USS Mobile (LKA-115)

USS "Mobile" (AKA-115/LKA-115) was a "Charleston" class attack cargo ship named after the city of Mobile, Alabama. She was the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear that name. She served as a commissioned ship for 24 years and 4 months. LKA's had the distinction of being the only ships in the "Gator Navy" that were not flat bottom. They would drop anchor several hundred yards offshore and use their Mike 8's (LCM-8) and Mike 6's (LCM-6) to ferry in the marines and their equipment.

The name was assigned on 6 November 1967, and the ship was laid down at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA, 15 January 1968 as AKA-115. As of the date of her article in DANFS, she was still under construction, and was scheduled to be completed in early spring 1969.

"Mobile" was extensively involved in the Vietnam War. The "Mobile" took part in WestPac 84 and was involved in numerous operations. In the Gulf War, she was part of an 18-ship amphibious task force that was the largest such force since the Korean War. The task force arrived on station in the North Arabian Sea on 12 January 1991.

The ship was decommissioned on 4 February 1994 at Long Beach, CA. As of 25 April 2003, she was berthed at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia.

Mobile earned 15 awards and campaign ribbons for her service.

External links

* [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/LKA115.htm Naval Vessel Register: "Mobile" (LKA-115)]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m13/mobile-iv.htm Naval Historical Center: USS "Mobile" IV]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/wars/dstorm/dsjan1.htm Naval Historical Center Gulf War Chronology, January 1991]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/02115.htm NavSource Online: AKA / LKA-115 "Mobile"]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/9643/ USS Mobile commemorative site]
* [http://unitpages.military.com/unitpages/unit.do?id=200308 Military.com: USS "Mobile"]
* [http://ussrankin.org/id352.htm 51 Years of AKAs]