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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Tulare (LKA-112)
ex
 USS Tulare (AKA-112) (1956 - 1969)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Oscar - Tango
 NEOT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Two - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2-Quemoy-Matsu, 1-Vietnam)
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (10) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Tulare Class Amphibious Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 16 February 1953, as SS Evergreen Mariner, a Maritime Administration type (C4-S-1a) hull, under Maritime Administration contract (MC hull 32) at Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp., San Francisco, CA.
  • Launched, 22 December 1953
  • Commissioned USS Tulare (AKA-112), 12 January 1956, CAPT. Donald Whiley Todd in command
  • During the Vietnam War USS Tulare (AKA/LKA-112) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    6 to 10 March 1966
    25 to 29 March 1966
    6 to 9 May 1966
    17 to 22 May 1966
    29 to 31 May 1966
    10 to 12 June 1966
    21 to 26 June 1966    		 Tet69/Counteroffensive
    6 March to 19 April 1969
    2 May to 8 June 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    9 to 25 July 1966
    5 to 14 August 1966    		 Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 to 14 June 1969
    7 July to 7 August 1969
    13 to 16 August 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    6 December 1967 to 27 January 1968     		Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    9 to 11 January 1970
    Tet Counteroffensive
    5 to 7 February 1968
    18 to 20 February 1968
    23 February to 1 April 1968    		 Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    18 to 19 December 1970
    27 to 28 December 1970
    8 to 26 January 1971
    1 to 5 May 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    2 to 20 April-1968
    19 to 24 May 1968    		 Vietnam Ceasefire
    20 to 21 December 1972
    28 December 1972 to 7 January 1973
    22 to 26 January 1973
    5 to 15 February 1973

  • Redesignated (LKA-112), 1 January 1969
  • Decommissioned, 31 March 1986
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 August 1992
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • USS Tulare earned ten campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,190 t.(lt)
    Length 564'
    Beam 76'
    Draft 26'
    Complement 435
    Speed 20 kts.
    Armament
    six twin 3"/50 guns dual purpose gun mounts
    six .50 cal. machine guns
    Propulsion geared turbine, single propeller
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Tulare 95k PCU Tulare (AKA-112) prior to commissioning, outbound from San Francisco Bay to sea, 7 December 1955, for builders trials. She was the first US attack cargo ship with a helicopter platform. Her quadrupod masts carry standard contemporary radars: SPS-10 forward for surface search, SPS-6 aft for air search.
    US Navy photo and text from "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman.    		 Robert Hurst
    Tulare 1018k PCU Tulare (AKA-112) prior to commissioning, outbound from San Francisco Bay to sea in December 1955, probably for builders trials. Photo source "San Francisco Examiner" photo archives David Buell
    Tulare 949k PCU Tulare (AKA-112) prior to commissioning, outbound to sea in January 1956 from San Francisco Bay nearing the Golden Gate Bridge, probably for builders trials. David Buell
    Tulare 1389k USS Tulare (AKA-112) mooring, probably at Naval Station Treasure Island San Francisco, 16 January 1956. Note her boats on the pier.Photo source "San Francisco Examiner" photo archives David Buell
    Tulare 65k USS Tulare (AKA-112) underway, date and location unknown. Russ Padden
    Tulare 74k USS Tulare (AKA-112) underway, circa 1960, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # K-67590    		 Robert Hurst
    Tulare 15k USS Tulare (AKA-112) loading Marines for Vietnam at San Diego, 1967 USS Tulare web site
    Tulare 12k USS Tulare (AKA-112) at anchor Chi Lai, South Vietnam, 1967 USS Tulare web site
    Tulare 29k USS Tulare (AKA-112) departing Pearl Harbor, 1966 USS Tulare web site
    Tulare 17k USS Tulare (AKA-112) during amphibious operations, date and location unknown. .
    Tulare 89k USS Tulare (AKA-112) coming alongside USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) off the coast of South Vietnam in 1969. Photo taken by H.R. Adams CSC USN Larry Lee
    Tulare 54k USS Tulare (AKA-112) at Hong Kong, BCC, June 1966 Les McCallum USS Tulare
    Tulare 76k USS Tulare (AKA-112) underway at San Diego, CA., date unknown. Russ Padden
    Tulare 88k USS Tulare (AKA-112) underway off Oakland, CA., October 1979. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Tulare 40k Ex-USS Tulare (AKA-112) laid up in reserve at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA, circa 2000.
    National Maritime Administration photos.    		 Ron Reeves
    Tulare 34k
    Tulare 39k
    Tulare 252k
    Tulare 233k

    For more photos and information about USS Tulare, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • Commanding Officers
  • USS Tulare (AKA-112)
  • Suisun Reserve Fleet photos by Michael McDermott
    • Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Cargo Ship (AKA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 25 March 2011