USS Nashville (LPD-13)
{{Other ships|USS Nashville}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = USS Nashville (LPD-13) underway in the Arabian Sea on 31 August 2006 (060831-N-6214F-017).jpg | Ship caption = USS Nashville patrolling the Arabian Sea in 2006 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = United States | Ship flag = {{USN flag|2009}} | Ship name = USS Nashville | Ship namesake = Nashville, Tennessee | Ship operator = {{navy|United States}} | Ship builder = Lockheed Shipbuilding | Ship laid down = 14 March 1966 | Ship launched = 7 October 1967 | Ship acquired = 26 December 1969 | Ship commissioned = 14 February 1970 | Ship decommissioned = 30 September 2009 | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship struck = 13 November 2017 | Ship reinstated = | Ship homeport = | Ship honours = | Ship fate = Scrapped in Brownsville 2022 | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Ship class = {{sclass|Austin|amphibious transport dock}} | Ship displacement =*Light: {{convert|9784|t|abbr=on}} | Ship length =*Overall: {{convert|570|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship beam =*Extreme: {{convert|105|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship draft =*Limit: {{convert|23|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship propulsion = Two boilers, two steam turbines, two shafts, {{convert|24000|shp|abbr=on}} each | Ship speed = {{convert|21|kn}} | Ship range = | Ship complement = Ship's company: 489 (59 officers, 430 enlisted); Marine detachment: 900 | Ship sensors =*SPS-40 Air Search Radar | Ship EW = | Ship armament =*Two Mk 38 25 mm guns
| Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = Up to six CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = }} |
USS Nashville (LPD-13), was an {{sclass|Austin|amphibious transport dock}} and the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the capital city of Tennessee. Her keel was laid down on 14 March 1966 by the Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company of Seattle, Washington. She was launched on 7 October 1967 sponsored by Mrs. Roy L. Johnson, and commissioned at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington, on 14 February 1970.
History
Nashville{{'s}} various assignments have included four Caribbean Amphibious Ready Groups, eight Mediterranean Groups, two Persian Gulf Groups, a Mine Countermeasure Task Group, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Operations and training assignments with Fleet Marine Force Atlantic.
The ship remained in Amphibious Squadron 2 in 1977. She served as squadron flagship from 1 January through 11 March; 29 April through 21 May; and 10 August through 31 December 1977.{{cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/n/lpd-13/1977.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110041754/http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/n/lpd-13/1977.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 November 2012 |title=USS Nashville (LPD-13) Command History 1977 |publisher=United States Navy |date=13 March 1978 |access-date=5 December 2014}} In addition, she served as flagship for Commander Combined Amphibious Task Force (Commander Task Force 401), Commander Combined Landing Force, and Commander Task Force 61 (Commander Amphibious Squadron 2) during NATO Exercise Dawn Patrol '77.
Nashville provided support during 8 June 1995 rescue of pilot Capt. Scott O'Grady,{{cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/n/lpd-13/1995.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110041733/http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/n/lpd-13/1995.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 November 2012 |title=USS Nashville (LPD-13) Command History 1995 |publisher=United States Navy |date=1 April 1996 |access-date=5 December 2014 }} who was shot down over Bosnia on 2 June 1995 by an SA-6 mobile launcher and forced to eject from his F-16C into hostile territory.
In 2003, she deployed as part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
On 16 and 17 January 2006, she was the first vessel to receive the landing of an unmanned robotic RQ-8A Fire Scout helicopter.
In July 2006, she was sent to Lebanon as part of the {{USS|Iwo Jima|LHD-7|2}} Expeditionary Strike Group transporting the 24th MEU to assist with the evacuation of U.S. nationals from the country, after a conflict erupted between the Israeli military and Hezbollah militants. On 20 July 2006, it landed the first Marines on Lebanese soil since 1982. The Nashville is featured in an episode of the television program Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, as it evacuated Americans (including Bourdain and his production crew) from Beirut. The episode was nominated for an Emmy Award.
The USS Nashville was decommissioned on 30 September 2009 at Naval Station Norfolk and moved to the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where it was laid up. Navy officials stated the ship was too costly to maintain and was unable to match the efficiency of newer vessels.{{cite news |url=http://static.dvidshub.net/media/pubs/pdf_5556.pdf |title=Saying farewell to USS Nashville |work=The Flagship |first=Nikki |last=Smith |volume=17 |issue=40 |date=8 October 2009}}
On 22 March 2022, Nashville was removed from the Philadelphia NIMSF and began its journey to Brownsville, Texas, where it will be scrapped.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL05A8KPc8I | title=USS Nashville (Decommissioned) under tow 03/22/2022 | website=YouTube | date=16 June 2022 }} It arrived in Brownsville on 8 April 2022.https://www.facebook.com/webuymetal/posts/welcome-uss-nashvillethe-nashville-reached-its-final-destination-here-at-scrap-m/5085076161545578/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}
Possible sale to India
According to an Indian news source, the Indian Navy may bid to acquire the Nashville, but {{as of|2007|08|lc=on}}, India had decided not to move forward with the deal. The Nashville is of the same class as the {{USS|Trenton|LPD-14|6}} which was previously sold to India and is now the {{INS|Jalashwa|L41|6}}.
Gallery
Image:USS Nashville (LPD-13) underway off the coast of Lebanon on 1 December 1982 (6372139).jpg|USS Nashville sails off the coast of Lebanon in December 1982
Image:USS Nashville LPD-13 Lebanon evac.jpg|Crewmen from USS Nashville assist U.S. nationals evacuating from Lebanon in 2006
Image:USS Nashville LPD-13 with Fire Scout.jpg|A RQ-8A Fire Scout helicopter preparing to land on USS Nashville
References
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{{DANFS}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060424071356/http://www.nashville.navy.mil/ USS Nashville] at Navy.mil
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120330230315/http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/n/lpd13.htm USS Nashville command history] at the Naval History & Heritage Command
{{Austin class landing platform dock}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nashville (Lpd-13)}}
Category:Austin-class amphibious transport docks
Category:Cold War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
Category:Ships built by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company