Ex-USS Juneau (LPD-10)

 military, ship, United States Navy

Laid down in January 1965 at the Lockheed Shipbuilding Yard in Seattle WA as the 7th member of the Austin Class of Amphibious Transport Docks, USS Juneau commissioned into US Navy service in July 1969 as a member of the US Pacific Fleet.

Dispatched immediately after her training and shakedown cruise for combat operations, the Juneau began the first of what would become eight deployments to Vietnam in support of US forces that would occupy her through 1973. Resuming peacetime operations following her Vietnam War service, the Juneau conducted routine deployments and exercises throughout the late 1970's and 1980's before taking a leading role in the response to the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989. Serving as the of command and control ship for Joint Task Force Alaska, Juneau supported cleanup operations for several months before returning to her homeport at San Diego where she remained until late 1990.

Activated as part of Amphibious Group Two, the Juneau departed for combat operations once again, this time in the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Desert Storm. Remaining heavily involved with the supply and support of Marine Corps units ashore throughout the conflict and ceasefire, the Juneau began what would become routine deployments in support of operations in the Middle East and Horn of Africa which would occupy her until the late 1990's. Selected to relieve her sistership USS Dubuque (LPD-8) as a member of Amphibious Squadron 11 based out of Sasebo, Japan, Juneau was hull-swapped in September 1999 and remained forward deployed until the end of her career.

Taking part combat operations once again in support of the Second Gulf War, the Juneau and her crews also participated in numerous humanitarian responses throughout the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans during the later years of her career before herself being ship-swapped with her sister USS Denver (LPD-9) in 2008. Returning stateside for the first time in nearly a decade, the Juneau arrived back at San Diego in August 2008 where her crew began the decommissioning process. Formally decommissioned in October 2008 after a 39-year career, the Juneau was subsequently towed to her current location at the NISMF North Loch where she is maintained in Category "B" Reserve, meaning she can be reactivated for duty if required in the event of National Emergency.

USS Juneau earned Two Campaign Stars and five Battle Stars for her service in the Vietnam War.

www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/LPD10.htm
www.navsource.org/archives/10/09/0910.htm