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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS San Marcos (LSD-25)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Kilo - Yankee
NZKY

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Cuba)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia or Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Lebanon)

USS San Marcos (LSD-25) was sold to Spain, renamed SPS Galicia (TA-31)(L-31)

Casa Grande Class Dock Landing Ship:

Laid down, 1 September 1944, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA.

Launched, 10 January 1945

Commissioned USS San Marcos (LSD-25), 15 April 1945, CDR. L, E. Ellis in command

During World War II USS San Marcos was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Following World War II USS Marcos was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 September 1945 to 13 February 1946

USS San Marco was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.8.3 (Service Group - Dispatch Boat and Boat Pool for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946

Decommissioned, 19 December 1947, at San Diego, CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group

Recommissioned, 26 January 1951

USS Marcos was assigned to Occupation service in Europe for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal
3 May to 8 October 1952
18 January to 11 March 1955

Decommissioned, 1 July 1971, at US Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA. and simultaneously turned over to Spain, renamed SPS Galicia (TA-31), renumbered (L 31) circa 1980

Sold outright to Spain and struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1974

Decommissioned by the Spanish Navy in 1987

Struck from the Spanish Navy list in early 1988

Final Disposition, scrapped in 1989

Specifications: (as reported by Office of Naval Intelligence, 7 April 1944)
Displacement 4,032 (light draft), 7,930 (seagoing - loaded)
Length 457' 9" o.a.
Beam 72'2"

Draft

8' 2 ½" fwd, 10' ½" aft (light draft)

15' 5 ½" fwd, 16' 2" aft (seagoing loaded)

Speed 17 kts (design speed)

Endurance 8,000 miles @ 15 knots

Complement

Officers 17

Enlisted 237

Troop Accommodations

Officers 22

Enlisted 218

Well Deck Capacity (varies with mission)

three LCT (Mk V or VI) each w/ 5 medium tanks or

two LCT (Mk III or IV) each w/ 12 medium tanks or

fourteen LCM (Mk III) each w/ 1 medium tank or 1, 500 long tons cargo or

forty-seven DUKW or

forty-one LVT or

Any combination of landing vehicles and landing craft up to capacity

Aircraft (still in commission in late 40's or early 50's) were fitted/retro-fitted with a prefabricated steel grated "Portable Deck" suspended between the wing walls and supported by removable I-beam girders. The aft end of the portable deck contained a wooden helicopter platform, enabling the ship to land and launch one helicopter at a time. Stowage of helicopters consisted of enough space to store eight USMC Sikorsky UH-34 helicopters in the well deck forward of the "water barrier". Aircraft were lifted to the flight deck with 35 ton truck cranes. Aircraft servicing was limited to re-fueling. With portable deck and aircraft platform installed, the Landing Ship Dock was still capable of transporting, launching and repairing smaller amphibious craft and vehicles up to the size of a Landing Craft, Utility (LCU) in their well decks.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount in open tub (w/director)

two quad 40mm AA gun mounts (w/directors)

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts (w/directors)

sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts (local control)

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 11,720 Bbls

Diesel 160 Bbls

Gasoline 5,085 Gals

Propulsion

two Newport News Shipbuilding steam turbines

two Babcock and Wilcox oil fired D-type boilers, two drum, single furnace, single uptake, 250psi

single Newport News Shipbuilding Main Reduction Gears

two turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship' Service Generators

twin propellers, 7,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS San Marcos (LSD-25)
10122522	137k	Launching of San Marcos (LSD-25), 10 January 1945, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA. Temple University On-Line Archives	John Chiquoine
10122523	99k	San Marcos (LSD-25) at the fitting-out pier, Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA., circa January-April 1945. Temple University On-Line Archives	John Chiquoine
	841k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	David Buell in honor of his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell, USN (Ret), Main Propulsion Assistant USS Oak Hill
	47k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** underway, 24 April 1945, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
	81k	*USS Oak Hill* (LSD-7), USS San Marcos (LSD-25), and USS Carter Hall (LSD-3)** all recommissioned, 26 January 1951, at the Destroyer Repair Base (Naval Station) San Diego, CA.	Photo by Bob Allport, RD2 USNUSS Carter Hall, 26 January 1951
	70k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** during Arctic resupply operations, under MSTS, to bases in Canada and Greenland to re-supply DEW Line stations, summer 1957	Ron Roller USS San Marcos
	65k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** during Arctic resupply operations, to bases in Canada and Greenland, summer 1957	Ron Roller USS San Marcos
	65k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** crew members returning to the ship during Arctic resupply operations, summer 1957	Ron Roller USS San Marcos
09350613	169k	On 29 January 1955, *USS Megara* (ARVA-6)** broached on the beaches of La Pineda, off the Mediterranean Coast of Spain during an exercise with Spain known as ADVEX 1-55. Over the next three days, several ships came to her aid. Among them were USS LST-32, the Spanish destroyer *Almirante Antequera, and USS San Marcos* (LSD-25). Pictured here are the salvage efforts of those ships that pulled Megara** free on 1 Feb 1955.	Brian Miller
	41k	An Arctic sunset photo taken from *USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** during Arctic resupply operations, summer 1957.	Ron Roller USS San Marcos
	745k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** underway in December 1959, location unknown. US Navy photo # 1045132.	Chris Stanley, from the collection of CDR Thomas B. Ray USS Essex.
10122524	250k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** underway at sea during the 1960s. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 81832	Robert Hurst
	97k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** underway in the Chesapeake Bay, August 1964.	© Richard Leonhardt
	97k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25) and USS Donner LSD-20)** at anchor in Grand Harbor, Valletta, Malta in 1967.	Warren Polensky USS San Marcos
	300k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** and USS Donner at anchor in the harbor at Genoa, Italy, 31 December 1967.	Photos by Carlo Martinelli
	851k		Photos by Carlo Martinelli
	1058k	*USS San Marcos* (LSD-25)** alongside USS Donner while at anchor in the harbor at Genoa, Italy, 31 December 1967.	Photos by Carlo Martinelli
SPS Galicia (L-31)
	48k	On May 30, 1981 ("Dia de las Fuerzas Armadas", Armed Forces Day) the Spanish Navy performed a simulated amphibious assault for the citizens of Barcelona. This view shows the Tank Landing *SPS Velasco* (L 11), center and the Dock Landing Ship SPS Galicia (L 31), left background --ex-USS Terrebonne Parish (LST 1156) and ex-USS San Marcos (LSD 25)**, respectively--; landing craft are headed to the beach and a support helicopter overflies the ships.	Photo by Fabio Pe�a
	100k	The Spanish LSD *SPS Galicia* (L 31) at Barcelona, Spain, 31 May 1981. The amphibious transport SPS Castilla (L 21), ex-USS Paul Revere (LPA 248)** is partially visible in the background.	Photo by Fabio Pe�a
	88k	*SPS Galicia* (L 31)**, at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, 25 May 1986	Photo by Ignacio Lopez ex member Armada Espanola
	51k	*SPS Galicia* (L 31)**, at Cadiz, Spain, 1984	Photo by Ignacio Lopez ex member Armada Espanola

USS San Marcos (LSD-25)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Ellis, Lysle Elbert, USN (USNA 1922)	15 April 1945 - 15 March 1946
02	CDR. Blanche Jr., John Goodman, USN (USNA 1925)	15 March 1946 - 25 August 1946
03	CDR. Crawford, George Alvin, USN (USNA 1935)	25 August 1946 - ?
	Decommissioned	19 December 1947 - 26 January 1951
04	CDR. Price, George Marvin, USN (USNA 1933)	26 January 1951 - 21 January 1952
05	CAPT. Campbell Jr., Harold William, USN (USNA 1934)	21 January 1952 - 14 November 1953
06	CDR. Berrey, Julius Max, USN	14 November 1953 - August 1955
07	LCDR. McCall. Charles DeWitt, USN (USNA 1939)	August 1955 - 15 August 1956
08	CDR. Steen, Egil Thornton, USN (USNA 1939)	15 August 1956 - 25 January 1958
09	CDR. Coulter, Frank John, USN (USNA 1939)	25 January 1958 - 1959
10	CDR. May Jr., James Joseph, USN	1959 16 September 1960
11	CDR. Cousins, Romolo, USN	16 September 1960 - 15 January 1962
12	CDR. Bracken, Eugene Eason, USNR	15 January 1962 - 15 April 1963
13	CDR. Davidson, Alan Norman, USN (USNA 1947)	15 April 1963 - August 1964
14	CDR. Kuegler Jr., Alexander Charles, USN	August 1964 - 28 December 1965
15	CAPT. Spielman, James Samuel, USN	28 December 1965 - 12 January 1967
16	CDR. Colee, Cecil Stewart, USN (USMMA 1948)	12 January 1967 - October 1968
17	CDR. Quartararo, Michael Anthony, USN (USNA 1952)	October 1968 - 13 May 1970
18	CDR. Boschen Jr., Henry Chrisholm, USN	13 May 1970 - 1 July 1971


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Postal Covers related to the ship

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Last Updated 17 May 2024