Vancouver (LPD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 16 text:

THE STCRY GF THE LPD The story of the LPD, Amphibious Transport Dock, is the result of years of research and practical experience in both war and peace. Previous approaches to amphibious warfare have necessitated different types of ships, LPA for troops, LKA for cargo, LSD for boats, and LPH for helicopters, combined into a small task force to do the job that the single LPD can do independently. Modern warfare requires amphibious ships that can answer a call for support with rapid, powerful and variable response. The LPD is that type of ship. She is able to carry over SOO combat equipped Marines plus most of their accompnaing weapons and cargo at a speed in excess of 20 knots. She employs both amphibious landing craft and helicopters in effecting the over-the-beach assualt against the enemy. Troop spaces aboard the LPD are roomy, air conditioned quarters capable of supporting Marines comfortably for extended periods at sea. Facilities for handling cargo include a large freight elevator, automated pallet conveyors, forklifts, bridge cranes, and pallet jacks. This combination of modern, dependable cargo handling equipment all but eliminates wasted effort in cargo handling and insures extremely rapid reaction time for embarkation or debarkation. The story of the LPD has been actively dramatized by VANCOUVER. VAN- COUVER was the first LPD to be tested in the Vietnam war zones. She demonstrated the versatility and reliability of the LPD in numerous combat situations. While on many occasions, heavy seas prevented LPA's and LKA's from lowering their boats during amphibious assualts, VANCOUVER's pre-loading techniques in the preventive well deck of the ship enabled her to off-load on schedule and provide needed support for the Marine operation ashore. In short, the LPD offers all the tools of amphibious warfare in the most modern and efficient forms. All encompassing facilities offer the Amphibious Task Force Commander choice, not change, in seeing that the job gets done.

Page 15 text:

X X X X X x X X xx XX xx X X X XX X X X X x X '4-WX , .ww ' f , W f 7 ,., 'QA W ji WW f

Page 17 text:

, , w ,vw W WW M f .V-U , . V 4- ,f Q74 X .- Q V f w W fbxvix fx M N, xxx is .uv X XXX ff- N J Nm, R A X f xdxf-fog'Xw we flifgbrx 3' Wx, YN. :Xmx .RS N1 .. X Mmm X ,X ws A N X vfjgxr X gm f Q f mf ...Sr ZW., w I' is Q M. ,, ., A , My M IW, 7 - A X X95 M, wx ., ,, W- ,,, Y! f . 0 ,. 3' , X X iw Y' f , 4 5' ' f ,W , -X , W QM, X ,M A Nm. W ffwow V H., M 'Arm ,nw-ff ,, ,W f 'T Y ff f f we X . ASW V WK..-W MM if ff., x L-mx Nw, ff Mya. W, ,M . wx .45 ,W V M , 'ff-