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Anchorage-class dock landing ship
open-in-new
<h2 id="design-and-development">Design and development</h2> <p>The <i>Anchorage</i> class of dock landing ships was built as a replacement for the remaining aging war-built LSDs of the <a href="/facts/Ashland-class_dock_landing_ship/CfnYIAp4"><i>Ashland</i></a> and <a href="/facts/Casa_Grande-class_dock_landing_ship/t2f5GhUa"><i>Casa Grande</i></a> classes. Their principal intended role was to carry additional landing craft to supplement those carried by the <a href="/facts/Amphibious_transport_dock/PcVvBKu0">Amphibious transport docks</a> (LPD)s, which carried less landing craft in order to accommodate more troops and cargo.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> </p><p>The <i>Anchorage</i> class was slightly larger than the preceding <a href="/facts/Thomaston-class_dock_landing_ship/EMRrg8P4"><i>Thomaston</i> class</a>, but were of generally similar design, with a large <a href="/facts/Well_dock/056Bo1Cm">Well dock</a> aft to accommodate landing craft, and a removable flight deck fitted above the well deck to allow the operation of helicopters, although no <a href="/facts/Hangar/bRBnDpfx">hangar</a> was provided. The well dock was 430 feet (130 m) long and 40 feet (12 m) wide, and could accommodate three <a href="/facts/Landing_Craft_Utility/js6f4cCw">Landing Craft Utilitys</a> or nine <a href="/facts/LCM-8/dpmKC6Ud">LCM-8</a> <a href="/facts/Landing_Craft_Mechanised/5CeIaAo7">Landing Craft Mechanised</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The ship could carry 375 troops compared with the 345 carried by the <i>Thomaston</i>s,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> while 12,000 square feet (1,115 m2) of vehicle parking space was provided.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p><p>The ships were propelled by two geared <a href="/facts/Steam_turbine/scacVXsB">steam turbines</a> driving two shafts and giving a total of 24,000 <a href="/facts/Horsepower/jRMwmIxA">shaft horsepower</a> (18,000 kW). This gave a speed of 20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h), the standard speed of the postwar US Navy amphibious fleet.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> As built, the ships had a defensive armament of eight <a href="/facts/3%22/50_caliber_gun/JfENPW6H">3"/50 Mark 33 anti-aircraft guns</a> in four twin mounts, while major sensors included SPS-10 surface search radar and SPS-40 air-search radar.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="construction-and-service">Construction and service</h2> <p>The name ship of the class, <a href="/facts/USS_Anchorage_(LSD-36)/3kmDDCCK">USS <i>Anchorage</i> (LSD-36)</a> was ordered under the <a href="/facts/Fiscal_year/qcR3PIXe">Fiscal year</a> 1965 (FY65) shipbuilding program, with three more (<a href="/facts/USS_Portland_(LSD-37)/DTNMSTy5">USS <i>Portland</i> (LSD-37)</a>, <a href="/facts/USS_Pensacola_(LSD-38)/h8V2cmbr">USS <i>Pensacola</i> (LSD-38)</a> and <a href="/facts/USS_Mount_Vernon_(LSD-39)/FPWp4Kt4">USS <i>Mount Vernon</i> (LSD-39)</a>) ordered under the FY66 program and the final ship of the class, <a href="/facts/USS_Fort_Fisher/pyvLGGDd">USS <i>Fort Fisher</i> (LSD-40)</a>, under the FY67 programme.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> They were laid down between 1967 and 1970 and entered service between 1969 and 1972.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p><p>The fire-control directors for the 3 in guns were removed in the late 1970s, while the ships' gun armament was gradually reduced, with two mounts removed by 1990, and the remaining 3 inch guns removed by 1994.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> Two 20mm <a href="/facts/Phalanx_CIWS/9QDgV3Fz">Phalanx CIWS</a> mounts to defend against anti-ship missiles and two <a href="/facts/M242_Bushmaster/kd8st1dF">25 mm Bushmaster cannon</a> to defend against surface targets were fitted to replace these weapons.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="ship-list">Ship List</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th>Name</th><th>Builder<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a></th><th>Laid Down<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a></th><th>Launched</th><th>Commissioned</th><th>Fate</th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/USS_Anchorage_(LSD-36)/3kmDDCCK">USS <i>Anchorage</i> (LSD-36)</a></td><td>Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi</td><td>13 March 1967</td><td>5 May 1968<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a></td><td>15 March 1969<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a></td><td>Decommissioned 1 October 2003<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> Sunk as target 17 July 2010<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/USS_Portland_(LSD-37)/DTNMSTy5">USS <i>Portland</i> (LSD-37)</a></td><td>General Dynamics, <a href="/facts/Quincy,_Massachusetts/2BYxlKjT">Quincy, Massachusetts</a></td><td>21 September 1967</td><td>20 December 1969 <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a></td><td>3 October 1970<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a></td><td>Decommissioned 4 August 2003<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a>Sunk as target 25 April 2004<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/USS_Pensacola_(LSD-38)/h8V2cmbr">USS <i>Pensacola</i> (LSD-38)</a></td><td>General Dynamics, Quincy, Massachusetts</td><td>12 March 1969</td><td>11 July 1970<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a></td><td>27 March 1971<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25"><sup>25</sup></a></td><td>Sold to <a href="/facts/Taiwan_Navy/q2lzNyPB">Taiwan Navy</a> in 2000 <a href="/facts/USS_Pensacola_(LSD-38)/h8V2cmbr">ROCS <i>Hsu Hai</i> (LSD-193)</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/USS_Mount_Vernon_(LSD-39)/FPWp4Kt4">USS <i>Mount Vernon</i> (LSD-39)</a></td><td>General Dynamics, Quincy, Massachusetts</td><td>29 January 1970</td><td>17 April 1971<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26"><sup>26</sup></a></td><td>13 May 1972<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:27" href="#fn:27"><sup>27</sup></a></td><td>Decommissioned 25 July 2003<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:28" href="#fn:28"><sup>28</sup></a>Sunk as target 16 June 2005<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:29" href="#fn:29"><sup>29</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/USS_Fort_Fisher/pyvLGGDd">USS <i>Fort Fisher</i> (LSD-40)</a></td><td>General Dynamics, Quincy, Massachusetts</td><td>15 July 1970</td><td>22 April 1972<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:30" href="#fn:30"><sup>30</sup></a></td><td>12 September 1972<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:31" href="#fn:31"><sup>31</sup></a></td><td>Decommissioned 27 February 1998<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:32" href="#fn:32"><sup>32</sup></a>Sold for scrapping 22 May 2009<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:33" href="#fn:33"><sup>33</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="citations">Citations</h2> <ul><li>Baker, A. D. (1998). <i>The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1998–1999</i>. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: U.S. Naval Institute. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1-55750-111-4.</li> <li>Blackman, Raymond V. B. (1971). <i>Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72</i>. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-354-00096-9.</li> <li>Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen (1995). <i>Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995</i>. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1-55750-132-7.</li> <li>Polmar, Norman (1981). <i>The Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet</i> (Twelfth ed.). London: Arms and Armour Press. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-85368-397-2.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Polmar 1981, pp. 144, 146. <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Polmar 1981, p. 146. <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Polmar 1981, pp. 145–146. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Baker 1998, p. 1046. <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Polmar 1981, p. 125. <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, pp. 549–550. <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Polmar 1981, pp. 145–146. <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 619. <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Baker 1998, p. 1045. <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Baker 1998, p. 1046. <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 620. <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Priolo, Gary P. (1 March 2013). "USS Anchorage (LSD-36)". NavSource Online. Retrieved 4 August 2013. <a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1236.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1236.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>Priolo, Gary P. (1 March 2013). "USS Anchorage (LSD-36)". NavSource Online. Retrieved 4 August 2013. <a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1236.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1236.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>Priolo, Gary P. (15 February 2013). "USS Portland (LSD-37)". NavSource Online. Retrieved 4 August 2013. <a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1237.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1237.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>Priolo, Gary P. (15 February 2013). "USS Portland (LSD-37)". NavSource Online. Retrieved 4 August 2013. <a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1237.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1237.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:25"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:26"><p>Blackman 1971, p. 509. <a href="#fnref:26" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:27"><p>Baker 1998, p. 1045. <a href="#fnref:27" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:28"><p>Priolo, Gary P. (25 January 2013). "USS Vernon (LSD-39)". NavSource Online. Retrieved 4 August 2013. <a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1239.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1239.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:28" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:29"><p>Priolo, Gary P. (25 January 2013). "USS Vernon (LSD-39)". NavSource Online. Retrieved 4 August 2013. <a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1239.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1239.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:29" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:30"><p>Baker 1998, p. 1045. <a href="#fnref:30" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:31"><p>Baker 1998, p. 1045. <a href="#fnref:31" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:32"><p>Priolo, Gary P. (19 November 2010). "USS Fort Fisher (LSD-40)". NavSource Online. Retrieved 4 August 2013. <a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1240.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1240.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:32" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:33"><p>Priolo, Gary P. (19 November 2010). "USS Fort Fisher (LSD-40)". NavSource Online. Retrieved 4 August 2013. <a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1240.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1240.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:33" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>