Hull number - LSD-40 Awarded - May 2, 1967 Keel Laid - July 15, 1970 Launched - April 22, 1972 Commissioned - December 9, 1972 Decommissioned - February 27, 1998 Builder - General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass. Propulsion System - Two 600 psi boilers Propellers - Two Length - 553 feet (168.6 meters) Beam - 85 feet (25.9 meters) Draft - 18 feet 5.5 meters) Displacement - Approx. 14,000 toons full load Speed - 22 knots Well Deck Capacity - Three LCAC Aircraft - None, but helicopter platform Crew - 18 Officers and 340 Enlisted Marine Detachment - 330 Marines Armament - Two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, Two Mk-38 Machine Guns, Four .50 Machine Guns
Commanding Officers:
Dec 9, 1972 - Sept 17, 1974 - CAPT Gene F. Gauthier, USN
Sept 17, 1974 - Dec 3, 1976 - CDR Glynn M. Thompson, USN
Dec 3, 1976 - Dec 22, 1978 - CDR John F. Gamboa, USN
Dec 22, 1978 - Mar 27, 1981 - CDR Kenneth R. Barry, USN
Mar 27, 1981 - Mar 24, 1983 - CDR Nigel E. Parkhurst, USN
Mar 24, 1983 - Jun 15, 1985 - CDR Richard C. Williams III, USN
Jun 15, 1985 - Oct 24, 1987 - CDR Arthur J. Gilbert, USN
Oct 24, 1987 - Dec 8, 1989 - CDR Edward P. Anglim, USN
Dec 8, 1989 - Jan 17, 1992 - CDR Thomas F. Radich, USN
Jan 17, 1992 - Oct 22, 1993 - CDR John T. Nawrocki, USN
Oct 22, 1993 - Jan 11, 1996 - CDR William E. Jezierski, USN
Jan 11, 1996 - Aug 31, 1997 - CDR Stuart B Markey, USN
Aug 31, 1997 - Feb 27, 1998 - CDR Thomas R. Williams, USN
The blue areas allude to the world's oceans, and the red stripe with superimposed gold "tank track" refers to the ship's amphibious assault mission. Red and gold are colors traditionally associated with the Marine Corps.
The white silhouette of a sea-face of Fort Fisher, a Confederate fortification, alludes to the combined Union naval and land assaults on the Fort in December 1864 and January 1865. The latter of these dates is considered a model of amphibious operations and complete Navy-Army coordination. The preliminary Union bombardment was the most furious and sustained known at that time; the red area behind the silhouette of the Fort refers to this unprecedented bombardment from naval vessels. The scallop "shell" further alludes to the naval "shelling" of the Fort.
The shell is also a symbol of pilgrimage and is thus indicative of the ship's readiness to serve in any part of the world. The crossed cutlasses refer to Navy crews and Marine landing forces. The star is a symbol of leadership and alludes to FORT FISHER's capability of functioning as control ship in an amphibious assault. A single white star also appears on the flag of North Carolina, home state of the Fort. The five points of the star and the seven ribs of the scallop shell add up to twelve. This number has special significance as North Carolina was the twelfth state to ratify the Constitution and the Fort Fisher Campaign was the twelfth campaign of the Civil War.