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USS Anchorage Decommissioned

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS031003-02

Release Date: 10/3/2003 9:26:00 AM

By Journalist 3rd Class Jason Trevett, Amphibious Group 3 Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The crew of "Classic 36" said goodbye to an old friend this week. USS Anchorage (LSD 36), the oldest dock landing ship in the Navy, was solemnly decommissioned and stricken from the active list after 34 years of service during a ceremony Oct. 1 at Naval Base San Diego.

Named after Alaska's largest city, Anchorage completed 19 Western Pacific deployments and was the most decorated dock landing ship on the West Coast.

"We will remember our ship as a "Classic 36," because even though she was old, our crew treated her like a classic car that we liked to work on and keep fine tuned," said Mess Management Specialist 1st Class Buck Taylor.

The crew of Anchorage returned home in July from a surge deployment as part of Task Force 51, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

During that six-month deployment, Anchorage disembarked Marines and supplies from Landing Force West during the opening stages of OIF. Later, the ship provided logistic support to U.S. forces stationed on captured offshore gas and oil platforms near the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr.

Anchorage also conducted a "desert tortoise" mission during OIF. This task involved loading up 100,000 lbs. of mail, 232 pallets of cargo and 71 Sailors from Bahrain and delivering them to the other amphibious ships in the task force patrolling the Persian Gulf.

"We all became a tight-knit group during our last deployment," said Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Eric Morales of San Jose, Calif. "It is tough to say goodbye to my shipmates here after all we have been through together. There are a lot of good memories that I will be leaving behind today, and I think each one of us left a part of ourselves on this ship. It's sad to see it go."

The Anchorage has served notable roles in military operations and humanitarian efforts since it was commissioned March 15, 1969, at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va. During the end of the Vietnam War, the ship carried Marines back to the United States as part of Operation "Keystone Bluejay," a planned withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam.

In 1991 during Operation Desert Storm, Anchorage controlled the largest offload of landing craft in support of combat operations. These actions earned the ship the Navy Unit Citation and the South West Asia Service Medal (2 stars).

Anchorage was called upon in 2000 to provide support for the crew of USS Cole (DDG 67) after a small boat laden with explosives blew up alongside the destroyer as it refueled in Aden, Yemen, tearing a hole in its side and killing 17 Sailors.

"We were on a port visit in Seychelles when we got the call that the Cole's crew needed our help," said Gunner's Mate 1st Class Philip Gross, from Petersburg, Va. "I won't ever forget the devastation I saw to that destroyer's hull.

"It's hard for me to leave my friends on this ship behind," continued Gross. "We have had a reputation for getting things done on time. One thing I should say about this crew is that we always worked hard."

The ship's commanding officer, Cmdr. Mark Cedrun, closed remarks after the ship's colors was lowered for its last time and the commissioning pennant was struck, signaling an end to the ship's active service. "Rest well old friend," said Cedrun. "You will be missed."