 USS Ashland underway off Cape Henry, Virginia, 20 May 1953 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Moore Dry Dock Company |
| Operators | |
| Succeeded by | Casa Grande class |
| In commission | 1943–1985 |
| Planned | 8 |
| Completed | 8 |
| Retired | 8 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Dock landing ship |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 457 ft 9 in (139.52 m) |
| Beam | 72 ft 2 in (22.00 m) |
| Draft | 15 ft 10 in (4.83 m) max |
| Propulsion | 2Babcock & Wilcox boilers, oil-fired; 2 Skinner Uni-Flow reciprocating engines; Twin screws |
| Speed | 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Range | 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 254 |
| Armament |
|
TheAshland-class dock landing ship were the first class ofdock landing ship of theUnited States Navy. They were built duringWorld War II. A dock landing ship (hull classification LSD) is a form of auxiliary warship designed to supportamphibious operations. Eight ships were built for the United States Navy and they remained in US service until the 1960s. Two of the class were sold for export overseas, with one joining theRepublic of China Navy and the other theArgentinian Navy. The two transferred ships stayed in service until the 1980s. All eight ships were scrapped.
TheAshlands were the firstdock landing ships designed and constructed for theUnited States Navy. Though initially the American planners had no interest in the ship type, a design was developed from a British Staff Requirement which called for a ship with a floodable deck aft to operate at least two Britishlanding craft tanks. The ship type was initially designated "tank landing carrier" (TLC).[1] The dock landing ship was designed with the capability of moving smaller, pre-loadedamphibious warfare craft over long distances.[2] TheAshland-class ships measured 454 feet (138 m)long at thewaterline and 457 ft 9 in (139.52 m)overall with abeam of 72 ft 2 in (22.00 m) and a seagoingdraft of 15 ft 10 in (4.83 m) and a maximum draft of 18 ft (5.5 m).[2][3] The vessels had alight displacement of 4,032long tons (4,097 t) and a full load displacement of 5,746 long tons (5,838 t).[2][4] While loaded and seagoing, their displacement is 7,100 long tons (7,200 t) and 13,490 long tons (13,710 t) when thewell deck was flooded down.[4] They had a complement of 254.[2]
The vessels were propelled by two shafts powered by twoSkinner Uniflow reciprocating engines fed steam by twodouble boilers creating 7,400indicated horsepower (5,500 kW). This gave the dock landing ships a maximum speed of 15.4knots (28.5 km/h; 17.7 mph) and a range of 7,400nautical miles (13,700 km; 8,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[2][3][a] In United States Navy service, theAshlands were equipped with a single5-inch (127 mm)/38-caliber gun, two twin-mounted40-millimeter (1.6 in) guns and two quad-mounted 40 mm guns and sixteen20 mm (0.79 in) guns.[2][6][b]
Their well deck extended three-quarters the length of the ship and measured 337 ft 11 in by 43 ft 8 in (103 by 13.3 m).[3][7] The stern gate that opened onto the well deck measured 19 ft (5.8 m).[6] The original design called for the ability to transport 16landing craft mechanized (LCMs), with each LCM able to embark a single tank. With four TLCs a medium tankbattalion (comprising 48 tanks) could be transported. Furthermore, the ships had to transport the vehicle crews, numbering 280 troops and maintain a sustained speed of 15 knots at full load to keep up with the invasion fleets. The final design allowed for the ships to embark either two British 193 ft (59 m)landing craft tanks (LCT) side by side or three USMk 5 LCTs with one forward of the other two which were positioned side by side or 14 LCMs or 1,500 long tons (1,500 t) of cargo in the well deck. Furthermore, they could store 12,000 US gallons (45,000 L; 10,000 imp gal) of fuel for the vehicles also with accommodate the crews of up to 24 vehicles in addition to a headquarters staff.[8] Beginning in November 1943 duringWorld War II, a deck was erected over the top of the well deck which doubled the carrying capacity of light vehicles such as trucks andDUKWs. Further additions included the installation of a mezzanine or spar deck beneath the new deck and atop the well deck to increase the carrying capacity of small vehicles again, with the decks being connected by ramps allowing for the vehicles to be driven onto the ship via the stern.[9]
| Ashland class construction data[10] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull number | Ship name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Fate |
| LSD-1 | Ashland | Moore Dry Dock Company | 22 June 1942 | 21 December 1942 | 5 June 1943 | 22 November 1969 | Stricken 25 November 1969 |
| LSD-2 | Belle Grove | 27 October 1942 | 17 February 1943 | 9 August 1943 | 12 November 1969 | Stricken 12 November 1969 | |
| LSD-3 | Carter Hall | 27 October 1942 | 4 March 1943 | 18 September 1943 | 31 October 1969 | Stricken 31 October 1969 | |
| LSD-4 | Epping Forest | 23 November 1942 | 2 April 1943 | 11 October 1943 | 31 October 1968 | Stricken 1 November 1968 | |
| LSD-5 | Gunston Hall | 28 December 1942 | 1 May 1943 | 10 November 1943 | 25 May 1970 | Transferred to Argentina, 1970 | |
| LSD-6 | Lindenwald | 22 February 1943 | 11 June 1943 | 9 December 1943 | 30 November 1967 | Stricken 1 December 1967 | |
| LSD-7 | Oak Hill | 9 March 1943 | 25 June 1943 | 5 January 1944 | 26 October 1969 | Stricken 31 October 1969 | |
| LSD-8 | White Marsh | 7 April 1943 | 19 July 1943 | 29 January 1944 | 23 January 1957 | Transferred toTaiwan, November 1960 | |
On 26 November 1941, eight LSDs were ordered for construction at the Moore Dry Dock Company yard inOakland, California for the United States Navy.[1] They entered service at the height ofWorld War II and saw action in thePacific theater, taking part in several major invasions including the battles ofSaipan,Philippines,[11]Okinawa[12] andIwo Jima.[13] Following the war, the vessels were placedin reserve.[11] During the war, the ability to transport smaller vessels such asPT boats orminesweepers sometimes led to criticism that theAshland-class ships were not available for their primary jobs. Furthermore, the landing ship docks were fitted with repair shops and some acted as repair ships in forward areas.[9] They were reactivated for theKorean War, taking part infleet exercises.[13]Epping Forest operated in Korean waters, taking part in minesweeping operations, the first for an LSD.[12] In 1954,Belle Grove was part of the fleet monitoringOperation Castle, a nuclear test atBikini Atoll and again in 1957 forOperation Hardtack I.[13] In 1956,Ashland was re-configured to operate sixMartin P5M-2 Marlin aircraft before being taken out of service again 1957.[11]
In 1956White Marsh was decommissioned, but remained in active service with a civilian crew as part of theMilitary Sea Transportation Service (MSTS).White Marsh remained in this service until being transferred to theTaiwan.[14]Lindenwald also saw service with the MSTS but was reacquired by the United States Navy.[15]Belle Grove andGunston Hall operated off the coast ofSouth Vietnam during theVietnam War and performed several transport missions in support of operations there.[13][16]Lindenwald also took part in thelandings of US troops in the Dominican Republic in 1965.[15]
Following the Korean War, theRepublic of China Navy sought to expand its amphibious capability in case an opportunity arose to invade mainlandChina. They acquiredWhite Marsh on 17 November 1960 on loan and renamed the shipTung Hai and gave it the pennant number 191. The vessel was later purchased outright in May 1976 and was renamedChung Cheng with the pennant number 639.Chung Cheng was discarded in 1988.[17]
On 24 April 1970, Argentina purchasedGunston Hall, renaming the shipCandido de Lasala with the pennant number Q43,[18] later B10.[7]Candido de Lasala was used both as a landing ship dock and as adepot ship for small craft. The vessel was deleted in 1982.[18]
_underway_off_San_Franciso_in_April_1944.jpg)
 United States Navy | |
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 Argentine Navy |
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 Republic of China Navy |
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