Ex - USS Dubuque (LPD-8) | military, ship, United States Navy

 military, ship, United States Navy

USS Dubuque is a Austin Class Amphibious Transport Dock, or LPD, laid down at the Ingalls Shipbuilding Yard in January 1965 and commissioned into US Navy service in August 1967 as a member of the US Pacific Fleet.

Almost immediately after her arrival at her new homeport of San Diego, the Dubuque became heavily active in the Vietnam War, making multiple deployments through the 1968-1973 period and eventually earning eight campaign stars for her service. Forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan in 1985 to operate with the US 7th Fleet, the Dubuque and her crew maintained an increasingly active schedule of deployements to the Persian Gulf region, where she took a major role in the US-led effort to protect merchant shipping during the Iran-Iraq War. Returning to the Persian Gulf to support Operations Desert Storm and Desert Fox, the Dubuque continued her operations with the 7th Fleet until being relieved by her sistership USS Juneau (LPD-10) in 1999, allowing both ship and crew to return stateside for the first time in 14 years.

Participating in the Navy's first 'Ship-Swap' experiment shortly after her return to San Diego, Dubuque's crew transferred with their counterparts aboard the Juneau, giving the ship an entirely new crew which would serve on her into the new millenium. Continuing her WestPac and Persian Gulf deployments following the events of 9/11, the Dubuque participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom and conducted regular anti-piracy patrols around the horn of Africa through her final deployment in 2010.

Formally decommissioned from active service at San Diego in June 2011 after a 46 year career, the Dubuque was towed to her current location at Naval Station Bremerton where she is maintained in Category B Reserve.

www.navsource.org/archives/10/09/0908.htm
www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/LPD8.htm