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USS Ashland (LSD-48) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship built to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles, ...
05/03/2026

USS Ashland (LSD-48) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship built to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles, and Marines for amphibious operations. Constructed by Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans, she was commissioned in 1992 and features a large well deck capable of carrying multiple landing craft, including air cushion landing craft for rapid deployment. This design allows efficient movement of heavy equipment and troops from sea to shore, making her a key platform for expeditionary and amphibious missions.
Named after Ashland Plantation in Lexington, Kentucky, she carries the motto “Deliver Liberty, Defend Freedom.” Forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan, she operates as part of the Pacific Fleet, supporting amphibious assault operations, joint exercises, and regional security missions. Her continued service highlights the importance of dock landing ships in maintaining rapid response capability and logistical support for modern naval forces.

USS Rushmore (LSD-47) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship built to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles,...
05/03/2026

USS Rushmore (LSD-47) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship built to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles, and Marines for amphibious operations. Constructed by Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans, she was commissioned in 1991 and features a large well deck capable of carrying multiple landing craft, including air cushion landing craft for rapid deployment. This design allows efficient movement of troops and heavy equipment from sea to shore, making her a key platform for expeditionary and amphibious missions.
Named after Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, she carries the motto “Nobility Power.” Operating as part of the Pacific Fleet from Naval Base San Diego, she supports amphibious assault operations, joint exercises, and humanitarian missions. Her role reflects the continued importance of dock landing ships in maintaining naval mobility, logistics support, and rapid response capability across global operations.

USS Tortuga (LSD-46) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship built to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles, ...
05/03/2026

USS Tortuga (LSD-46) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship built to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles, and Marines for amphibious operations. Constructed by Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans, she was commissioned in 1990 and features a large well deck capable of carrying multiple landing craft, including air cushion landing craft for rapid deployment. This design allows efficient transfer of troops and heavy equipment from sea to shore, making her a key platform for expeditionary and amphibious missions.
Named after the Dry Tortugas, a group of coral islands west of Key West, Florida, she carries the motto “Tough, Tall, Tenacious.” Operating as part of the Atlantic Fleet from Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia, she supports amphibious assault operations, joint exercises, and humanitarian missions. Her long service reflects the enduring role of dock landing ships in providing mobility, logistics support, and rapid response capability for naval forces.

USS Comstock (LSD-45) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship built to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles,...
05/03/2026

USS Comstock (LSD-45) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship built to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles, and Marines for amphibious operations. Constructed by Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans, she was commissioned in 1990 and features a large well deck capable of carrying multiple landing craft, including air cushion landing craft for rapid deployment. This design allows efficient movement of heavy equipment and troops from sea to shore, making her an important platform for expeditionary and amphibious missions.
Named after the historic Comstock Lode in Virginia City, Nevada, she carries the motto “Teamwork, Drive, Courage.” Operating as part of the Pacific Fleet from Naval Base San Diego, she supports amphibious assault operations, joint exercises, and humanitarian missions. Her continued service reflects the long-term value of dock landing ships in maintaining naval mobility, logistics capability, and rapid response across global operations.

USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship designed to transport and deploy landing craft, ve...
05/02/2026

USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship designed to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles, and Marines for amphibious operations. Built by Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans, she was commissioned in 1989 and features a large well deck capable of launching multiple landing craft, including air cushion landing craft for rapid deployment. This design allows efficient movement of troops and heavy equipment from sea to shore, making her a key asset in amphibious and expeditionary missions.
Named after Gunston Hall in Virginia, the estate of George Mason, she carries the motto “Defending the Constitution.” Operating as part of the Atlantic Fleet from Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia, she supports amphibious assault operations, joint exercises, and humanitarian missions. Her role reflects the continued importance of dock landing ships in providing mobility, logistics support, and rapid response capability for naval forces.

USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship built to transport and deploy landing craft, vehic...
05/02/2026

USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship built to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles, and Marines for amphibious operations. Constructed by Lockheed Shipbuilding in Seattle, she was commissioned in 1987 and features a large well deck capable of carrying multiple landing craft, including air cushion landing craft for rapid deployment. This design allows efficient transfer of troops and heavy equipment from sea to shore, making her a key platform for expeditionary and amphibious warfare.
Named after Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, she carries the motto “Domus Fortium,” meaning “home of the brave.” Operating as part of the Atlantic Fleet from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story, Virginia, she supports amphibious assault missions, joint exercises, and humanitarian operations. Her long service reflects the continued importance of dock landing ships in maintaining mobility and rapid response capabilities for naval forces.

USS Germantown (LSD-42) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship designed to transport and deploy landing craft, vehi...
05/02/2026

USS Germantown (LSD-42) is a Whidbey Island class dock landing ship designed to transport and deploy landing craft, vehicles, and Marines for amphibious operations. Built by Lockheed Shipbuilding in Seattle, she was commissioned in 1986 and features a large well deck capable of carrying multiple landing craft, including air cushion landing craft for rapid deployment. This design allows efficient movement of troops and heavy equipment from sea to shore, making her a key asset in expeditionary warfare.
Named after the Battle of Germantown during the American Revolutionary War, she carries the motto “Folgen Sie Unseren FussSpuren,” meaning “follow in our footsteps.” Forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan, she operates as part of the Pacific Fleet, supporting amphibious missions, joint exercises, and regional security operations. Her role highlights the continued importance of dock landing ships in maintaining rapid response and mobility for naval forces.

USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41) was the lead ship of the Whidbey Island class dock landing ships, built to support amphibiou...
05/02/2026

USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41) was the lead ship of the Whidbey Island class dock landing ships, built to support amphibious operations with a strong focus on deploying landing craft. Constructed by Lockheed Shipbuilding in Seattle, she was commissioned in 1985 and introduced a larger well deck specifically designed to carry multiple air cushion landing craft, allowing rapid and flexible movement of troops and heavy equipment from sea to shore. This capability marked a major improvement in amphibious assault logistics and operational reach.
Named after Whidbey Island in Washington state, she operates as part of the Atlantic Fleet with her homeport at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia. Carrying the motto “Intrepid Vanguard,” she has supported a wide range of missions including amphibious assaults, expeditionary deployments, and humanitarian operations. Her design and long service reflect the continued importance of dock landing ships in modern naval strategy, particularly in enabling large-scale amphibious and expeditionary warfare.

USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49) is a Harpers Ferry class dock landing ship designed to transport and launch landing craft, ve...
05/02/2026

USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49) is a Harpers Ferry class dock landing ship designed to transport and launch landing craft, vehicles, and Marines for amphibious operations. Built by Avondale Shipyard in Louisiana, she was commissioned in 1995 and features a large well deck that can be flooded to deploy landing craft directly into the sea. Unlike earlier amphibious ships, her design places greater emphasis on cargo capacity and logistics support, allowing her to carry a wide range of equipment needed for sustained operations ashore.
Named after Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, she carries the motto “First in Freedom” and operates as part of the Pacific Fleet from San Diego. Her role includes supporting amphibious assault missions, expeditionary operations, and humanitarian assistance efforts. With her ability to move heavy equipment and coordinate sea-to-shore logistics, she remains an important asset in modern naval operations.

USS LaSalle (LPD-3 / later AGF-3) began her service as a Raleigh class amphibious transport dock, built to carry Marines...
05/02/2026

USS LaSalle (LPD-3 / later AGF-3) began her service as a Raleigh class amphibious transport dock, built to carry Marines, vehicles, and landing craft for amphibious operations. Constructed at the New York Naval Shipyard in Brooklyn, she was commissioned in 1964 and initially operated with a well deck and helicopter support capabilities that allowed coordinated movement of forces from sea to shore. Her early role reflected the evolving need for flexible amphibious platforms during the Cold War.
In 1972, she underwent a major transformation and was reclassified as a miscellaneous command ship, becoming AGF-3. In this new role, she served as a flagship, equipped with advanced command and control facilities to support fleet commanders, particularly in the Middle East region. She remained in this role for decades, acting as a floating headquarters for naval operations, before being decommissioned in 2005. She was later sunk as a target in 2007, marking the end of a long and versatile career that spanned both amphibious and command missions.

USS Vancouver (LPD-2) was a Raleigh class amphibious transport dock built to transport Marines, vehicles, and equipment ...
05/01/2026

USS Vancouver (LPD-2) was a Raleigh class amphibious transport dock built to transport Marines, vehicles, and equipment for amphibious operations. Constructed at the New York Naval Shipyard in Brooklyn, she was commissioned in 1963 and featured a well deck for launching landing craft along with a flight deck to support helicopter operations. This combination allowed coordinated movement of troops from sea to shore, reflecting the evolving requirements of amphibious warfare during the Cold War era.
Named after the city of Vancouver, Washington, she served for more than three decades in support of Marine forces, participating in deployments, training exercises, and operational missions. She was decommissioned in 1992 and later placed in reserve at Pearl Harbor before being transferred to the National Defense Reserve Fleet. Her long service life demonstrated the durability and effectiveness of early amphibious transport dock designs.

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