USS Portland (LSD 37)

- decommissioned -
- sunk as a target -

USS PORTLAND was the second ANCHORAGE - class Dock Landing Ship and the second ship in the Navy named after the seaport city in Cumberland County, southern Maine, and largest city in the state of Oregon. The ship was last homeported in Little Creek, Va. After decommissioning, the PORTLAND spent the following months at the Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility, Portsmouth, Va., before she was sunk as a target off the US east coast on April 26, 2004.

General Characteristics:	Awarded: February 25, 1966
	Keel laid: September 21, 1967
	Launched: December 20, 1969
	Commissioned: October 3, 1970
	Decommissioned: August 4, 2003
	Builder: General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass.
	Propulsion system: two 600 psi boilers
	Propellers: two
	Length: 553 feet (168.6 meters)
	Beam: 85 feet (25.9 meters)
	Draft: 18 feet (5.5 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 14,000 tons full load
	Speed: 22 knots
	Well deck capacity: three LCAC
	Aircraft: none, but helicopter platform
	Crew: Ship: 18 officers, 340 enlisted
	Crew: Marine Detachment: 330 Marines
	Armament: two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, two Mk-38 Machine Guns, four .50 Machine Guns

go to the end of the page

Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS PORTLAND. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

Click here to view the list.

go to the end of the page

Click here to see which USS PORTLAND memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

go to the end of the page

USS PORTLAND Cruise Books:

go to the end of the page

Accidents aboard USS PORTLAND:

Date	Where	Events
1982	off the coast of Salvador	During UNITAS 23, the USS PORTLAND, the USNS SIRIUS (T-AFS 8), and USS O'BANNON (DD 987) conducted a connected replenishment with all three ships at anchor. The O'BANNON was on the port side of SIRIUS, the PORTLAND on the Starboard. During the inital approach, the PORTLAND mildly brushed against the SIRIUS causing minor damage to one of her British lifeboats. There were no injuries.

go to the end of the page

go to the end of the page

USS PORTLAND History:

Built by the Ouincy Division of General Dynamics, USS PORTLAND's keel was laid on September 27, 1967. She was commissioned on October 3, 1970 at the Boston Naval Shipyard. From 1972 to 1988, PORTLAND completed 14 deployments to the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and North Atlantic as a member of Amphibious Squadrons TWO, FOUR, SIX and EIGHT. Additionally she has undertaken a variety of unique missions.

In 1970, she transported TEKTITE II, a Department of the Interior underwater research habitat. She was later awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for support of two Navy Patrol Gunboats, USS DEFIANCE (PG 95) and USS SURPRISE (PG 97), in August 1970. During October 1973, PORTLAND carried the Navy's Deep Submergence Research Submarine, NR-1 for bottom survey and data collection in the vicinity of Puerto Rico. On July 29, 1976, PORTLAND participated in the evacuation of over 300 U.S. Citizens and Third Country Nationals from civil war-torn Beirut, Lebanon.

From November 1979 to January 1981 , PORTLAND underwent a regular overhaul period at Sun Shipyard in Chester, Pennsylvania. During Caribbean Operations '82 from February 22, until April 14, 1982, PORTLAND served as flagship for CINCLANTFLT, COMNAVSURFLANT and DEPCINCLANTFLT and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for the effort.

PORTLAND deployed in support of UNITAS XXIII in June 1982 and passed through the Panama Canal in August 1982, entering the Pacific Ocean for the first time in the ship's history.

PORTLAND deployed as a unit of Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group 2-83 in May 1983 in support of the Multi-National Peacekeeping Force at Beirut, Lebanon. From January to July of 1985, PORTLAND entered a regular overhaul at Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Berkley Yard, Norfolk, Virginia. In August, PORTLAND visited one of her namesake cities, Portland, Maine.

In April 1986, PORTLAND was fitted with two Vulcan Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems for missile defense. From May to November PORTLAND deployed with MARG 2-86 and participated in the NATO Exercise Display Determination. From May 6 to July 31, 1987, PORTLAND underwent a Planned Maintenance Overhaul at Moon Engineering, Portsmouth, Virginia. In August, she embarked several members of the original PORTLAND (CA 33) for a cruise to one of her namesake cities in Portland, Maine. From December 31 , 1987 to April 1, 1988 PORTLAND deployed to the Persian Gulf as Middle East Force Minesweeper Mothership.

May through July 1988 PORTLAND participated in MIDRON I and II cruises, embarking over 100 midshipmen and operated in the Caribbean and North Atlantic. From August - October 1988, PORTLAND again deployed to the North Atlantic to partake in NATO Exercise Team Work 88. Following the Norwegian Operations PORTLAND entered Moon Engineering Shipyard for a November 1988 - February 1989 maintenance availability.

go to the end of the page

About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

The PORTLAND is named after two famous seaport cities of the United States, Portland, Oregon, and Portland, Maine. The two cities' seals are appropriately a part of the ships' insigne. The seal of Portland, Oregon, presents the city as a major seaport through the sailing vessel. The fruitful lady is standing at the confluence of the Columbia River on whose waters flow the many industrial and agricultural products of the region. The fir trees represent the large lumber resources and Mt. Hood, the scenic attributes of the region. The seal of Portland, Maine, is one of heraldry. The phoenix (heron) symbolizes immortality. The anchor is frequently used in cities having a close relationship with the sea and in heraldry the anchor represents Hope. The dolphins symbolize Dilligence, Love, and Swittness. The ship is interpreted as representing the city as a great shipbuilding city.

On the left and right of the insigne are the Navy emblem and the Marine Corps emblem. These emblems together represent the joint efforts of these services in the performance of missions assigned the amphibious forces.

The stern view of the PORTLAND reveals the ship's characteristics inherent in the performance of its primary mission. The flooded well deck represents the ship's capability to launch, receive, and repair small cratt; the flight deck represents the ship's capability to launch and receive helicopters carrying cargo or Marines; the cranes symbolize the ship's ability to load and unload cargo rapidly.

go to the end of the page

USS PORTLAND Image Gallery:

Back to Dock Landing Ship List.

Back to ships list.

Back to selection page.

Back to 1^st page.