Anchorage (LSD-36) was laid down on 13 March 1967 at PascagoulaMiss.by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp.; launched on 5 May 1968; sponsored byMrs. Alexander S. HeywardJr.the wife of Vice Admiral Heyward; and commissionedat the Norfolk Naval ShipyardPortsmouthVa.on 15 March 1969Capt.Percy Stuart Beaman in command.
After a briefround-trip cruise to Andros IslandBahamasthe dock landingship left Norfolk on 24 Junebound for the west coast. She paused at Mayportand Fort LauderdaleFla.transited the Panama Canal on 16 July; and arrivedat her home portSan DiegoCalif.on 26 July. At the end of shakedowntraining off the California coastshe entered the Mare Island Naval ShipyardVallejoCalif.on 1 Novemberfor post-shakedown availability.
Anchorage returned to San Diego on 9 January 1970. She set sail onthe 31st for the western Pacific (WestPac) to transport Marine Corps personnelback to the United States as part of Operation "Keystone Bluejay"a planned withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam. On 19 Februarytheship arrived at DanangRepublic of Vietnamtook on board the personneland equipment of the 7th Motor Battalionand sailed for the lJnited States.She reached DelmarCalifon 12 March and debarked her passengers.
Following a month and one-half in port at San Diego for training and upkeepAnchorage got underway on 1 May with other units of Amphibious Squadron(PhibRon) 5 for the Far East. She stopped at Pearl Harbor and then sailedto Johnston Atoll to deliver several landing craft. The ship next proceededto YokosukaJapanand arrived there on 19 May for voyage repairs. Hernext port call was at Buckner BayOkinawawhere marines came on boardfor transportation to Subic BayPhilippines. Upon the completion of thatembarkationPhibRon 5 units assumed duty as Amphibious Ready Group (ARG)Alfa.
>From 6 to 18 JuneAnchorage carried small craft between ports alongthe coast of Vietnam. Her ports of call included Vung TauCamranh BayQui NhonDanangand An Thoi. She anchored near An Thoi from 11 to 14 Juneto provide drydock services for the ships at the naval activity there. On22 Junethe ship participated in the first of several amphibious exercisesconducted by ARG Alfa at Green Beachnear Hubic Bay. During these operationsshe acted as a primary control ship for the direction and control of landingcraft while they moved to the beach.
The ship pulled into SaseboJapanearly in July for a period of rest andrelaxation for the crew. She got underway again on 16 July for amphibiousexercises off Green Beach. On the 31stshe arrived at Okinawa to take BattalionLanding Team 2/9 on board for transportation to Subic Bay. Anchoragearrived at Subic Bay on 18 August for upkeep. Her next port of callwas Hong Kong which she visited from 10 until 18 September and then returnedto the Subic Bay operating area.
>From 24 September through 8 OctoberAnchorage traveled among SubicBay and Vung TauCamranh Bayand DanangVietnamcarrying various smallcraft. Late in Octobershe carried out relief operations in the LagonoyGulf on the eastern coast of the Philippines for victims of Typhoons Joanand Kate. After touching at KeelungTaiwanon 29 Octoberthe ship proceededto Okinawa to pick up a landing craft for transportation to Subic Bay. Shetook part in amphibious exercises at Green Beach on 7 Novemberthen putinto port at Subic Bay. From the 20th to the 23dAnchorage was atOkinawa to disembark marines and to unload their equipment. During thistimePhibRon 5 was relieved of duties as ARG Alfa. The ship then paid ashort visit to Yokosuka Japanfor liberty and the loading of equipmentfor transportation to the United States. Sailing from Japan on 30 Novemberthe vessel arrived in San Diego on 10 December.
Anchorage remained in availability until 20 February 1971 when shegot underway for Port HuenemeCalif. Thereshe loaded construction materialsfor a communications center on the island in the Indian OceanDiego Garciato be built as a part of Operation "Reindeer Station. " She leftthe California coast on 22 February bound for Australia. The vessel madeport calls at Sydney and PerthAustralialate in March and then pushedon into the Indian Ocean. Upon arriving at Diego Garcia on 4 April she unloadedthe construction materials and sailed the next day for Subic Bay to obtainminor repairs and replenishment. Following a visit to Hong Kong from 17to 22 Aprilthe ship sailed to Danang where she embarked Marine Corps personneland equipment for return to the Umted States as part of Operation "KeystoneRobin." On 23 Aprilshe shaped a course for San Diego.
Anchorage arrived in her home port on 11 May andon 28 Juneresumedoperations as a training ship for landing exercises off Seal BeachCalif.This study was followed by refresher training and a period inport at SanDiego. From 2 to 6 Augustthe vessel was again involved in exercises offSeal Beach. She left San Diego on 16 August to sail to her namesake cityAnchorageAlaskawhere she remained from 22 to 26 August. After pausingat AlamedaCalif.to unload aircraftshe arrived back at San Diego on1 September and entered upkeep.
The ship sailed for Hawaii on 1 October anden routeparticipated in ConvoyExercise 3-71. She spent two days at Pearl Harbor before continuing on toBuckner BayOkinawa. There she rejoined ARG Alfa and embarked marines fortransportation to Subic Bay. Early in Novemberthe ship visited KaohsiungTaiwan. From 13 to 20 Novembershe shuttled landing craft between VungTau and Subic Bay. During the last few weeks of 1971the ship visited SaseboJapanand Hong Kong for liberty calls and also carried marines and equipmentfrom Okinawa to Sublc Bay.
After a period of repair workAnchorage sailed for Buckner Bay on17 January 1972 to embark marines for transportation back to Subic Bay.Late in Januaryshe carried out wet-well operations at DanangQui Nhonand Vung Tau andin mid-Februarytraveled to Singapore for a visit beforereturning to Subic Bay. After a brief trip to KureJapanin early Marchthe ship was involved in amphibious exercises. On 31 Marchshe got underwayto rendezvous with Task Group 76.5 which she met on 2 April for operationsoff the coast of Vietnam through 6 May.
The ship was at Subic Bay from 9 to 18 May and then sailed back to Vietnamesewaters for wet-well lifts to Vung TauHoi Anand Danang. On 24 Mayshetook part in Exercise "Song Thanh 6-72." She reached Okinawa on14 June to embark troops bound for the Philippines and arrived at SubicBay on the 20th. After a series of amphibious landing exercisesAnchorageresumed wet-well operations between Vung Tau and Subic Bay.
The vessel visited Kaohsiung in early Julythen arrived back at Subic Bayon the 8th. She left the Philippinesbound for home on 9 July and madeSan Diego on 24 July. She remained in port through 4 Decemberwhen thevessel got underway for independent type exercises off the southern Californiacoast. She returned to San Diego on the 7th and entered a holiday leaveand upkeep status.
After local operationsAnchorage traveled to Seal Beach late inJanuary 1973 to unload her ammunition. She returned to San Diego on 1 Februaryand began overhaul there on the 19th. During this yard worka fire brokeout on board and prolonged her stay in overhaul. The ship finallygot underway on 23 September for sea trials and started refresher amphibioustraining late in October. On 8 Decemberthe vessel commenced another WestPacdeployment.
During the cruisethe ship visited Subic BayBuckner BaySasebo and IwakuniJapanDiego Garciaand Singapore. While off KoreaAnchorage joinedARG Bravo for Operation "Fly Away." Leaving Subic Bay on 28 March1974she made stops at Guam and Pearl Harbor before arriving back in SanDiego on 18 April and entering a standdown period which lasted through 29July. On that daythe ship sailed northward to carry out a survey missionof potential amphibious training areas in Alaska. During her cruiseembarkedscientists surveyed 10 possible landing sites and the vessel visited inSeattleWash.NanaimoBritish Columbia; and Sitka and AnchorageAlaskabefore reaching San Diego again on 5 September. Anchorage began arestricted availability at Long BeachCalifon 17 October and after thework was completed on 16 Decembershe returned to home port for the holidays.
On 6 January 1975the ship began two weeks of amphibious refresher trainingoff the southern California coast. She then participated in Operation "Bedstream"with other ships of PhibRon 5. After a period of upkeep in San DiegoAnchorageagain sailed for the Orient on 28 March. She carried marines and theirequipment for participation in Operation "Frequent Wind" off theSouth Vietnamese coast. The ship reached Vietnamese waters on 30 April andprovided material support to ships evacuating Vietnamese refugees. On 2Mayshe left the Vung Tau holding area with the other ships involved inOperation "Frequent Wind."
On 13 Mayher scheduled operations were interrupted by the Mayaguezincident. Anchorage was ordered to proceed south to provide supportas needed for the rescue of Mayaguez. Following the ship's rescueAnchorage resumed her original schedule which included upkeep inSaseboJapana visit to KeelungTaiwanand a port call to InchonRepublicof Korea. Early September brought her a liberty call at Hong Kong. She thenproceeded to Yokosuka for upkeep. Following stops at Keelung and BucknerBayAnchorage sailed from Okinawa on 28 October to return to herhome port. En routeshe participated in Operation "Polymode"before arriving at San Diego on 16 November for upkeep and local operationsthrough the end of the year.
During the first three and one-half months of 1976the dock landing shipcontinued local operations off the southern California coast. From 26 Aprilthrough 17 Juneshe was in restricted availability in preparation for abicentennial visit to Alaska. Howeverthat trip was cancelledand theship was inport at San Diego from mid-August through December undergoingrepairs.
Tests and inspections occupied Anchorage during the first two andone-half months of 1977 before another WestPac deployment began on 28 March.She stopped briefly at Pearl Harborthen pushed on to Eniwetok to unloadcargo and vehicles. During her cruisethe ship served as a member of ARGAlfa. She also visited Guam; Subic Bay and IloiloPhilippines; Singapore;Hong Kong; Keelungand Yokosuka. Among the amphibious exercises in whichshe participated was Operation "Fortress Lightning" held in thePhilippinesin waters near Santa CruzMindanao Islandfrom 10 to 23 October.Upon the conclusion of this exercisethe vessel made her way back to thewest coast of the United States via OkinawaGuamand Hawaii. On 17 Novembershe pulled into San Diego and spent the rest of the year in upkeep.
The ship was involved in training operations along the California coastin January 1978. On 20 Februaryshe got underway for BremertonWash.to carry Army troops to their home base. The ship arrived at San Diego on3 March and began preparations for overhaul. She got underwayin tow ofAbnali (ATF-96)for the Long Beach Naval Shipyard on 14 Aprilandcommenced a regular overhaul there the next day. Upon completion of thisworkthe ship resumed operations on 13 December when she began sea trials.
Anchorage returned to San Diego on 15 January 1979. During the nexteight months she was involved in post-overhaul maintenance and training.she operated along the southern California coast and held refresher trainingand amphibious refresher training. On 24 Septemberthe ship got underwayto take part in Exercise "Kernel Potlatch II" a joint American-Canadian fleet exercise. Having concluded a successful amphibious landingon the northern coast of Vancouver Islandshe made a port call at EsquimaltBritish Columbia. After debarking marines at Camp PendletonAnchoragereturned to San Diego on 13 October. She participated in local operationsand training exercises through the end of the year in preparation for anupcoming deployment in 1980.
Four days into the new yearAnchorage slipped her moorings and leftSan Diego bound for the exotic Orient. Along the way the dock landing shipvisited Pearl HarborEniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islandsand Guam inthe Mariana Islands before arriving at Subic Bay in the Philippines on 6February 1980. Upon arrivalshe loaded a refurbished utility landing craft(LCU) for transportation to the Republic of Djibouti (former French Somaliland)located on the northeast coast of Africa near the Horn of Africa. The LCU-- dubbed Le Bac de la Paix (tr. the boat of peace) -- was a giftfrom the United States to Djibouti to enhance the country's inadequate commercialtransportation system. Anchorage stood out of Subic Bay on 15 Februaryto begin her goodwill mission. Steaming by way of Singaporeshe crossedthe Indian Ocean and arrived in Djibouti on 3 March. The dock landing shipspent two days in Djiboutidelivering America's gift and helping to cementrelations between the two governments and peoples. From Djiboutishe headedfor Diego Garcia Island to deliver barges to that isolated American outpostin the middle of the Indian Ocean. The ship stopped at Diego Garcia from12 to 15 March and then resumed her voyage back to the Philippines. Shemade a stop at PenangMalaysiaalong the way and reentered Subic Bay on24 March.
During the three months that remained of her 1980 deployment Anchoragecarried out operations in surroundings more familiar to 7th Fleet shipsthan the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean. Early in Aprilshe visitedHong Kong before voyaging to Okinawa to embark Marine Corps units on the17th and 18th. From Okinawathe dock landing ship sailed via Subic Bayand Singapore to Thailand where she joined elements of the Royal Thai Navyand the Royal Thai Marine Corps in amphibious training exercises. She concludedthe interlude in Thai waters with a visit to Pattaya between 5 and 10 May.Anchorage returned to Subic Bay on 19 May and remained in port untilnear the end of the first week in June. On 6 Juneshe got underway to returnthe embarked marines to their base on Okinawa. She stopped at NahaOkinawafrom 10 to 12 June and then returned to sea for the voyage back to the UnitedStates. The trip home included a two-day stop at Pearl Harbor and endedback at San Diego on 3 July.
After the usual month of relative inactivity following an overseas deploymentAnchorage began west coast operations early in August with a courtesyvisit to SeattleWash.for the city's annual sea fair. Normal duties continueduntil late September when she returned to San Diego for a two-month availability.The dock landing ship completed repairs on 20 November and resumed operationsout of her home port.
Various training evolutions occupied her time through May and into Juneof 1981. On 23 JuneAnchorage stood out of San Diego on her wayto duty with the 7th Fleet in the Far East. She stopped at Pearl Harborat the beginning of July and remained in the Hawaiian Islands for the firstthree weeks of the month completing an oft-delayed propulsion plant certification.On the 22dshe resumed her voyage west. The dock landing ship entered herfirst western Pacific port at Buckner BayOkinawaon 3 August and embarkedMarine Corps units for transportation to YokosukaJapan. Throughoutherassignment with the 7th FleetAnchorage spent much of her time carryingmarines between their bases and training exercises. In some casesthe docklanding ship herself participated in the exercises; in othersshe simplyprovided transportation to the location of the exercise. Consequentlyshecalled at a number of ports in the Orient -- most frequently at ports inOkinawaJapanand Korea but also at Thai ports occasionally. Anchoragecompleted her last 7th Fleet mission at NahaOkinawalate in Novemberandon the 21st got underway for the voyage back to California. En routeshe made an 11-day visit to Guam and a briefone-day pause at Pearl Harbor.She pulled into San Diego two days before Christmas.
Post-deployment leave and upkeep carried her well into January of l982.After a brief period underway in the southern California operating areaAnchorage began preparations at the end of January for regular overhaulat San Diego. The actual repair and modification work began on 1 March.Over the ensuing seven monthsthe ship received general repairs and upgradingthroughout as well as work on her propulsion plantmodernization of hercommunications spacesand an enhancement of her defense capability againstantiship missiles. Anchorage conducted sea trials in the local operatingarea during the first half of November and then spent the remainder of theyear in port.
The dock landing ship resumed operations out of San Diego early m 1983.In Mayshe paid a courtesy visit to her namesake cityAnchorageAlaska.Upon her return to San Diego in the middle of JuneAnchorage begana three-month availability in preparation for a deployment to the westernPacific scheduled to start in the middle of September. Except for a periodunderway between 22 and 31 Augustthe dock landing ship was in San Diegocontinuously from 11 June to 12 September. On the latter dayshe slippedher moorings and stood out to sea on her way back to the Far East. The usualstop at Pearl Harbor lasted from 20 September to 2 Octoberand then Anchorageresumed the voyage west. The dock landing ship arrived in YokosukaJapan on 14 October. She spent the rest of October at Yokosukathen gotunderway for Okmawa on 1 November to begin conveying Marme Corps umts betweentheir bases and the sites of training exercises. As in the pastthe docklanding ship participated in somebut not allof the exercises to whichshe provided transportation for the marines.
The deployment lasted through the end of 1983 and into the early monthsof 1984. She disembarked her last Marine Corps passengers at Yokosuka atthe end of January l984 and remained there until the beginning of the secondweek in February. On the 8thAnchorage set out upon the first legof the voyage back to the Umted States. On her wayshe made stops at Guamand at Pearl Harbor before ending the deployment at San Diego on 6 Marchl984. Except for a brief period underway inside the port on 17 AprilAnchorageremained moored at San Diego for almost five months performing repairs andmodifications. Near the end of Julyshe began sea trials out of San Diegothat lasted mto the fourth week in August. On 23 August the dock landingship made the brief passage from San Diego to her new home portLong Beach.Anchorage took about two weeks to get settled into her new base of operationsand then embarked upon a series of training evolutions in the local operatingarea.
Those drills and exercises -- punctuated by periods in port for upkeep andrepairs -- occupied her time during the remaining months of l984 and formost of the first quarter of 1985. On 27 March 1985she left Long Beachon a course for the Orient. The dock landing ship interrupted her long voyagebriefly at SaseboJapanon 16 April to pick up mail and then arrived atPohangKoreaon the 17th. At PohangAnchorage embarked a MarineCorps contingent and set sail for Okinawa on 18 April. For the next fourmonthsshe crisscrossed the distant reaches of the Pacific delivering marinesto various points for combat training and returning them to their bases.On occasionshe joined in the exercises herself to practice her role asan amphibious warship. Her final group of passengers came on board at YokohamaJapanbetween 9 and 11 August and disembarked at Buckner BayOkinawaon the 14th.
On the 15th Anchorage began the passage home. She stopped at PearlHarbor from the 26th to the 28th and arrived in Del MarCalif.on 3 September1985. The following daythe dock landing ship moved to Long Beach whereshe began a five- week post-deployment standdown. With her return to activeoperations on 10 OctoberAnchorage embarked upon an extended periodof local operations that occupied her not only during the balance of 1985but for the whole of 1986 as well. As of the beginning of 1987Anchoragewas moored at Long Beach.
Anchorage received one award of the Meritorious Unit Commendationand six battle stars for Vietnam service.
[Note: The above USS ANCHORAGE (LSD-36) history may or may not contain text provided by crew members of the USS ANCHORAGE (LSD-36) or by other non-crew members and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
