USS Shreveport (LPD-12)

USS "Shreveport" (LPD-12) is an "Austin"-class American amphibious transport dock. It is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the city in Louisiana. Her keel was laid down on 27 December 1965 by the Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company of Seattle, Washington. She was launched on 22 October 1966 sponsored by Mrs. Andrew McBurney Jackson, Jr., and commissioned on 12 December 1970 with Captain Pehr H. Pehrsson in command.

1970's

On 22 January 1971, "Shreveport" departed Puget Sound for her homeport, Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, where she arrived on 21 February. Between 9 March and 9 April 1971, the amphibious transport dock underwent shakedown training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and, from 16 June to 4 August, she carried 375 midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy on a training cruise to Northern Europe. After post shakedown repairs from 6 October to 24 November 1971, she sailed for the Caribbean Sea, where she participated in landing exercises during the first part of 1972. On 12 June, the ship again sailed on a midshipman training cruise to Northern Europe, visiting the Azores; Aalborg, Denmark; Portsmouth, England; and Le Havre, France before returning to Norfolk, Virginia, on 3 August. During the rest of 1972, "Shreveport" conducted amphibious training exercises off the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida.

"Shreveport", with Amphibious Squadron 2, departed Norfolk on 4 January 1973 for her first tour of duty with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. The squadron stopped at Morehead City, North Carolina, and embarked elements of the Sixth Marines (BLT 1/6) before it proceeded to Rota, Spain, where it was assigned to CTF 61. The task force departed Rota on 16 January, called at Cannes, France, on 18 January, and was underway for Monte Romano, Italy, on 22 January. During her six-month deployment, "Shreveport" also visited ports in Italy, Greece, Crete, and Turkey before returning to Morehead City on 2 July. The Marines were offloaded, and the ship continued to Norfolk that afternoon.

"Shreveport" operated in the Norfolk area until February 1974 when she sailed, with PhibRon 2, for operations in the Caribbean. She returned to her home port on 19 March. The ship made another trip south to the Panama Canal area that lasted from 18 April to 4 June. On 24 June, "Shreveport" sailed for Rotterdam and another deployment with the Sixth Fleet.

Throughout 1974 and half of 1975, "Shreveport" was the flagship of the Caribbean Amphibious Ready Group and participated in various fleet exercises, occasionally with South American Forces. In July 1975, she deployed back to the Mediterranean where she participated in a major NATO exercise involving British, Turkish and U.S. Navies. During the return trip to Norfolk in February 1976, the ship’s flag bridge was destroyed by a forty foot wave off Cape Hatteras.

In September 1979, "Shreveport" began another Mediterranean deployment where she completed four major amphibious operations with various European allies.

1980's

In September 1981, "Shreveport" visited Cancún, Mexico to support President Ronald Reagan’s participation in the North-South Economic Summit.

During a Mediterranean cruise that began in August 1982, "Shreveport" spent four months off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon. As a result of this operation, she received the Navy Unit Commendation and the Navy Expeditionary Medal. In July 1984, she broke the world record for transiting the Suez Canal.cite news|url=http://www.usskidd.com/ships-shreve-usn.html | title=Louisiana's Military Heritage: Vessels named USS SHREVEPORT |date=2007-06-29| work =USS Kidd & Veteran's Memorial] In late 1984, she received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for conducting mine clearing operations in the Red Sea in support of Operation Intense Look.

1990's and Operation Desert Storm

From June 1990 to February 1991, "Shreveport" was deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operations "Desert Shield" and "Desert Storm" with Commander, Amphibious Squadron Six embarked. Her involvement in this conflict helped to earn her the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for Operational Readiness in January 1992. During a Mediterranean deployment in November 1993, "Shreveport" was assigned to Mogadishu, Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope.

From 1994 and 1995 saw "Shreveport" participating in Operation Provide Promise in the Adriatic Sea by flying video reconnaissance missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina utilizing the Pioneer UAV. During this time, she also served in the first amphibious Partnership for Peace exercise in Bulgaria.

From December 1995 to February 1996, "Shreveport" participated in Operations "Deny Flight", "Provide Promise", and "Joint/Decisive Endeavor" in the Adriatic sea. On October 3, 1997, USS "Shreveport" deployed for yet another Mediterranean cruise.

While operating in the Black Sea, "Shreveport" conducted a Change of Command ceremony in Constanţa, Romania on 11 December 1997. In early February, 1998, she was called away from her original schedule and spent the remainder of the deployment operating inn the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. From July 1998 – November 1998 she underwent a Metro machine Dry Dock Phased Maintenance Availability.

Was awarded the Commander, Naval Surface, U.S. Atlantic Fleet Battle Efficiency Award and Safety Award for 1998 and 1999, as well as her sixth consecutive Engineering "E", seventh Maritime Warfare "E", third Operations "E", first Logistics "E" and first Medical "H".

From September 1999 to April 2000 USS "Shreveport" deployed on a Mediterranean Cruise where she spent time in the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf supporting exercises "Bright Star", "Noble Shirley", "Infinite Moonlight".

2000's and Hurricane Katrina

On February 16, 2000, Shreveport ran aground in the Suez Canal, on its way back into the Mediterranean Sea from the Red Sea. It sustained damage to its starboard propeller, propeller shaft, rudder and steering system. Its captain was relieved of command. Damages were estimated at $932,000.cite news|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/accidents.htm | title=Accidents at Sea |date=2007-06-29| work =GlobalSecurity.org]

From September 2001 to April 2002 USS "Shreveport" deployed on a Mediterranean Cruise to the Persian Gulf to support Operation Enduring Freedom.

On August 31, 2005 USS "Shreveport" deployed with the USS "Iwo Jima" Amphibious Ready Group where the USS|Bataan|LHD-5|6 had been since the day that the city of New Orleans was stricken and flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Final Voyage and Decommissioning

After one last deployment in July 2007cite news | url=http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/2007/05/shreveport-making-final-cruise-after-37.html | title=Shreveport Making Final Cruise After 37 Years Of Service | date=5-12-2007] as part of the Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group with her final Commanding Officer, Captain Paul Monger,cite news | url=http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-7035907_ITM | title=USA--Amphibious ship leaves navy after 37 years | date=9-27-2007| publisher=Periscope Daily Defense News Capsules] The USS "Shreveport" was decommissioned on September 28, 2007cite news | url=http://www.shreveport.com/forums/showarticle.php?fa_id=14 | title=USS Shreveport Decommissioned | author=Russell Cappo and Mark Florsheim Jr] and towed to Philadelphia.

References

External links

* [http://www.hullnumber.com/LPD-12 LPD-12 Personnel Roster at HullNumber.com]