USS San Bernardino (LST-1189)

Last updated

USS San Bernardino (LST-1189) underway off San Diego.jpg
USS San Bernardino (LST-1189) underway off San Diego, California
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameUSS San Bernardino
Namesake San Bernardino, California
Builder National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, California
Laid down12 July 1969
Launched28 March 1970
Commissioned27 March 1971
Decommissioned30 September 1995
IdentificationLST-1189
FateTransferred to Chile, 30 September 1995
Naval Jack of Chile.svgChile
NameValdivia
Acquired30 September 1995
Commissioned30 September 1995
Decommissioned14 January 2011
IdentificationLST-93
StatusDecommissioned
General characteristics as built
Class and type Newport-class tank landing ship
Displacement
  • 4,793 long tons (4,870  t) light
  • 8,342 long tons (8,476 t) full load
Length
  • 522 ft 4 in (159.2 m) oa
  • 562 ft (171.3 m) over derrick arms
Beam69 ft 6 in (21.2 m)
Draft17 ft 6 in (5.3 m) max
Propulsion
Speed22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) max
Range2,500  nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Troops431 max
Complement213
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 2 × Mk 63 GCFS
  • SPS-10 radar
Armament2 × twin 3"/50 caliber guns
Aviation facilities Helicopter deck

USS San Bernardino (LST-1189) was the eleventh of twenty Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The second USN ship to be named after the city in California, the ship was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California. The LST was launched in 1970 and was commissioned in 1971. San Bernardino participated in the Vietnam War, earning one battle star and took part in operations in the Middle East. The ship was decommissioned 1995 and transferred to the Chilean Navy. In Chilean service, the vessel was renamed Valdivia (LST-93) for a battle during the Chilean War of Independence. The LST was recommissioned that year and during its service, took part in humanitarian efforts following earthquakes in Chile in 2010. In 2011 the Chilean Navy took Valdivia out of service due to repairs to the ship no longer being economical.

Contents

Design and description

San Bernardino was a Newport-class tank landing ship which were designed to meet the goal put forward by the United States amphibious forces to have a tank landing ship (LST) capable of over 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). However, the traditional bow door form for LSTs would not be capable. Therefore, the designers of the Newport class came up with a design of a traditional ship hull with a 112-foot (34 m) aluminum ramp slung over the bow supported by two derrick arms. The 34- long-ton (35 t) ramp was capable of sustaining loads up to 75 long tons (76 t). This made the Newport class the first to depart from the standard LST design that had been developed in early World War II. [1] [2] [3]

The LST had a displacement of 4,793 long tons (4,870 t) when light and 8,342 long tons (8,476 t) at full load. San Bernardino was 522 feet 4 inches (159.2 m) long overall and 562 ft (171.3 m) over the derrick arms which protruded past the bow. [2] [3] The vessel had a beam of 69 ft 6 in (21.2 m), a draft forward of 11 ft 5 in (3.5 m) and 17 ft 5 in (5.3 m) at the stern at full load. [4]

San Bernardino was fitted with six Alco 16-645-ES diesel engines turning two shafts, three to each shaft. The system was rated at 16,500 brake horsepower (12,300 kW) and gave the ship a maximum speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) for short periods and could only sustain 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) for an extended length of time. The LST carried 1,750 long tons (1,780 t) of diesel fuel for a range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at the cruising speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). The ship was also equipped with a bow thruster to allow for better maneuvering near causeways and to hold position while offshore during the unloading of amphibious vehicles. [3] [5]

The Newport class were larger and faster than previous LSTs and were able to transport tanks, heavy vehicles and engineer groups and supplies that were too large for helicopters or smaller landing craft to carry. [6] The LSTs have a ramp forward of the superstructure that connects the lower tank deck with the main deck and a passage large enough to allow access to the parking area amidships. The vessels are also equipped with a stern gate to allow the unloading of amphibious vehicles directly into the water or to unload onto a utility landing craft (LCU) or pier. At either end of the tank deck there is a 30 ft (9.1 m) turntable that permits vehicles to turn around without having to reverse. [1] [2] The Newport class has the capacity for 500 long tons (510 t) of vehicles, 19,000 sq ft (1,800 m2) of cargo area and could carry up to 431 troops. [1] [7] The vessels also have davits for four vehicle and personnel landing craft (LCVPs) and could carry four pontoon causeway sections along the sides of the hull. [2] [3]

San Bernardino was initially armed with four Mark 33 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns in two twin turrets. The vessel was equipped with two Mk 63 gun control fire systems (GCFS) for the 3-inch guns, but these were removed in 1977–1978. [3] The ship also had SPS-10 surface search radar. [8] Atop the stern gate, the vessels mounted a helicopter deck. They had a maximum complement of 213 including 11 officers. [6]

Construction and career

United States Navy service

The LST was ordered as the second hull of the third group in Fiscal Year 1967 and a contract was awarded on 15 July 1966. [6] [9] The ship's keel was laid down on 12 July 1969 by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company at their yard in San Diego, California. Named for a city in California, San Bernardino was launched on 28 March 1970, sponsored by the wife of Vice Admiral Walter H. Baumberger. The vessel was commissioned at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard on 27 March 1971 and assigned to Amphibious Squadron 3, Amphibious Force, Pacific Fleet and home ported in San Diego. [10]

For the remainder of 1971, San Bernardino operated along the coast of California, conducting routine operations. In 1972 San Bernardino opened 1972 by escorting four Indonesian vessels from the United States to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The LST returned to San Diego, via Acapulco, Mexico on 9 February. From April until June, the ship trained off the Californian coast and in the Hawaiian Islands. On 7 June San Bernardino departed on a voyage to South America. The tank landing ship visited Valparaíso, Chile; Callao, Peru; and Rodman Naval Station, Panama, before returning to San Diego on 17 July. San Bernardino spent the next two months performing routine operations before being deployed to the western Pacific as part of the 7th Fleet. San Bernardino departed San Diego on 21 September and arrived in Subic Bay on 19 October. From there, the LST participated in ZAMEX 9–72 on 23–24 October and joined the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) in the Gulf of Tonkin on 28 October, remaining with the unit until 14 November. [10] The ARG was stationed off Da Nang, South Vietnam, in a constant state or readiness to respond to threats to Americans in the region. [11] San Bernardino then sailed for Keelung, Taiwan and Subic Bay, rejoining the ARG in the Gulf of Tonkin on 15 December. [10] On 17 December the ship was detached to assist USS Asheville and USS Tacoma to Subic Bay. The three ships arrived on 19 December after which San Bernardino was bound for Hong Kong for a short stay and returned to Subic Bay on 29 December and remained in port for the rest of the year. San Bernardino's deployment to the 7th Fleet continued until mid-April 1973. The ship returned to San Diego on 29 April. San Bernardino earned one battle star for service in the Vietnam War. San Bernardino continued routine operations along the Californian coast until mid June, remaining in port for five months. In early June, the LST was deployed to the western Pacific again, with stops at Pearl Harbor, Suva, Fiji, and Brisbane, Australia. [10]

USS San Bernardino during a landing exercise in 1979. USS San Bernardino (LST-1189) during landing exercise in 1979.JPEG
USS San Bernardino during a landing exercise in 1979.

In 1990 San Bernardino was deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Amphibious Ready Group Bravo (ARG Bravo) during the Gulf War. ARG Bravo was based at Okinawa, Japan. ARG Bravo was to deploy the Regimental Landing Team 4 headquarters and a combat service support detachment in an amphibious landing. However, this did not happen and after arrival in the operations area, the landing team were deployed as a rear area security force. The ships of ARG Bravo were instead used as sea-based mobile logistics platforms until their departure in November 1991. [12] [lower-alpha 1] The ship was decommissioned on 30 September 1995 from the United States Navy. [9]

Chilean Navy service

The ship was transferred to the Chilean Navy as part of the Security Assistance Program on 30 September at San Diego. [9] [lower-alpha 2] The LST was renamed Valdivia (LST-93) for a battle during the Chilean War of Independence. The ship arrived at its new Chilean homeport, Valparaíso, on 1 December 1995. In Chilean service, the LST operated with the Amphibious and Naval Transport Command (Spanish : Comando Anfibio y de Transportes Navales), performing operations from Arica to Puerto Williams. [15] In mid-1997, Valdivia was damaged after going aground but repaired. [14] During 2010, Valdivia was heavily involved in relief efforts following the series of earthquakes affecting Chile throughout 2010. The intense workload caused structural and component fatigue to the already old vessel, and an inspection in August 2010 concluded that repairing the ship would be uneconomical. Valdivia was decommissioned on 14 January 2011. The Chilean Navy planned to replace the LST with two landing platform dock type vessels. [16]

See also

Notes

  1. The ships of Amphibious Ready Group Bravo were USS Dubuque, USS Schenectady and San Bernardino. [13]
  2. The Naval Vessel Register states it was a cash sale while Saunders says it was a lease. [9] [14]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Blackman 1972, p. 504.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 621.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Couhat 1986, pp. 655–666.
  4. Moore 1975, p. 486.
  5. Moore 1976, p. 614.
  6. 1 2 3 Moore 1974, p. 467.
  7. Moore 1978, p. 690.
  8. Sharpe 1990, p. 761.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Naval Vessel Register
  10. 1 2 3 4 DANFS.
  11. Melson & Arnold 1991, pp. 212–213.
  12. Brown 2000, pp. 9, 39.
  13. Brown 2000, p. 39.
  14. 1 2 Saunders 2004, p. 111.
  15. Armada de Chile.
  16. Higueras, José (26 January 2011). "Chile eyes new amphibious transport ship". Jane's Defence Weekly.

Related Research Articles

Landing Ship, Tank Amphibious assault ship of World War II

A landing ship, tank, (LST) is a ship first developed during World War II (1939–1945) to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto a low-slope beach with no docks or piers. The shallow draft and bow doors and ramps enabled amphibious assaults on almost any beach.

USS <i>Frederick</i> (LST-1184) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Frederick (LST-1184) was a Newport-class tank landing ship which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs) of the United States Navy. The ship was named after the city of Frederick, Maryland and Frederick County, Maryland. The vessel entered service in 1970 with the United States Pacific Fleet and saw service during the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War earning three battle stars. The ship was decommissioned in 2002 and put up for sale.

<i>Newport</i>-class tank landing ship US Navy tank landing ship class in service 1969 to 2002

Newport-class tank landing ships were an improved class of tank landing ship (LST) designed for and employed by the United States Navy from 1969 to 2002. The ships were intended to provide substantial advantages over their World War II-era predecessors. Larger and faster than any previous LST design, they carried a ramp over the bow that allowed them to surpass 20 knots, a goal of the United States amphibious forces. 27 were planned of which twenty were completed, the high number due to the demands of US force projection estimates. However, the arrival of the air-cushioned landing craft which allowed for over-the-horizon attacks made the class obsolete in the eyes of the United States Navy. Placed in reserve, twelve were eventually sold to foreign navies, while the remaining eight have since been decommissioned.

USS <i>Saginaw</i> (LST-1188) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Saginaw (LST-1188) was the tenth of the Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The second ship of that name, Saginaw was named after the river in Michigan. The LST was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California, launched in 1970 and commissioned in 1971. During service with the United States Navy, the ship took part in US efforts in the Lebanese civil war and the Gulf War. Saginaw was decommissioned on 28 June 1994 and was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy on 28 August that year.

USS <i>Tuscaloosa</i> (LST-1187) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Tuscaloosa (LST-1187) was the ninth of the Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy, which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The vessel was constructed by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, California and was launched in 1969 and commissioned in 1970 and the second ship of the United States Navy to be named after the city of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The LST participated in the Vietnam War and was decommissioned in 1994. The ship was laid up until being sunk as a target ship during a sinking exercise in 2014.

USS <i>Newport</i> (LST-1179) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Newport (LST-1179) was the third ship of the United States Navy (USN) to bear the name of the Rhode Island city. The first of her class of landing ship tanks (LST), she was capable of a sustained speed of 20 knots. Her ability to adjust her draft, accompanied by her unique bow-ramp design, helped bring a new degree of responsiveness to the amphibious fleet. The ship was launched in 1968 and entered service with the USN in 1969. Assigned to the United States Atlantic Fleet for the entirety of her career, Newport made deployments to the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. The vessel was taken out of service in 1992 and laid up until 2001.

USS <i>Sumter</i> (LST-1181) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Sumter (LST-1181) was the third of twenty Newport-class tank landing ships in service with the United States Navy, which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). Sumter was constructed by Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was launched in 1969. The ship entered service in 1970, was assigned to the Pacific coast of the United States and deployed to the western Pacific twice during the Vietnam War. In 1973, Sumter was reassigned to the Atlantic coast and took part in operations in along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean Sea. The LST was decommissioned in 1993.

USS <i>Cayuga</i> (LST-1186) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Cayuga (LST-1186) was a Newport-class tank landing ship of the United States Navy which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The vessel was constructed by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, California and was launched in 1969 and commissioned in 1970. Cayuga took part in the Vietnam War and Gulf War in American service. Decommissioned in 1994, the LST was transferred to the Brazilian Navy the same year on loan and renamed NDCC Mattoso Maia. The ship was purchased by Brazil outright in 2001. Mattoso Maia took part in MINUSTAH before being taken out of service in 2023.

USS <i>Peoria</i> (LST-1183) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Peoria (LST-1183) was a Newport-class tank landing ship which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The vessel took part in the Vietnam War and Gulf War. The ship was constructed by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, California and was launched in 1968 and commissioned in 1970. Named for a city in Illinois, Peoria was assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet and home ported at San Diego. The tank landing ship alternated between military exercises along the United States west coast and deployments to the western Pacific. Peoria took part in the evacuations of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Saigon, South Vietnam, both of which signaled the end of American involvement in the respective countries. The vessel was decommissioned 1994 and sunk as a target ship during a RIMPAC naval exercise in 2004.

USS <i>La Moure County</i> (LST-1194) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS La Moure County (LST-1194) was the sixteenth of twenty Newport-class tank landing ship of the United States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The second vessel named after a county in North Dakota, the LST was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California. The vessel was launched and was commissioned into the USN in 1971. La Moure County alternated deployments in the Caribbean Sea with those to the Mediterranean Sea. During the Gulf War, La Moure County transported elements of the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade to the Persian Gulf. In 2000, the LST was taking part in a training exercise off Chile when the vessel ran aground. Considered beyond repair, La Moure County was decommissioned that year and towed out to sea in 2001 and sunk as a target ship.

USS <i>Barbour County</i> Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Barbour County (LST-1195) was the seventeenth ship of the twenty Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The vessel was named after two counties; one in Alabama, and the other in West Virginia. The LST was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California. Barbour County was launched in 1971 and commissioned into the USN in 1972. Barbour County took part in the Vietnam War, including the evacuation of Saigon and the Gulf War. The LST also performed disaster relief in Bangladesh. The vessel was decommissioned in 1992 and laid up with plans to sell the ship. This did not happen and the vessel was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 2001 and sunk as a target ship in 2004.

USS <i>San Bernardino County</i> LST-542-class tank landing ship

USS San Bernardino County (LST–1110) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for San Bernardino County, California, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Boulder</i> Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Boulder (LST-1190) was the twelfth of twenty Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). Named after the county in Colorado, the ship was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California. The LST was launched in 1970 and was commissioned in 1971. Boulder was assigned to the United States Atlantic Fleet and deployed in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. In 1980, the ship was transferred to the Naval Reserve Force. In 1988, Boulder ran aground off Norway during a military exercise. The vessel was decommissioned in 1994 and laid up at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The ship was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 2008 and towed to Brownsville, Texas for scrapping in 2022.

USS <i>Racine</i> (LST-1191) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Racine (LST-1191) was the thirteenth of twenty Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The second ship named after the city in Wisconsin, the ship was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California. The LST was launched in 1970 and was commissioned in 1971. Racine was assigned to the United States west coast and deployed to the western Pacific Ocean during the Vietnam War. The ship was transferred to the Naval Reserve Force in 1981. The LST was decommissioned in 1993 and placed in reserve. Racine was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 2008 and after an attempted sale to Peru failed, was discarded as a target ship during a sinking exercise in July 2018.

USS <i>Manitowoc</i> (LST-1180) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Manitowoc (LST-1180) was the second ship of the Newport-class tank landing ships which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs) in service with the United States Navy. Manitowoc was constructed by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and launched in 1969 and entered service in 1970.

USS <i>Fresno</i> (LST-1182) Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Fresno (LST-1182) was the fourth tank landing ship (LST) of the Newport class. Fresno was named for a county in California. The vessel was constructed by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, California and launched in 1968. The ship entered service in 1969 and was assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet, taking part in training along the west coast and operational cruises to the western Pacific, taking part in the Vietnam War. Fresno was decommissioned in 1993 and laid up. The LST was nearly sold to Peru but remained in the U.S. inventory until 2014, when Fresno was sunk as a target ship in the Pacific Ocean during a training exercise off Guam.

USS <i>Schenectady</i> Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Schenectady (LST-1185) was the fifth Newport-class tank landing ship which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). It was delivered to the US Navy on 1 May 1970 and commissioned on 13 June 1970. Schenectady operated in support of American forces in Vietnam and Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. It was decommissioned on 15 December 1993 and held in reserve until it was sunk as a target on 23 November 2004.

USS <i>Spartanburg County</i> Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Spartanburg County (LST-1192) was the fourteenth of twenty Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). Named after a county in South Carolina, the ship was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California. The LST was launched in 1970 and was commissioned in 1971. Assigned to the United States Atlantic Fleet, Spartanburg County deployed regularly to the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. In 1983 and 1985, the vessel was present in Lebanese waters. In 1990, the LST was deployed to the Persian Gulf in the Gulf War, returning to the United States in 1991. Spartanburg County was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1994.

USS <i>Fairfax County</i> Tank landing ship of the United States Navy

USS Fairfax County (LST-1193) was the fifteenth of twenty Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). Named after a county in Virginia, the ship was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California. The LST was launched in 1970 and was commissioned into the USN in 1971. Fairfax County was alternated deployments between the Caribbean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. During the Gulf War, Fairfax County was deployed off the northern African coast as part of a deterrent force. The ship was decommissioned from the USN in 1994.

USS <i>Bristol County</i>

USS Bristol County (LST-1198) was the last of the twenty Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The LST was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California. Bristol County was launched in 1971 and commissioned into the USN in 1972. Bristol County was assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet and remained in service until 1994 when it was decommissioned. Sold to Morocco that year, the vessel was recommissioned into the Royal Moroccan Navy as Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah. The ship remains in service.

References