Vancouver (LPD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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VANCOUVER HISTORY VANCOUVER HISTORY USS VANCOUVER CLPD-25, built at the New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, New York, officially joined the United States Navy on ll May l963, and shortly thereafter proceeded to her designated home port of San Diego, California, via the Panama Canal. On I6 November l964 VANCOUVER departed San Diego on her first deployment to the Western Pacific. Her service with the Seventh Fleet during that overseas cruise included participation in the historical initial amphibious landing at Danang, South Vietnam. and was highlighted by her visit to Australia for the I965 Coral Sea Celebration in May, while enroute home. During this initial tour to the Far East VANCOUVER visited Okinawa, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippine Islands and the ports of Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. A short visit to Pago Pago in American Samoa was included in the homeward bound itinerary. On 5 August l965, less than two months after completion of her first full Western Pacific deployment, VANCOUVER again set sail for the Far East with a trooplift of Marines destined for South Vietnam. Upon completion of her mission VANCOUVER returned to San Diego on 5 October I965. ' VANCOUVER again departed San Diego on 9 July I966 for her most important mission since commissioning. Upon joining the Seventh Fleet Amphibious Ready Group off Vietnam, she was the first LPD to actually conduct combat operations. Six C63 separate assault landings were conducted during the ensuing nine months of operations, ranging from just south of the Demilitarized Zone to the Mekong Delta. The Delta operation, which saw American forces penetrate that vital region for the first time in the war, was the largest amphibious undertaking since the massive landing at lnchon, Korea in September of I950. VANCOUVER returned to San Diego on 8 April I967. After a short period of leave and upkeep, she journeyed north to participate in the Canadian Centennial Naval Assembly at Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. On I February I968, VANCOUVER departed San Diego on her fourth deployment in the Western Pacific. Participating in numerous support missions, VANCOUVER significantly contributed to boat repairs and logistical support to forces in the area. The Vancando spirit continued as she returned home in September I968. A period of welcome rest was followed in February of I969 by a major over haul which lasted until May. In August VANCOUVER departed on her fifth deployment to Vietnam returning in March I970. VANCOUVER'S sixth cruise began on 6 June I970 when she sailed to the Western Pacific with 300 Naval Academy Midshipmen. In seven weeks she visited the ports of Yokosuka, Japan, Hong Kong, Danang, Vietnam and Hawaii, returning to the United States on I August I970. Her seventh deployment started 28 March I97l and lasted until 5 November l97l. During those seven months VANCOUVER par- ticipated in several practice landings with her embarked Marines. Her port visits included Singapore, Subic Bay, Philippines, Sasebo, Japan, Buckner Bay, Okinawa, and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. - During the summer of I972 VANCOUVER once more sailed to the Far East with nearly 300 Midshipmen from Annapolis, exposing them to the same ports visited in I970. During the last quarter of l972 VANCOUVER again underwent a major overhaul. Following Refreshing Training her ninth deploy- ment commenced on I5 March l973. This particular cruise marked an end to hostilities in the Far East with the participation of the USS VANCOUVER in Operation End Sweep. This operation marked the first time in U.S. Naval history that mine countermeasure techni- ques were undertaken with helicopters. Other operations included, among other things, the embarkation of some 750 Marines at Camp Fuji, Numazu, Japan. The ports visited were Oakland, Port Angles, Washington, Sasebo, Okinawa, Subic Bay, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Kagoshima, lwakuni and Pearl Harbor. This cruise was completed with a return to San Diego on 9 October I973. The VANCOUVER embarked on her tenth WESTPAC deployment on I8 October I974. She participated in many operational exer- cises and played a major role in the spring of I975 in Operations Eagle Pull and Frequent Wind, which were the evacuations of Cam- bodia and Vietnam respectively. VANCOUVER returned to San Diego on 6 June l975 and was subsequently awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Naval Unit Citation, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for her role in Operations Eagle Pull and Frequent Wind. Upon completion of Refresher Training in April l976, VANCOUVER began preparations for the celebration of the 200th birthday of the United States of America. On 28 June I976, in response to an invitation from the city of Vancouver, Washington, VANCOUVER departed San Diego for her namesake city to celebrate the nation's 200th birthday. After a visit of three days, which included visit-ship priviliges for the residents of the city over the 4th of July weekend, VANCOUVER got underway for San Francisco. After a week-long stay in the Bay area, VANCOUVER set sail and arrived in San Diego on I9 July. On 25 September I976 VANCOUVER embarked on her eleventh Western Pacific deployment. On this cruise VANCOUVER par- ticipated in Operation Kangaroo ll in Australia in conjunction with the Australian and New Zealand armed forces. VANCOUVER also participated in Operation Team Spirit in Korea, a joint allied amphibious exercise. Ports visited during the l976-77 WESTPAC were Honolulu, Sydney, Australia, Subic Bay, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Keelung, Taiwan, and lnchon, Korea. On I4 May I977 VAN- COUVER stopped in Pearl Harbor on her homeward transit and embarked thirty-five male relatives of VANCOUVER crewmen thus hosting a Tiger Cruise to San Diego. On 2I May I977 VANCOUVER arrived in her homeport of San Diego, completing her eleventh and a most memorable Western Pacific deployment.

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