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USS Mount Vernon (LSD 39)

USS MOUNT VERNON was the fourth ANCHORAGE - class dock landing ship and the 5^th ship in the Navy to bear the name. USS MOUNT VERNON was homeported in San Diego, Ca.

MOUNT VERNON has completed seventeen operational deployments with the Seventh Fleet in the Far East. The ship was deployed with the Middle East Force for Operations in the Persian Gulf from October 10, 1987 to February 1988. In 1989, MOUNT VERNON also played an integral part coordinating clean up efforts as Control ship in the greatly publicized EXXON VALDEZ oil spill in Prince William Sound, Valdez, Alaska.

MOUNT VERNON last deployed in June of 2002 to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM to include Exercises INFINITE MOONLIGHT and EAGER MACE; MOUNT VERNON also participated in humanitarian aid efforts off the coast of East Timor. Finally, MOUNT VERNON participated in Exercise NORTHERN EDGE 2003 in Valdez, Alaska.

Decommissioned on July 25, 2003, the USS MOUNT VERNON was sunk as a target on June 16, 2005.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS MOUNT VERNON. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

• Click here to view the list.

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• Click here to see which USS MOUNT VERNON memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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USS MOUNT VERNON Cruise Books:

• Persian Gulf Cruise Book 1987-88
• WestPac Cruise Book 2002

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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

The shield is symbolic of the MOUNT VERNON's important role in supporting the nation's defense. The large triangle represents MOUNT VERNON after discharging three LCU's, denoted by three small triangles. The area between the jaffed "embattled lines" is known in heraldry as the "fields of combat" and is shown as a field of red. The LCU's, our main "element of combat", cross the field of combat and spearhead the amphibious assault of a hostile, foreign shore. The symbol also displays the traditional Navy colors of blue and gold.

In the upper right hand corner of the shield stands the ancient mythical sea dog, one of the original amphibians, symbolizing the MOUNT VERNON's amphibious tradition.

The four stars, two on either side of the ship's name, commemorate the exemplary service of the four previous US Navy ships named MOUNT VERNON. They served from the Civil War through World War I and II to face the conflicts and challenges of today.

MOUNT VERNON's motto, exitus acta probat, is taken directly from the George Washington family coat of arms. This was also the motto of George Washington's home, Mount Vernon, after which the ship was named. Exitus acta probat means "action produces results."

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USS MOUNT VERNON History:

USS MOUNT VERNON was awarded to the Quincy Shipbuilding Division of General Dynamics at Quincy, Massachusetts, on February 25, 1966. Her keel was laid on January 29, 1970, and she was launched on April 17, 1971, sponsored by Mrs. Barry J. Shillito, wife of Assistant Secretary of the Navy Barry J. Shillito. The Navy accepted the ship on April 1, 1972, and MOUNT VERNON was commissioned at Boston Naval Shipyard on May 13, 1972, with Capt. William F. Keller Jr. as her first commanding officer. Following commissioning and her initial trials, she transferred to the Pacific Fleet and was based in Southern California.

After joining the Pacific Fleet, MOUNT VERNON entered the normal sequence of shakedown, qualification and amphibious training required of a newly commissioned ship. One of her first well-documented major exercises took place in January 1973 during Phiblex/Mablex, also known as Operation Bellhammer. A new system for regulating casualties during amphibious operations was tested during the exercise. USS TRIPOLI (LPH 10), USS DURHAM (LKA 114) and MOUNT VERNON were designated casualty receiving and treatment ships, while USS JUNEAU (LPD 10) served as the medical-regulating control ship. Medical personnel aboard the receiving ships reported their available treatment and surgical capacity so casualties from the landing area could be distributed according to the facilities available aboard the individual ships.

Later in 1973, MOUNT VERNON deployed to the Western Pacific as part of the continuing Seventh Fleet amphibious presence in Southeast Asia following the withdrawal of most U.S. combat forces from Vietnam. On November 15, 1973, the 31st Marine Amphibious Unit was operating with Amphibious Ready Group Alpha, whose shipping included USS OKINAWA (LPH 3), USS DULUTH (LPD 6), MOUNT VERNON and USS TUSCALOOSA (LST 1187). USS BARBOUR COUNTY (LST 1195) subsequently joined the amphibious organization. The force maintained a contingency capability in Southeast Asia while the Cambodian Civil War continued and the security situation in Indochina remained unstable.

By January 1974, the composition of the amphibious force had changed as ships rotated between readiness groups. On January 24, MOUNT VERNON was operating with USS OKINAWA, USS MOBILE (LKA 115) and USS BARBOUR COUNTY. U.S. amphibious forces in the region maintained plans for the possible evacuation of American and other designated personnel from Cambodia if the security situation in Phnom Penh deteriorated further. On February 14 and February 15, the outgoing ships USS MOBILE, MOUNT VERNON and USS BARBOUR COUNTY conducted turnover at Subic Bay, Philippines, with USS ST. LOUIS (LKA 116), USS FORT FISHER (LSD 40) and USS BRISTOL COUNTY (LST 1198).

After returning to the United States and completing another training and maintenance cycle, MOUNT VERNON prepared for a new Western Pacific deployment. By March 1975, she was associated with Amphibious Squadron Five, whose ships included USS DENVER (LPD 9), USS DULUTH, USS ANCHORAGE (LSD 36), USS MOBILE, USS BARBOUR COUNTY and USS TUSCALOOSA. The deployment coincided with the rapid collapse of South Vietnam. North Vietnamese forces advanced through the country during March and April, and U.S. planning increasingly concentrated on the evacuation of Americans and designated South Vietnamese from Saigon.

MOUNT VERNON joined the large naval force assembled off South Vietnam for Operation Frequent Wind. By April 21, 1975, major elements of the Seventh Fleet had concentrated off the approaches to Saigon, with the amphibious ships operating offshore as part of Task Force 76. The final helicopter evacuation began on April 29. MOUNT VERNON was among the amphibious ships supporting the evacuation, together with USS OKINAWA, USS DULUTH, USS DENVER, USS ANCHORAGE, USS BARBOUR COUNTY and USS TUSCALOOSA, among other vessels. MOUNT VERNON had a specific aviation-support assignment in the helicopter flow plan. A CH-53 carrying troops from USS VANCOUVER (LPD 2) was scheduled to land aboard MOUNT VERNON for refueling before continuing its assigned mission. The ship therefore served as one of the offshore support platforms that allowed the large helicopter force to sustain the evacuation. Operation Frequent Wind continued into April 30, when the final U.S. personnel were removed from Saigon shortly before North Vietnamese forces entered the city.

The crisis in Southeast Asia continued immediately afterward. On May 12, 1975, Cambodian Khmer Rouge forces seized the American merchant ship MAYAGUEZ. U.S. authorities rapidly assembled additional naval, Marine and Air Force forces for a possible recovery operation. A planning message on May 13 directed the reconstitution of Amphibious Ready Group Alpha at Subic Bay around USS OKINAWA, MOUNT VERNON, USS DULUTH and USS BARBOUR COUNTY, with the 31st Marine Amphibious Unit available for possible contingency operations. The recovery of MAYAGUEZ and its crew was ultimately carried out by other forces operating closer to Cambodia, and MOUNT VERNON did not participate in the assault on Koh Tang Island.

Following the emergency operations of 1975, MOUNT VERNON returned to the Pacific Fleet cycle of upkeep, amphibious training and deployments. A significant logistics mission followed in 1977 as part of the U.S. effort to clean up Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The atoll had been used for American nuclear weapons testing between 1948 and 1958, and a large radiological cleanup and rehabilitation project was under way during the late 1970s.

On September 28, 1977, MOUNT VERNON arrived at Enewetak together with USS MOBILE and USS DENVER. The three-ship task group delivered 6,617 measurement tons of cargo for the cleanup operation, including two Army LARC amphibious vehicles. Despite heavy rain during the afternoon, the cargo was unloaded in approximately fourteen hours. The mission formed part of the extensive sealift effort required to move construction machinery, vehicles, supplies and specialized equipment to the remote atoll.

MOUNT VERNON continued Pacific Fleet training through 1978 and the first part of 1979. On April 9, 1979, she steamed north for training in company with USS TRIPOLI, USS DULUTH, USS JUNEAU and USS BRISTOL COUNTY. A further major deployment began on July 23, when Amphibious Squadron Five left the U.S. West Coast for a seven-month Western Pacific cruise. The force included USS TRIPOLI, USS JUNEAU, USS THOMASTON (LSD 28), MOUNT VERNON, USS BRISTOL COUNTY and USS TUSCALOOSA. The deployment continued into 1980 as the ships operated under Seventh Fleet control in the Western Pacific.

Another deployment began on November 12, 1981, when MOUNT VERNON departed San Diego for the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean with Amphibious Squadron One and the 31st Marine Amphibious Unit. The amphibious force included USS TRIPOLI, USS DULUTH, USS DUBUQUE (LPD 8), MOUNT VERNON, USS FRESNO (LST 1182) and USS FREDERICK (LST 1184). The ships proceeded first to Hawaii. By November 18, the force was at Pearl Harbor, and on November 24 it conducted amphibious operations in the Kauai operating area. The group resumed the westward transit on November 28 and entered the Seventh Fleet operating area during December. Further amphibious training followed in the Philippines.

During January 1982, the deployment extended into the Indian Ocean and Australia. MOUNT VERNON participated in the Amphibious Squadron One visit to the Perth and Fremantle area of Western Australia from January 28 through February 3. The visit was followed by movement northward for the annual U.S.-Republic of Korea exercise Team Spirit 82. Before the main exercise, USS DULUTH, MOUNT VERNON and USS FRESNO carried out a rehearsal landing at Subic Bay.

Team Spirit 82 began on February 13 and continued through April 26. The large combined exercise practiced the reinforcement and defense of the Korean Peninsula and involved substantial U.S. and South Korean ground, naval and air forces. MOUNT VERNON supported the amphibious component, transporting Marines, vehicles and equipment and participating in ship-to-shore operations. After completion of the deployment, she crossed the Pacific and returned to San Diego on May 15, 1982.

Following the deployment, MOUNT VERNON resumed West Coast amphibious exercises, maintenance and readiness work. Another extended Western Pacific deployment began on October 18, 1984. She sailed as part of Amphibious Squadron One with a force centered on USS TARAWA (LHA 1) and including USS DULUTH, USS JUNEAU and USS TUSCALOOSA. USS ST. LOUIS was also assigned to Amphibious Squadron One during the deployment cycle. The amphibious force reached Pearl Harbor on October 26. Beginning on October 29, elements of the group took part in exercise Bell Volcano 85-1 in Hawaii. The exercise included amphibious training at Bellows Beach and in the Kauai operating area. The ships subsequently resumed their westward transit. On November 11 and November 12, Soviet Tu-95 reconnaissance aircraft monitored the amphibious task group while it crossed the western Pacific, an occurrence consistent with the routine Soviet surveillance of major U.S. naval formations during the Cold War.

During early 1985, MOUNT VERNON participated in Team Spirit 85 in and around South Korea. The exercise again involved large-scale U.S.-South Korean joint operations and included amphibious landings along the Korean coast. MOUNT VERNON supported Marine ship-to-shore movements through her well deck. Following completion of the Western Pacific deployment, the amphibious force returned to the U.S. West Coast in May 1985.

During 1985, MOUNT VERNON's home port was shifted from San Diego to Long Beach, California. She remained associated with Long Beach through at least the early 1990s. During the middle of the decade, the ship also underwent substantial overhaul and repair work under a contract with Southwest Marine. Later federal contract proceedings concerning the work confirm that the availability involved hull, painting and other ship-repair tasks, although the surviving published records do not establish sufficiently precise beginning and completion dates for the entire overhaul to assign exact dates to the full yard period.

The Navy was simultaneously introducing the Landing Craft Air Cushion into Pacific Fleet amphibious operations. MOUNT VERNON was modified to support LCAC operations. On December 17, 1986, she delivered three LCACs to Assault Craft Unit Five at Camp Pendleton, California. The air-cushion landing craft allowed personnel, vehicles and heavy equipment to move at high speed from amphibious ships offshore to a much wider range of beaches than conventional displacement landing craft could use.

MOUNT VERNON's next major deployment took her to the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War. She served with the Middle East Force from October 10, 1987 into February 1988. The deployment coincided with Operation Earnest Will, under which the United States escorted Kuwaiti tankers reflagged under the U.S. flag through the Persian Gulf. Continuing attacks on commercial shipping during the Tanker War and the presence of naval mines created a substantial requirement for U.S. mine-countermeasures forces. MOUNT VERNON was employed as a support platform for the minesweepers operating in the Gulf. Her well deck, storage capacity, workshops and other facilities allowed her to provide logistics and support to smaller mine-countermeasures vessels. On October 29, 1987, USS FORD (FFG 54) came alongside MOUNT VERNON for refueling during operations associated with the escort mission.

By December 26, MOUNT VERNON was anchored off Sitra, Bahrain, supporting the mine-countermeasures force. USS ILLUSIVE (MSO 448) was among the minesweepers operating with her in the Gulf. MOUNT VERNON remained in the region into February 1988 before completing her Middle East Force assignment and returning to the Pacific.

A significant repair period followed. In October 1988, the Navy awarded a $6.3 million modification to an existing contract with Todd Pacific Shipyards at San Pedro, California, for repairs to MOUNT VERNON. Completion of the work was scheduled for February 24, 1989. Only weeks later, MOUNT VERNON was assigned to an entirely different type of operation. At 12:04 p.m. on March 24, 1989, the tanker EXXON VALDEZ grounded on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, releasing a large quantity of crude oil. The remote geography of many affected shorelines created an urgent requirement for floating accommodation, communications, medical facilities, food services, boats and helicopter support for the civilian and military personnel involved in cleanup operations.

The Navy deployed amphibious ships to Prince William Sound and rotated them through the operation as the cleanup continued. MOUNT VERNON relieved USS FORT McHENRY (LSD 43) and served as a control ship during the response. Amphibious ships involved in the operation were used as floating support bases for cleanup workers, providing berthing, meals, medical support, laundry services, communications, landing craft and facilities for helicopter operations. MOUNT VERNON remained in Prince William Sound until July 18, 1989, when she departed the cleanup operation without an immediate replacement. Her departure reduced the Navy's amphibious ship presence in the cleanup area, while USS DULUTH continued supporting the response until September.

The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, brought MOUNT VERNON into another major overseas operation. The United States and coalition partners began deploying forces to Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Shield. The Pacific Fleet assembled Amphibious Group Three to carry the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade to the region.

The deployment began on December 1, 1990. The thirteen amphibious ships of Amphibious Group Three included USS TARAWA, USS TRIPOLI, USS NEW ORLEANS (LPH 11), USS VANCOUVER, USS DENVER, USS JUNEAU, USS ANCHORAGE, USS GERMANTOWN (LSD 42), MOUNT VERNON, USS MOBILE, USS PEORIA (LST 1183), USS BARBOUR COUNTY and USS FREDERICK. After a stop in Hawaii to embark additional personnel and equipment, the force continued westward and conducted amphibious training in the Philippines before crossing the Indian Ocean. On January 12, 1991, Amphibious Group Three and the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade reached their assigned operating area in the Arabian Sea. Their arrival added to the amphibious forces already deployed from the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets and created a large Marine force afloat around the Arabian Peninsula.

Operation Desert Storm began on January 17. MOUNT VERNON remained with the amphibious force during the coalition air campaign. The presence and movements of the amphibious ships maintained the possibility of a landing against the Iraqi or Kuwaiti coastline, requiring Iraqi forces to continue considering a seaborne threat while the coalition prepared its principal land offensive.

The coalition ground campaign began on February 24. MOUNT VERNON then took part in the actual movement of the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade ashore at Al Mishab, Saudi Arabia. Because of bad weather and the mine threat, the planned offload was delayed, and ship-to-shore movement began during the afternoon. MOUNT VERNON, USS ANCHORAGE, USS GERMANTOWN and USS PEORIA landed Marines and equipment over the beach, while USS MOBILE discharged cargo at the pier. The landings were suspended around midnight and resumed the following morning. The amphibious offload allowed Marine forces previously held afloat to join the ground campaign. The tactical offload was completed on February 27.

Following the liberation of Kuwait and the end of the main combat phase, MOUNT VERNON remained with the returning Pacific amphibious force. The ships had not yet completed their voyage home when a major natural disaster produced another operational diversion. During the night of April 29-30, 1991, a powerful cyclone and storm surge struck Bangladesh, causing extensive destruction along the coast and on offshore islands and killing approximately 139,000 people.

On May 11, President George H. W. Bush ordered an expanded U.S. relief effort. Amphibious Group Three, then returning from Southwest Asia, was diverted toward Bangladesh. The ships assigned to the relief force included USS TARAWA, USS VANCOUVER, USS JUNEAU, USS ANCHORAGE, MOUNT VERNON, USS FREDERICK and USS BARBOUR COUNTY, supported by USNS PASSUMPSIC (T-AO 107). The force reached waters off Bangladesh on May 15, and full-scale relief operations under Operation Sea Angel began on May 16. Helicopters, LCACs and conventional landing craft moved food, medical supplies, water-production equipment and other relief material between the ships, Chittagong and devastated offshore islands such as Sandwip, Kutubdia and Moheshkhali. Equipment and spaces previously prepared for military operations in the Gulf were reorganized to support the humanitarian mission.

MOUNT VERNON's well deck and amphibious support capabilities formed part of this ship-to-shore logistics system. The task force continued relief operations through the latter part of May before the ships resumed their homeward transit. MOUNT VERNON subsequently crossed the Pacific and returned to the U.S. West Coast.

During the early 1990s, MOUNT VERNON resumed maintenance, local operations and amphibious training. Long Beach remained her documented home port through at least 1993. At some point later in the decade she shifted back to San Diego; by 1998 San Diego was again clearly documented as her home port.

On February 12, 1995, MOUNT VERNON served as the platform for an unusual weapons test connected with efforts to increase naval surface fire-support capability. An Army M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System launcher was positioned aboard the ship and fired a prototype extended-range Block IA Army Tactical Missile System. The missile incorporated GPS guidance updates and traveled approximately 75 nautical miles before reaching the target area at San Clemente Island. The event was the first at-sea firing of the extended-range Block IA ATACMS.

At the same time, MOUNT VERNON was preparing for another Western Pacific and Middle East deployment. The amphibious ready group included USS NEW ORLEANS, USS JUNEAU, MOUNT VERNON and USS COMSTOCK (LSD 45), with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked. The work-up sequence began with Composite Training Unit Exercise 95-6M from February 17 through February 23. Further integrated amphibious training followed. From March 24 through April 7, the group conducted Composite Training Unit Exercise 95-7M in conjunction with Kernel Blitz 95. Fleet Exercise 95-1M followed from April 19 through April 26, and Joint Task Force Exercise 95-2 was conducted from May 8 through May 19. A predeployment maintenance period then continued into June.

The amphibious ready group deployed in June 1995 for a six-month cruise through the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf. During the deployment, MOUNT VERNON and the other ships supported exercises Infinite Moonlight, Eager Mace, Reliant Rescue, Neon Falcon and Reliant Gorilla. Documented port visits during the overall cruise included Hong Kong; Singapore; Aqaba, Jordan; Bahrain; Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates; Fremantle, Australia; and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. After operating around Okinawa during July, the amphibious force continued through Southeast Asia and into the Indian Ocean. Exercise Infinite Moonlight was conducted with Jordanian forces after the group reached the Aqaba area. Marines and their equipment went ashore for combined training with Jordanian forces while the amphibious ships provided transport and logistics support.

The group subsequently operated in the Persian Gulf. During October, it conducted Neon Falcon in Bahrain and then Reliant Gorilla from October 25 through October 27. The ships later entered Jebel Ali for maintenance, vehicle washdown and preparations for the return voyage. They passed out of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz on November 6. Following the Indian Ocean transit, USS NEW ORLEANS, USS JUNEAU, MOUNT VERNON and USS COMSTOCK arrived at Fremantle on November 20. They remained there until November 25 and then continued across the Pacific. The amphibious ready group returned to Southern California on December 22, 1995.

Maintenance remained an important part of sustaining the aging ANCHORAGE-class ships. In March 1996, Southwest Marine received a five-year phased-maintenance contract covering MOUNT VERNON, USS ANCHORAGE and USS FORT FISHER. The contract provided for advance planning, repairs and alterations to hull, mechanical and electrical systems at San Diego through a series of scheduled maintenance availabilities rather than one continuous yard period.

MOUNT VERNON continued major amphibious training during 1997. On June 23, she was operating off Southern California during Kernel Blitz 97, with USS TARAWA among the other participating ships. The exercise practiced the movement of a Marine force ashore by helicopters, LCACs, conventional landing craft and amphibious vehicles and was one of the principal West Coast training events used to prepare deploying Navy-Marine Corps amphibious forces.

A new overseas deployment began on February 7, 1998. More than 4,000 sailors and Marines sailed from San Diego aboard USS TARAWA, USS DENVER and MOUNT VERNON, carrying the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The amphibious ready group left five days earlier than originally scheduled because of increasing tension with Iraq over the United Nations weapons-inspection regime. Instead of following the normal schedule of exercises and port visits during the outward transit, the three ships made a rapid movement across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The force covered approximately 12,500 miles and reached the Arabian Gulf on March 11 after about a month underway. The immediate confrontation with Iraq eased before large-scale military action was ordered, but the amphibious ready group remained in the region.

On March 23, MOUNT VERNON and USS DENVER were operating off Kuwait and offloaded Marines during an amphibious landing operation. The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit subsequently trained ashore in Kuwait while the ships maintained their regional contingency role. At the beginning of May, the amphibious ready group divided temporarily for separate assignments. USS TARAWA and USS DENVER proceeded toward Eritrea, while MOUNT VERNON made a port visit to Aden, Yemen, through May 5. The deployment later included additional combined training in the Middle East.

During May and June, elements of the amphibious force and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted exercise Infinite Moonlight with Jordanian forces in the Aqaba area. The exercise included combined ground and amphibious training with the Jordanian armed forces while the ships supported the embarked Marine force.

A significant personnel milestone occurred during this deployment. On June 10, 1998, Cmdr. Maureen A. Farren assumed command of MOUNT VERNON. She became the first woman to serve as commanding officer of a U.S. Navy combatant ship. Her command tour therefore began while MOUNT VERNON was still deployed with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. USS TARAWA, USS DENVER and MOUNT VERNON returned to San Diego on August 7, 1998, completing the six-month deployment.

MOUNT VERNON remained active in major fleet exercises during 1999. In April, she took part in Kernel Blitz 99 off Southern California. On April 23, Marines aboard the ship prepared AAVP7A1 amphibious assault vehicles in her well deck for the exercise's amphibious phase at Camp Pendleton. Later that year, MOUNT VERNON deployed again to the Western Pacific. During the second half of September, she operated as part of the Crocodile Amphibious Ready Group with USS FORT McHENRY and USS FREDERICK, carrying elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The force was underway toward the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Australia for exercise Crocodile 99, scheduled for October 1 through October 10. Other elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit were simultaneously redirected for international operations connected with the crisis in East Timor; MOUNT VERNON remained with the Crocodile group assigned to the Australian exercise.

In 2000, MOUNT VERNON undertook another extensive Southeast Asian deployment as part of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training program. CARAT consisted of a sequence of bilateral training events intended to develop practical cooperation between U.S. naval forces and armed forces in Southeast Asia. MOUNT VERNON deployed in May and operated under Seventh Fleet control with embarked Marines and support detachments. The CARAT 2000 task group included MOUNT VERNON, USS GERMANTOWN, USS SIDES (FFG 14) and USS REUBEN JAMES (FFG 57), with additional U.S. units joining individual phases. MOUNT VERNON participated in the CARAT series involving the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

On June 12, MOUNT VERNON and USS SIDES were documented steaming together during CARAT 2000. During the Malaysian phase, MOUNT VERNON and USS GERMANTOWN operated with U.S. frigates and Malaysian ships in tactical exercises in and around the Strait of Malacca. The CARAT deployment combined amphibious activity, surface warfare training and bilateral military cooperation with participating regional forces.

The Navy also renewed its long-term maintenance arrangements for MOUNT VERNON during 2000. Southwest Marine received a follow-on phased-maintenance contract worth more than $100 million covering a group of Pacific Fleet amphibious ships that included MOUNT VERNON, USS DENVER, USS ANCHORAGE, USS DULUTH, USS DUBUQUE and USS CLEVELAND (LPD 7). The contract provided for planned maintenance and repair work over several years, although MOUNT VERNON would leave active service before the end of the full contract period.

MOUNT VERNON's final overseas deployment began on June 15, 2002. More than 2,200 Marines and sailors of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit departed San Diego aboard USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHA 3), USS DENVER and MOUNT VERNON for a scheduled six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf. The deployment took place in the security environment that followed the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and supported the wider U.S. military commitment associated with Operation Enduring Freedom. The amphibious group reached Hawaii on June 21 and remained in the area through June 25 before continuing west. After crossing the Pacific, it visited Singapore, departing there on July 23 for the Strait of Malacca and the Indian Ocean.

During early August, elements of the amphibious group operated near the Horn of Africa. USS DENVER and MOUNT VERNON subsequently proceeded north through the Red Sea while USS BELLEAU WOOD remained temporarily on station off the Horn of Africa. Beginning on August 12, the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit participated in exercise Infinite Moonlight 02 with Jordanian forces in the Aqaba region. The exercise continued into early September and included combined amphibious and ground training.

After reembarking Marine forces at Aqaba at the beginning of September, the amphibious group reorganized its embarked personnel and equipment for its next assignments. USS DENVER and MOUNT VERNON then detached together and proceeded toward Bahrain. The ships subsequently moved to Kuwaiti waters for exercise Eager Mace. On September 24, an LCAC carrying Marines assigned to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit was documented moving from MOUNT VERNON toward the beach during Eager Mace. The exercise was an established U.S.-Kuwaiti training event intended to improve interoperability and included amphibious and ground phases.

On October 8, 2002, two armed attackers opened fire on Marines conducting training on Failaka Island, Kuwait. Lance Cpl. Antonio J. Sledd was killed and another Marine was wounded before the attackers were killed.

During the latter part of the deployment, MOUNT VERNON and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit continued operations through the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific. The deployment included humanitarian-assistance activity off East Timor. MOUNT VERNON's well deck and transport capability again provided the type of ship-to-shore support that could be used for moving personnel, vehicles and supplies where shore infrastructure was limited.

After completing the final Pacific crossing, the amphibious ready group returned to Southern California in December. Marine personnel began returning on December 14, and USS BELLEAU WOOD, USS DENVER and MOUNT VERNON entered San Diego on December 15, 2002. The deployment was MOUNT VERNON's final overseas cruise as a commissioned U.S. Navy ship. MOUNT VERNON remained operational into 2003. During Northern Edge 2003 she sailed to Alaska for joint training involving Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, reserve and National Guard forces. While operating at Valdez, Army aviators of the 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment from Fort Wainwright used MOUNT VERNON for shipboard deck-landing qualification. UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook crews practiced operations from the ship's flight deck. The different aerodynamic and procedural requirements of operating Army helicopters from a Navy ship required coordination between the services. More than 140 deck landings were completed during the qualification period without a mishap. The exercise was one of MOUNT VERNON's final major operational assignments.

Following her return to Southern California, MOUNT VERNON entered the last phase of a commissioned career that had lasted more than thirty-one years. She was decommissioned at San Diego on July 25, 2003. After decommissioning, the former MOUNT VERNON was placed in inactive status and laid up at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She was formally struck from the Naval Vessel Register on March 8, 2004. The Navy subsequently selected the ship for use as a target.

On June 16, 2005, the former MOUNT VERNON was used as a target during Operation Patrolling Thunder off the northwestern coast of Kauai, Hawaii. P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Patrol Squadrons VP-1, VP-9, VP-46 and VP-47 attacked the unmanned ship during the exercise. Weapons expended against the hull included three Harpoon anti-ship missiles, four Maverick missiles and eighteen 500-pound bombs. MOUNT VERNON sank during the exercise.

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USS MOUNT VERNON Image Gallery:

The photos below were taken in the western Pacific by Stefan Karpinski during USS MOUNT VERNON's 2002 deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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