UNDERWAY! 2025 Wall Calendar / W.W. II SPECIAL EDITION NOW AVAILABLE - CLICK HERE |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For RATING SHIRTS - Click on your Rating Abbreviation below: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
U.S.S. AUSTIN
(LPD-4)SEA POWER THROUGH MOBILITY
Click to view crew list
The USS AUSTIN (LPD-4), an Austin class amphibious transport dock, was commissioned on 6 FEB 1965. USS AUSTIN served her country for 41 years, 7 months and 21 days, until decommissioned on 27 SEP 2006. USS AUSTIN was the lead ship of her class, incorporating the experience gained with the USS RALEIGH class of Landing Platform Dock Ships. After fit out and shake down training AUSTIN reported for duty at the her homeport of Norfolk, VA. Her first deployments were on the Eastern side of the Atlantic. From 1970 on, she deployed routinely to the North Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean with periods of maintenance and upkeep. AUSTIN supported U.S. efforts in the Dominican Republic, Kuwait and Iraq. She was decommissioned in September 2006 and subsequently scrapped in 2010.
The USS AUSTIN (LPD-4) deployment history and significant events of her service career follow:
LPD-4 Deployments - Major Events
Add a LPD-4 Shellback Initiation | Add a LPD-4 Deployment - Major Event | ||||
Month | Year | to | Month | Year | Deployment / Event |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
JAN | 1962 | - | JAN | 1973 | Mediterranean-Indian Ocean |
FEB | 1963 | - | Keel Date: 4 FEB 1963 | ||
JUN | 1964 | - | Launch Date: 27 JUN 1964 | ||
SEP | 1964 | - | MAY | 1968 | Caribbean |
FEB | 1965 | - | Commissioned: 6 FEB 1965 | ||
APR | 1967 | - | AUG | 1967 | Caribbean |
NOV | 1968 | - | APR | 1969 | Mediterranean |
MAY | 1969 | - | SEP | 1969 | Caribbean |
NOV | 1969 | - | Shellback Initiation - 15 NOV 1969 - Atlantic Ocean | ||
NOV | 1969 | - | DEC | 1969 | Apollo 12 Recovery Squadron |
NOV | 1969 | - | Shellback Initiation - 15 NOV 1969 - Atlantic Ocean | ||
NOV | 1969 | - | Shellback Initiation - 15 NOV 1969 - Atlantic Ocean | ||
NOV | 1969 | - | DEC | 1969 | Caribbean |
JAN | 1970 | - | JAN | 1970 | Grenada |
MAR | 1970 | - | JUL | 1970 | Mediterranean |
JUN | 1970 | - | JUN | 1973 | Mediterranean |
NOV | 1970 | - | APR | 1971 | Mediterranean |
JUL | 1972 | - | OCT | 1972 | Dry Dock |
JUN | 1973 | - | DEC | 1973 | Mediterranean |
JUN | 1973 | - | DEC | 1973 | Mediterranean |
FEB | 1975 | - | AUG | 1975 | Mediterranean |
JAN | 1976 | - | JAN | 1979 | North Atlantic |
JUN | 1976 | - | JUL | 1976 | International Naval Review (200th Anniversary of our Nation) NY |
AUG | 1976 | - | NOV | 1976 | North Atlantic |
AUG | 1976 | - | NOV | 1976 | North Atlantic |
FEB | 1977 | - | FEB | 1978 | Dry Dock |
SEP | 1978 | - | OCT | 1978 | North Atlantic |
JAN | 1979 | - | JUL | 1979 | Mediterranean |
JAN | 1980 | - | JUL | 1980 | Mediterranean |
MAR | 1980 | - | MAR | 1980 | Collision at sea with foreign flagged merchant container ship |
AUG | 1980 | - | OCT | 1980 | Northern Wedding |
OCT | 1980 | - | Shellback Initiation - 4 OCT 1980 - Atlantic Ocean | ||
OCT | 1980 | - | Shellback Initiation - 30 OCT 1980 - Atlantic Ocean | ||
FEB | 1981 | - | MAR | 1981 | Blue Nose - Arctic Circle |
JAN | 1983 | - | JAN | 1983 | At Marty Gras we lost a great shipmate who was killed by a float |
MAY | 1983 | - | DEC | 1983 | Mediterranean |
MAY | 1983 | - | NOV | 1983 | Mediterranean-Lebanon |
MAY | 1983 | - | DEC | 1983 | Mediterranean-Lebanon |
MAR | 1984 | - | Shellback Initiation - 11 MAR 1984 - Atlantic Ocean | ||
JUN | 1985 | - | DEC | 1985 | Mediterranean |
AUG | 1986 | - | OCT | 1986 | Blue Nose - Arctic Circle |
AUG | 1986 | - | OCT | 1986 | North Atlantic |
JUN | 1987 | - | DEC | 1987 | Mediterranean |
JAN | 1988 | - | Shellback Initiation - 15 JAN 1988 - Atlantic Ocean | ||
DEC | 1988 | - | JUN | 1989 | Mediterranean |
SEP | 1989 | - | OCT | 1989 | Hurricane Hugo Relief/Puerto Rico |
OCT | 1989 | - | NOV | 1989 | Caribbean |
MAR | 1990 | - | APR | 1990 | South America |
JAN | 1991 | - | AUG | 1991 | Desert Storm |
NOV | 1992 | - | APR | 1993 | Mediterranean |
JUL | 1993 | - | Shellback Initiation - 5 JUL 1993 - Indian Ocean | ||
MAY | 1994 | - | NOV | 1994 | Mediterranean-Indian Ocean |
JUN | 1994 | - | NOV | 1994 | North Atlantic-Med-Indian Ocean |
JUL | 1994 | - | Shellback Initiation - 8 JUL 1994 - Atlantic Ocean | ||
JUL | 1994 | - | Shellback Initiation - 8 JUL 1994 - Indian Ocean | ||
NOV | 1994 | - | JUN | 1998 | Mediterranean-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf |
JUN | 1996 | - | DEC | 1996 | Mediterranean |
JUL | 1998 | - | DEC | 1998 | Mediterranean |
JUN | 2000 | - | DEC | 2000 | Mediterranean |
JUN | 2000 | - | DEC | 2000 | Uss cole |
AUG | 2002 | - | JUN | 2003 | Operation Iraqi Freedom |
NOV | 2005 | - | APR | 2006 | Mediterranean-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf |
SEP | 2006 | - | Decommissioned: 27 SEP 2006 |
LPD-4 General Specifications
Complement: 100 Officers and 1335 Enlisted
Displacement: 9962 tons
Length: 567 feet
Beam: 108 feet
Draft: 22 feet
Flank Speed: 20 knots
USS AUSTIN (LPD-4)
The third Austin (LPD-4) was laid down on 4 February 1963 at Brooklyn
N.Y.
by the New York Naval Shipyard; launched on 27 June 1964; sponsored
by Miss Lynda Bird Johnson
the daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson
and commissioned on 6 February 1965
Capt. William H. Shaw in command.
The amphibious transport dock remained at Brooklyn through May
then sailed
to Norfolk
Va.
on 26 May to complete her outfitting. During September
and October
she was engaged in shakedown training in the vicinity of Guantanamo
Bay
Cuba. The ship then made a port call at Corpus Christi
Tex.
before
returning to her home port of Norfolk in November.
>From November 1965 through April 1966
Austin operated in the Norfolk
area before entering the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 5 May for repairs
and alterations. When this work was completed
she headed for the Caribbean
to conduct two weeks of trials off Vieques Island
Puerto Rico. The ship
next sailed to the Dominican Republic to assist in the withdrawal of units
of the Inter-American Peace Force which had helped restore stability during
a political crisis. These units were disembarked at Sunny Point
N.C.
on
9 August
and she then returned
via Norfolk
to Philadelphia where she
arrived on the 21st for adjustments to her main propulsion plant. On 3 November
Austin returned to Norfolk.
She spent the next four and one-half months in preparation for an extended
deployment as a unit of the Caribbean Amphibious Ready Group. On 15 April
1967
Austin touched at Morehead City
N. C.
to embark Marine Corps
units and then proceeded to the Caribbean. While there
she participated
in numerous amphibious training exercises and made port visits at Ponce
and San Juan
Puerto Rico
Willemstad
Curacao
St. Thomas
Virgin Islands
Colon
Panama
and Guantanamo Bay. The vessel returned her marines to Morehead
City on 17 August and arrived at Norfolk on 19 August for a leave and upkeep
period. She got underway again on 4 November to become a part of the recovery
force for the Apollo IV space mission. From 13 to 16 November
Austin
held amphibious training exercises
then returned to Norfolk for the
holidays.
She sailed on 8 January 1968 to carry naval personnel and equipment to Key
West
Fla. After continuing on to Roosevelt Roads
Puerto Rico
the ship
arrived back in Norfolk on 25 January. During February
March
and April
she took part in several training exercises along the east coast. On 13
May
another cruise to the Caribbean began which included visits to Bermuda
Nassau
Bahamas
San Juan
Puerto Rico
and Key West. The vessel briefly
returned to Norfolk on 3 June and then retraced her route to take part in
Operation "Race Run
" at Vieques Island. Austin was back
in home port on 30 June and entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 19 July
for an overhaul.
Refresher training at Guantanamo Bay in late January 1969 was followed by
two weeks of amphibious warfare training in the Virginia capes area. In
April
Austin took part in special amphibious exercises before beginning
another deployment to the Caribbean on 18 May. During the four-month cruise
she was involved in Operation "Exotic Dancer II
" held off Puerto
Rico and visits included San Juan and Roosevelt Roads
La Guaira
Venezuela;
Colon
Panama; Guantanamo Bay; Bridgetown
Barbados; and St. Thomas. This
deployment ended on 10 September
and the ship began a period of leave and
upkeep at Norfolk. She sailed again on 4 November as a recovery ship in
support of the Apollo Xll spaceshot and remained on station until
24 November when she began the voyage back to Norfolk. Austin made
a brief stop at Port of Spain
Trinidad
on 29 and 30 November and arrived
at Norfolk on 6 December.
Austin spent the first two and one-half months of 1970 in port
before
sailing on 17 March with Amphibious Squadron (PhibRon) 2 for the Mediterranean.
The deployment included amphibious landing exercises and stops at Rota and
Malaga
Spain
Genoa and Naples
Italy
Cannes
France
and Valletta
Malta.
Austin lost her stern gate on 6 June
and temporary repairs were
made at Malta from 16 to 30 June. The ship arrived back in Norfolk on 13
July to begin a yard period for permanent repairs. She emerged from the
shipyard on 22 September and began refresher training. Austin again
deployed with PhibRon 2 on 16 November. During the cruise
Austin held
numerous amphibious and antisubmarine warfare exercises. She also visited
Genoa
Livorno
and Naples Italy
Barcelona and Rota
Spain
Mersin
Turkey
and Athens Greece. On 7 May 1971
Austin ended the cruise at Norfolk.
The ship got underway again on 14 July for operations in conjunction with
the recovery of the Apollo XV space capsule.
The first two weeks in August were spent in mine countermeasures exercises
held in the area of Charleston
S.C. Austin then entered a period
of type training and amphibious exercises followed by more mine warfare
exercises in early November. She returned to Norfolk on 12 November for
the holidays.
Austin began 1972 with Exercise "Snowy Beach
" a large-scale
landing exercise held off the coast of Maine. From 15 February to 20 March
she participated in Operation "Springboard
" in the Caribbean.
The ship visited the Naval Academy from 17 to 20 April to hold indoctrination
tours for midshipmen. During the next two months
she conducted type training
and took part in Exercises "Exotic Dancer
" and "Escort Tiger."
On 5 July
the vessel unloaded all ammunition in preparation for overhaul.
She entered the Maryland Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.
Baltimore
Md.
on
11 July. Work continued there until 11 October
when the ship was towed
to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for completion of the yard work.
On 15 March 1973
Austin began post-repair trials. She sailed to
Guantanamo Bay on 22 March and
after refresher training
returned to Norfolk
on 24 April. After another two months of preparation
the vessel sailed
on 7 June for another Mediterranean deployment. Her ports of call included
Alicante
Barcelona
and Rota
Spain; Trieste and Venice
Italy
and Corfu
Athens
and Rhodes
Greece. She took part in several exercises
including
NATO Exercise
"Deep Furrow
" from 18 September to 4 October.
On 10 October
Austin got underway for Soudha Bay
Crete
as a part
of the 6th Fleet response to the Arab-Israeli War. In early December
she
began the trip back to Norfolk. After pausing briefly at Morehead City on
19 December
she arrived at Norfolk on 20 December for post-deployment standdown.
The ship got underway on 8 February 1974 for Guantanamo Bay as a unit of
the Caribbean Amphibious Ready Group. She operated from various points in
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through August. In early September
Austin
visited Caracas
Venezuela
and Willemstad
Curacao. While in Curacao
154 Dutch marines were embarked for Exercise "Doria Salute VII."
The marines disembarked at Vieques Island; then Austin returned --
via San Juan
Aruba
and Curacao -- to Norfolk on 19 March. However
she
headed back toward the Caribbean on 24 April. The first country visited
was Panama
where marines disembarked for jungle warfare training. Her subsequent
ports of call included Cartagena
Colombia
Vieques
Puerto Rico
and St.
Johns
Antigua. From 25 May to 2 June
Austin was back in Norfolk
for upkeep. She resumed duty on 30 October by sailing to the Canal Zone.
The ship continued her routine of shuttling marines and their equipment
between various Caribbean ports through 16 December
when she arrived back
at Norfolk.
On 25 February 1975
Austin deployed once more to the Mediterranean
and carried out amphibious training exercises and midshipmen training cruises
in that area
visiting ports in Spain
Italy
and France before returning
to Norfolk on 20 August. She then began an extended period of availability.
The ship got underway on 14 January 1976 to load ammunition and sailed a
week later for the Caribbean. After a brief training period at Guantanamo
Bay
she continued on to Curacao. From 4 to 16 February
Austin took
part in Exercise "Rum Punch 76. " She was back in home port on
21 February for upkeep.
For the next four months
the amphibious transport dock was involved in
a series of inspections
training exercises
and Naval Reserve training
cruises. On 9 June
she returned briefly to the Caribbean and then made
a short visit to New York City in early July. Austin was back in
Norfolk on 10 July and began preparations for overseas movement. She sailed
on 20 August for northern Europe. Her ports of call during the cruise included
Orland
Norway; Edinburgh
Scotland; Scapa Flow
Orkney Islands; Esbjerg
Denmark; Amsterdam
Netherlands; Bremerhaven
Germany
and Portsmouth
England.
After a stop at Morehead City to disembark marines she arrived in Norfolk
on 11 November.
The ship went to Yorktown
Va.
on 17 January 1977 to unload ammunition
prior to her scheduled overhaul. She proceeded to Baltimore on 2 February
and commenced overhaul at the Maryland Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. The
work was finished on 16 February 1978
and Austin returned the next
day to Norfolk. After a brief stay
she sailed to Guantanamo Bay for refresher
training
but was back in Norfolk on 25 April. After several months of training
the vessel got underway on 22 August for the north Atlantic. There she took
part in Operation "Northern Wedding
" in conjunction with other
NATO naval units
and made stops in Norway
Denmark
and England
before
returning to Norfolk on 31 October.
Austin sailed on 30 January 1980 for another Mediterranean deployment.
During this trip
she touched at Lisbon
Portugal; Cartagena
Spain; Athens
Greece; and Naples
Genoa
and Venice
Italy. The ship returned to her home
port on 11 July. After a brief respite
she sailed for South America on
15 October and participated in Operations "Unites
" and "Allied
Caribe 80." The warship took part in an amphibious operation with Brazilian
naval forces. Operation "Allied Caribe 80" was held in the Antilles
in conjunction with units from Great Britain
Canada and the Netherlands.
Austin later provided hurricane relief assistance to the inhabitants
of Dominica. The ship returned to Norfolk on 7 December
and she continued
operations from that port into 1981.
On 3 February 1981
Austin put to sea from Norfolk on her way to
Morehead City
N.C.
to embark Marine Corps units. From Morehead City
she
headed for the Arctic Circle near Norway where she participated in cold
weather training. The warship returned to Norfolk on 17 April and resumed
normal operations out of that port. Late in June
she voyaged south and
west to the gulf coast of Florida to perform a special project for the Chief
of Naval Operations. During the tclp home
Austin visited Ft. Lauderdale
Fla.
and Nassau in the Bahamas. Arriving back at Norfolk on 8 July
she
resumed a normal schedule of operations until the beginning of September
when she entered the yard at the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. to
begin an 11-month overhaul.
Austin completed the repair period on 2 August 1982 and spent most
of the remainder of the year undergoing post- overhaul inspections and examinations
at Norfolk. She began 1983 with a cruise to Guantanamo Bay
Cuba
to conduct
post-overhaul refresher training. During the early part of February
the
warship took an extended break from training to make a 12-day port visit
to New Orleans
La.
for the Mardi Gras festival. Austin resumed
refresher training on 19 February and concluded it on 1 March. In March
and early April
she operated out of Norfolk and then spent the last three
weeks of April in port preparing to deploy to the troubled eastern Mediterranean.
On 5 May Austin set sail for Morehead City where she embarked the
1st Battalion
8th Marines (BLT 1/8)
and the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit
(MAU 24) before heading out across the Atlantic.
The warship arrived in the Mediterranean late in May and disembarked the
Marine Corps units at Beirut
Lebanon
where a guerilla-style civil war
among a virtual rainbow of factions complicated by military incursions on
the parts of Syria and Israel
had been in progress at varying levels of
intensity for some time. In September 1982
the assassination of president-elect
Bashir Gemayel touched off atrocities that brought a multinational peacekeeping
force into the country soon thereafter. In May 1983
the marines of BLT
1/8 and MAU 24 replaced the part of that force protecting Beirut International
Airport. Austin
for her part
remained in the vicinity providing
support for the troops
anchoring nearby during the day and steaming out
to sea at night.
As tense as the situation in Lebanon was
ship and marines quickly settled
into a routine. Too quickly perhaps
for on 23 October 1983
a terrorist
shattered that routine when he drove an explosives-laden truck into the
lobby of the headquarters of the Marine Corps units stationed ashore. The
detonation of the mobile bomb destroyed the headquarters
killed 241 men
and injured over 100 others. Austin responded to the emergency quickly
by providing men to stand security watches and help in the search for survivors.
In November
the amphibious transport dock departed the eastern Mediterranean
and began the voyage home. On 7 December
she disembarked the remnants of
BLT 1/8 and MAU 24 at Morehead City. The following day Austin put into
port at Little Creek
Va.
and began postdeployment leave and upkeep.
The warship remained in port at Little Creek for the first six weeks of
1984. On 13 February
she put to sea to participate in a minesweeping exercise
off the coast of North Carolina before heading for Scandanavian waters.
During the Atlantic transit and during her time in the Arctic waters near
Norway
Austin and other Navy warships joined elements of the navies
of Canada Denmark
Norway
and the United Kingdom in conducting the two-part
NATO Exercise "United Effort Teamwork '84."
Following the conclusion of the exercise
the amphibious transport dock
made ceremonial visits to ports in Norway
the Netherlands
and in the United
Kingdom. She returned to Little Creek on 28 April after a brief stop at
Morehead City to disembark marines and unload their eauipment.
In June
at the conclusion of the usual post-deployment standdown
Austin
embarked upon a schedule of normal operations along the east coast.
That employment occupied her time for the remainder of 1984 and during the
first half of 1985. On 2 July 1985
she made the brief voyage to Morehead
City where she embarked Marine Corps units and their equipment for another
tour of duty with the 6th Fleet. The amphibious transport dock arrived in
Rota
Spain
on 13 July and entered the Mediterranean Sea the following
day. While the problems in Lebanon continued
direct American military involvement
there had ceased. Thus Austin accomplished her 1985 Mediterranean
deployment in a more routine fashion. It consisted of bilateral and multilateral
exercises punctuated by visits to ports throughout the "middle sea."
She completed turnover procedures at Rota
Spain
between 4 and 7 December
and then put to sea for the voyage home. Austin stopped at Morehead
City on the 18th and 19th to disembark marines and stood into Norfolk on
the 20th.
In January 1986
the amphibious transport dock began a restricted availability
at pierside in Norfolk. She finished repairs late in April and resumed normal
operations out of Norfolk. Austin pursued those activities until
the middle of August. She departed Norfolk on 12 August and
after embarking
Marine Corps units at Morehead City on the 13th
set sail for northern Europe
and another series of exercises with forces of other NATO nations. The cruise
-- highlghted by visits to Norway
Denmark
Germany
and England -- lasted
through the first week in October. On 8 October
Austin stood out
of Dover
England
and shaped a course back to the United States. Steaming
by way of Morehead City
the amphibious tranpsort dock arrived in Little
Creek on 21 October. On 3 November
she moved from Little Creek to the Norfolk
Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. where she began a regular overhaul. As of
the beginning of 1987
Austin was still undergoing repairs at Norfolk.
[Note: The above USS AUSTIN (LPD-4) history may or may not contain text provided by crew members of the USS AUSTIN (LPD-4) or by other non-crew members and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]