 1989. In April, PORTLAND conducted Refresher Training in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. During June, PORTLAND embarked a law enforcement detachment from the U.S. Coast Guard and patrolled Caribbean. During the operation, PORTLAND supported two Coast Guard Patrol boats and a Coast Guard Helicopter detachment. PORTLAND began TCATS and MARG workups throughout July and August to prepare for the upcoming deployment. From 1 1 October to 11 April PORTLAND deployed to the Mediterranean Sea as part of MARG 1-90. 4.

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I I , HI TORY 5 Irage, CLSD 362 class dock landing ships. Built by V id on 27 September 1967. She was commissioned - . om 1972 to 1983, PORTLAND completed 11 . Atlantic as a member of Amphibious Squadrons - ertaken a variety of unique missions. In 1970, she j p Iderwater research habitat. She was later awarded ' A THANKSGIVING IN THE WARDRooIvI. A CI Navy Patrol Gunboats, USS DEFIANCE CPG 955 lg October 1973, PORTLAND carried the Navy's I Ittom suwev and data collection in rho virfinitv AF 1 ,' I I I 1 I I . Q ' I I -I I 4. 1 ,A 7i ' ' I A R-DIV GETS BEST X-MAS SET UP. j I 7 Q75 v CHANNEL 13 NEWS VISIT FOR X-MAS 2 I . L I tri I A E l '- :jffxlk R QM-3 gf., , ' A USS PORTLAND HAD A CHANCE TO B E AT I ROME FOR MIDNIGHT MASS 24 DEC 1989 I WITH JOHN PAUL II, PHOTO BY HTC BARNES I I FW 1