USS Tripoli (LPH-10)

Career
Ordered:	10 Dec 1962
Laid down:	15 Jun 1964
Launched:	31 Jul 1965
Commissioned:	06 Aug 1966
Decommissioned:	15 Sep 1995
Fate:	On loan to US Army
Struck:	15 Sep 1995
General Characteristics
Displacement:	19302 tons
Length:	598 ft
Beam:	84 ft
Draught:	30 ft
Propulsion:	Steam Turbine
Speed:
Range:
Complement:	267 Officers, 2091 Enlisted (with Marines embarked)
Armament:
Aircraft:
Motto:	Semper Princeps - Always First

The second USS Tripoli (LPH-10), an Iwo Jima class amphibious assault ship, was laid down on 15 June 1964 at Pascagoula, Mississippi, by the Ingalls Ship building Corporation; launched on 31 July 1965; sponsored by Mrs. Jane Gates, the wife of General Clifton B. Gates, former Commandant of the Marine Corps; and commissioned on 6 August 1966 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Capt. Henry Suerstedt, Jr., in command. She was named for the Tripoli War.

Following three months fitting out at Philadelphia, the amphibious assault ship put to sea on 6 November, bound for the west coast. She transited the Panama Canal at mid-month and arrived at her home port, San Diego, on the 22d. Final acceptance trials, shakedown training, and post-shakedown availability at Long Beach occupied the warship until she embarked Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 463, elements of Marine Observation Squadron (VMO) 6, and some members of the staff of the Commander, Amphibious Squadron (ComPhibBon) B on 1 May 1967 and departed San Diego, bound for the western Pacific.

She served on three deployments to Vietmanese waters during the Vietnam War, participating in numerous operations.

Except for a round-trip voyage to Okinawa early in September, the ship operated out of Subic Bay for the remainder of her deployment. Main propulsion plant problems, however, continued to plague her for, on the return trip, she went dead in the water not far to the northwest of Subic Bay. USS Beaufort (ATS-2) went out and towed her into port. After repairs, Tripoli occupied her remaining time in the Far East with amphibious exercises in the Philippines. On 11 October, Okinawa relieved her as flagship of TG 76.4, and Tripoli headed for home. She arrived in San Diego on 27 October and remained there through the end of the year.

Between January 1974 and the end of 1976, Tripoli made two relatively routine deployments to the western Pacific. The first lasted from late July 1974 until late January 1975. During that time period, she operated out of Subic Bay and engaged primarily in amphibious training exercises in the Philippines. The second deployment—from mid-February to late October 1976— saw a repetition of this routine but also included a voyage to Guam for disaster relief duty as a result of typhoon "Pamela." She also participated in two joint American-Korean amphibious exercises conducted near Pohang, Korea, in March and June, respectively. The second deployment ended on 25 October when she arrived in San Diego, remaining there into 1977.

The first six months of 1977 were spent in a Planned Restricted Availability (PRAV) at the Naval Station, San Diego, for the purpose of increasing propulsion reliability during the next deployment. While the PRAV concluded on 28 June, it was necessary to tow Tripoli to the Long Beach Naval Shipyard to use the yard's extensive facilities for the reinstallation of Tripoli's low pressure turbine. The work was completed on 26 July; and, following successful sea trials, Tripoli returned to San Diego on 28 July. Succeeding months were spent in refresher training and workup for the ship's forthcoming deployment to the western Pacific. On 3 November, Tripoli departed San Diego. Chopping to control by the Commander, 7th Fleet, on 25 November, she spent the next seven months in WestPac, returning to San Diego on 22 July 1978. Following post-deployment standdown, Tripoli received an inspection by the Naval Board of Inspection and Survey in September. On 16 October, the ship commenced a three-month PRAV in preparation for a scheduled deployment to the western Pacific in 1979.

With the Vietnam War over, Tripoli was kept operationally ready through countless drills, exercises and maritime deployments. The Pacific Fleet introduction of the AV-8B Harrier occurred between 17 June and 13 August, 1974. Also in 1974, after proving that she could handle Harrier flight operations, she became the first amphibious warfare ship to carry a full squadron of AV-8's (VMA-513). In 1982, she was the test platform for the XV-15 experimental tilt-rotor aircraft, the precursor of the V-22 Osprey.

In 1990, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein became the focal point of international interest when, on August 2nd his troops invaded Kuwait. Over 100 U.S. Naval ships were sent in response and on 1 December 1990, Tripoli was sent into action once again. Tripoli proceeded into the northern Persian Gulf and assumed duties as flagship for the minesweeping operations taking place there. Disaster struck on the morning of February 18, when Tripoli was rocked by a mine explosion on her starboard bow. The explosion ripped a 20 by 30 foot hole in the ship's hull and injured four sailors. After 20 heroic hours of damage control, the ship was stabilized and was actually ready to resume operations. Tripoli remained on station for four days before finally setting course for Bahrain's Arabian Ship Repair Yard. After 30 days and almost five million dollars in repairs, Tripoli was able to return to her assigned tasks. Tripoli is believed to be the first ship since the Civil War to sustain major mine damage and continue operations. Three crewmen received Bronze Stars, three others received Silver Stars and the ship was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon for exceptional performance during the incident.

When Somali "Warlords" terrorized the city of Mogadishu, Tripoli was ordered to respond. On December 3, 1993, Tripoli arrived off the coast of Somalia and conducted the first landing of forces in support of Operation Restore Hope. During the night landing, TRIPOLI'S Marines were able to secure the airport and seaports in Mogadishu.

When Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein began to redeploy his forces along the border of Kuwait in late 1994, Tripoli was sent as the initial show of force. Assuming duties with other ships in the Northern Persian Gulf, Tripoli prepared to conduct amphibious operations in response to any further Southward movement by Iraqi forces. Operation Vigilant Warrior resulted in the withdrawal of Hussein's forces away from Kuwait's border.

She was decommissioned in 1995 and as of 2004 was on loan to the Army, but has remained laid up at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.

See USS Tripoli for other US Navy ships of this name.

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship

Iwo Jima | Okinawa | Guadalcanal | Guam | Tripoli | New Orleans | Inchon

List of amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy