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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Okinawa (LPH-3)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Oscar - Kilo - India NOKI
JANAP Tactical Voice Call Sign (1967) "Gallant Man"

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (2) - Navy Unit Commendation (5)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (3) - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Cuba, Iran/Indian Ocean)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Op. Eagle Pull, Op. Frequent Wind, Persian Gulf) - *Vietnam Service Medal (7 or 8)
Fourth Row - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Humanitarian Service Medal (Eagle Pull, Frequent Wind) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation
Fifth Row - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (5) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbons - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Iwo Jima Class Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter):

Laid down, 1 April 1960, at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA.

Launched, 19 August 1961

Commissioned USS Okinawa (LPH-3), 14 April 1962, CAPT. William E. Lemos in command

During the Vietnam War Okinawa (LPH-3) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Vietnam War Campaigns
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 18 to 19 April 1967 18 to 31 May 1967	Sanctuary Counteroffensive 25 to 28 June 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III 1 to 12 June 1967 27 June to 15 August 1967 1 September to 1 November 1967	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII 15 to 18 July 1970 23 to 27 July 1970 9 to 12 August 1970 8 to 10 September 1970 12 to 15 September 1970 4 to 9 October 1970 5 to 6 November 1970 23 to 27 May 1971
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 8 December 1968 to 26 January 1969 12 to 22 February 1969	Vietnam Ceasefire 27 April to 30 May 1972 9 June to 2 July 1972 9 July to 25 August 1972 29 September to 1 October 1972 5 to 20 October 1972 21 to 22 November 1972
Tet/69 Counteroffensive 23 February to 30 March 1969 14 April to 27 May 1969	*Vietnam Evacuation (Operation Frequent Wind) 29 to 30 April 1975

Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 17 December 1992

Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA

Transferred to Naval Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility Bremerton in August 2000 for SINKEX preparation

Okinawa earned seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for Operation Frequent Wind or eight campaign stars for the Vietnam Service Medal if the Armed Forces Medal is exchanged for the 18th Vietnam campaign, Operation Frequent Wind

Final Disposition, sunk as a target, 06 June 2002, off the coast of southern California

Specifications:
Displacement 11,000 t.(lt.), 18,474 t.(fl)
Length 592'
Beam 84'
Flight Deck 105'
Draft 27'
Speed 22 kts.
Complement 667
Troop Accommodations 2,157
Aircraft 25 helicopters

Armament

(as built) 4 3"/50 AA guns

(modifications) two Phalanx CIWS added

Propulsion

two 600 psi boilers

one geared steam turbine

single shaft, 22,000 shaft horsepower

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
10110340	79k	Okinawa (LPH-3) at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA. just prior to her christening ceremony and launching, 19 August 1961.	Dale Hargrave
10110341	226k	Mrs. John L. McClellan, wife of the Senator from Arkansas christens Okinawa (LPH-3) during the ship's launching at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA. 19 August 1961.	Dale Hargrave
	329k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway , mid-1962, showing the original armament of four 3"/50 mounts. Also of note are the original circular helicopter landing spots on her flight deck US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
091914444	193k	*USS Mississinewa* (AO-144) refuels USS Okinawa (LPH-3) and the repair ship USS Vulcan (AR-5), in 1962. About seven Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse helicopters and two Sikorsky CH-37C Mojaves are visible on Okinawa*'s flight deck. U.S. Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine December 1962, p. 15*	Robert Hurst
	365k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) drydocked at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in February 1963. Ships in the background may be USS Long Beach (CGN-9) and and the decommissioned unmodified Essex class aircraft carrier USS Tarawa (CV-40)*. US National Archives Photo Identified # 18497387* A US Navy photo from the Public Affairs Office, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard	Michael Mohl
10110354	81k	A Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse belonging to Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (HMM-263), taking off carrying a 106mm RR from the flight deck of *USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** in April 1964. Photos from the William C. Reed Collection (COLL/5634) at the Archives Branch, Marine Corps History Division. OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Images were originally posted to Flickr by Archives Branch, USMC History Division at https://flickr.com/photos/60868061@N04/49723519646 and https://flickr.com/photos/60868061@N04/49723836752	Robert Hurst
10110355	62k		Robert Hurst
	129k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway off NOB Norfolk , VA., 20 July 1964	© Richard Leonhardt
	32k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) underway as a unit of Task Force 124 during Operation Power Pack enroute to the Dominican Republic in April 1965 with HMM-263 aboard. Okinawa was the hospital ship and HMM-263** was the Medevac Squadron during the U.S. Intervention in the Dominican Republic in 1965
	82k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway in 1965, with her Marine Corps detachment and CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters on deck in 1965, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
	179k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3), 17 February 1966, after completing a trial following a refit at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Okinawa** is turning off the Delaware River into the shipyard. ©Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, George D. McDowell Collection.	Mike Green
10110344	290k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** outbound San Diego, date unknown. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
10110345	203k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway off San Diego, date unknown. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
	267k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway , circa late 1960s, location unknown. Courtesy Ray D. Bean Collection.	Yu Chu
	114k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway circa 1970, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
10110356	106k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) crewmen hose off an HMM-163** UH-34 Seahorse that crashed on deck during Operation Ballistic Charge, 13 October 1967. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Identifier 26389621. USMC photo A189428 by SSGT R.V. Ashley. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/26389621	Robert Hurst
	4321k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway during Apollo 15 recovery operations in 1971.	Tom Sparkman, CDR, USNR-Ret.
10110346	257k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway as the Apollo 15 Lunar Recovery Ship, circa 26 July 26 � 7 August 1971.	Nicholas Tiberio
10110347	213k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway outbound from San Diego, Point Loma in the background. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
	60k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) underway on Yankee Station off the coast of Vietnam, circa May/June 1972. The aircraft aboard Okinawa** belonged to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron HMM-164. Photo taken from St. Louis (LKA-116)	Photo by Patrick Doyle, 9th Motor Transport Bn, 4th Marines
	64k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) receives a double probe rig from USNS Kawishiwi (T-AO-146)** as they prepare for an underway fuel replenishment, date and place unknown.	Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	68k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) in the Gulf of Siam during Operation Eagle Pull, 11 to 13 April 1975 conducting an underway replenishment with USS Vega (AF-59)**.	Photo by Richard Spring, CMDCM(SW/AW) USN Ret.
	27k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) in the Gulf of Siam during Operation Eagle Pull, 11 to 13 April 1975 conducting the evacuation of US nationals and at-risk Cambodians by helicopter. Photo by CAPT. R. Scott Noble, USNR (Retired) from USS Edson (DD-946)**	Joan L. Cahill
	16k		Joan L. Cahill
	140k	At the start of Operation Eagle Pull on 12 April 1975, a CH-53 Sea Stallion of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH-462) lifts off from *USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** to withdraw U.S. security forces and American Civilians from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Seventeen days later, the squadron and ship evacuated Americans from Saigon, South Vietnam, in operation Frequent Wind. US Marine Corps photo.	Tommy Trampp
	117k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** off the coast of South Vietnam, 18 April 1975. On deck are Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH-462). US Marine Corps photo # A150855 from: "U.S. Marines in Vietnam. The War that Would not End 1973-1975 (part 7)", p. 144.	Robert Hurst
	102k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway off Okinawa in 1977. US Navy photo.	Robert M. Cieri
	74k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway in the Pacific, August 1979. US Navy photo.	Robert M. Cieri
10110357	4753k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway passing under the Golden Gate Bridge at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, November 1979.	Photo by CAPT. Mark Heilenday, USN Ret.
	348k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway , date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "Aircraft Carriers" by Norman Polmar.	Robert Hurst
	1194k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway with embarked Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 262 during 31st Marine Amphibious Unit's Kangaroo 4 (1981) exercise. DOD photo # DM-SN-82-03149 PACIFIC OCEAN (14 October 1981) a US Marine Corps photos by Sgt. Taylor, now in the collections of Defense Imagery.mil.	Robert M. Cieri
10110351	203k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) underway in the Philippines Islands with 31st Marine Amphibious Unit** embarked. 1 August 1982. USMC Photo by CPL S.L. Kaeter, DoDMedia	Robert Hurst
	108k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)**, returning to San Diego in 1984 from a Mini-Westpac Cruise, her first cruise after a year in drydock when the Phalanx system was installed. US Navy photo	Jerry Hays
10110337	156k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** moored at Dammam, Saudi Arabia in 1987 during a routine port visit.	Chuck Wagner
10110335	206k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** moored at Dammam, Saudi Arabia in 1987 during a routine port visit. On the flight deck are HM-14 Det 1, RH-53D Sea Stallion minesweeping helicopters.	Chuck Wagner
10110336	269k	View of *USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** superstructure and bridge area while moored at Dammam, Saudi Arabia in 1987 during a routine port visit.	Chuck Wagner
10110339	230k		Chuck Wagner
10110338	220k	View of *USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** Phalanx CIWS (close-in weapon system) while moored at Dammam, Saudi Arabia in 1987 during a routine port visit.	Chuck Wagner
10110352	175k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway in the Persian Gulf, 1 September 1987. U.S. DefenseImagery photo VIRIN: DN-ST-88-02160, a U.S. Navy photo by PH1 Harold Gerwein, USN.	Robert Hurst
	56k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** at anchor in Hong Kong Harbor, 1989	William Chiu
	64k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** at anchor in Hong Kong Harbor, 1989	William Chiu
	122k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway at San Diego as she heads out to sea, date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
10110348	641k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway in the harbor at San Diego, CA., date unknown. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
10110349	243k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** crew man the rails as the ship passes through San Diego Bay enroute to Naval Base San Diego, 1 May 1990. U.S. Navy Photo, U.S. DefenseImagery photo VIRIN: DN-SC-04-03400	Robert Hurst
10110350	143k	The large harbor tug *Wauwatosa* (YTB-775) assists *USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) into her berth as she arrivess at Naval Station Subic Bay, Luzon, P.I., 24 March 1991. Okinawa** was enroute to her homeport at San Dioego, CA. after completing her deployment to the Persian Gulf for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. U.S. Navy photo by PH2 Muscutt, U.S National Archives and Records Administreiaont, College Park, MD. Donated by the Digital Public Library of America. DPLA identifier: : 73522b39c2449eceb4ca9d1aaf8754fd National Archives Identifier: 6468575.	Robert Hurst
	221k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** underway in the Southern California Ops area, date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	1061k	Sailors and Marines man the rail aboard *USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) during the her arrival from deployment in the Persian Gulf area during Operation Desert Storm, 17 April 1991. Okinawa** is steaming past downtown San Diego, enroute to her homeport at Naval Station San Diego. DOD photo # DN-SN-92-01074 SAN DIEGO BAY (17 April 1991) a US Navy photos by JO1 Robert Wilson, now in the collections of Defense Imagery.mil.	Robert M. Cieri
10110353	223k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) at anchor in the Persian Gulf, with an LCM landing craft alongside, 1 March 1992. Crew members from Okinawa** and other vessels were taking part in Exercise "Eager Mace 92-1", the first major U.S./Kuwaiti combined service exercise since the end of the 1991 Gulf War. U.S. DefenseImagery photo VIRIN: DN-ST-93-04416.	Robert Hurst
10110342	144k	*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3)** decommissioning ceremony, 17 December 1992, at Naval Station San Diego, CA.	Dale Hargrave
10110343	258k		Dale Hargrave
	74k	Ex-*USS Okinawa* (LPH-3) inboard of ex-USS New Orleans (LPH-11)** moored together at the end of a multi-ship row at Suisun Bay. Photo by Carolyn Bonner. Photo from "Warship Boneyards" by Kit and Carolyn Bonner.	Robert Hurst
	41k	Ex-Okinawa (LPH-3), sunk as target by *USS Portsmouth* (SSN-707)**, 6 June 2002. Location: 031� 27' 00.0" North, 119� 42' 00.6" West. Depth: 2020 fathoms. Tonnage: 13000. COMSUBPAC "SINKEX" photo	Fabio Pe�a

USS Okinawa (LPH-3) Memorabilia
Commissioning Program (Cover Only) Contributed by Robert M. Cieri	Decommissioning Program (Cover Only) Contributed by Robert M. Cieri	Apollo 15 Commemorative Patch Contributed by Lee-Jackson Militaria	Contributed by Tommy Trampp	HELMINERON FOURTEEN DET ONE Patch Contributed by Chuck Wagner

For more photos and information about USS Okinawa, see:
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
USS Iwo Jima Class Association
Welcome Aboard Pamphlet (1986-1988)

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Lemos, William Edward, USN :RADM	14 April 1962 - March 1963
02	CAPT. Sweeney Sr., John Richard, USN (USNA 1938)	March 1963 - 20 March 1964
03	CAPT. McDonald, Maxwell D., USN	20 March 1964 - 19 March 1965
04	CAPT. Evans, Jack Lavelle, USN	19 March 1965 - February 1966
05	CAPT. Feightner, Edward Lewis, USN :RADM (Photo as RADM)	February 1966 - March 1967
06	CAPT. Alexander II, William Henry, USN (USNA 1944)	March 1967 - February 1968
07	CAPT. Mackey Sr., William Alex (Wam), USN	23 February 1968 - 25 February 1969
08	CAPT. Williams, Harlan Dale, USN	25 February 1969 - April 1970
09	CAPT. Huff, Andrew French, USN	25 April 1970 - 19 November 1971
10	CAPT. Scott, Wiley Anthony, USN	19 November 1971 - July 1973
11	CAPT. Salin, Robert Sven, USN	July 1973 - November 1974
12	CAPT. Moore, Charles J., USN :RADM	November 1974 - 12 June 1976
13	CAPT. Suzan, Frank M., USN	12 June 1976 - October 1977
14	CAPT. Boland, Bruce Raymond, USN :RADM	October 1977 - 15 June 1979
15	CAPT. Zirbel, William R., USN	15 June 1979 - 30 December 1980
16	CAPT. Rogers, David Neil, USN :RADM	30 December 1980 - 9 March 1983
17	CAPT. Newman, Roger Lee, USN	9 March 1983 - 18 January 1985
18	CAPT. Terry, William Edward, USN :RADM	18 January 1985 - 17 July 1986
19	CAPT. Durbin Jr., James L., USN	17 July 1986 - 22 April 1988
20	CAPT. Murphy, Andrew Joseph, USN (USNA 1964)	22 April 1988 - 11 August 1989
21	CAPT. Thomas Jr., Mack A., USN	11 August 1989 - 12 January 1991
22	CAPT. Wikstrom, Raymond M., USN	12 January 1991 - 17 December 1992


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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Last Updated 13 September 2024