Austin-class (LPD-4)

Summary

Description

The third USS Austin (LPD-4) was an amphibious transport dock ship and the lead ship of her class in the U.S. Navy. Named after the city of Austin, Texas, after the Texian patriot Stephen F. Austin, the ship was constructed at the New York Naval Shipyard, with its keel laid down on February 4, 1963, launched on June 27, 1964, sponsored by Lynda Bird Johnson, and commissioned on February 6, 1965.

In the 1960s, after initial outfitting in Norfolk, Virginia, the USS Austin conducted shakedown training near Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It assisted in withdrawing units of the Inter-American Peace Force from the Dominican Republic and participated in various training exercises throughout the Caribbean and along the U.S. East Coast. The Austin played a role in the space race by supporting recovery efforts for the Apollo 4 and Apollo 12 space missions. Overhaul and repairs were part of her activities both during and at the end of the decade.

The 1970s saw the Austin busy with numerous deployments and training exercises, including participation in the recovery of the Apollo 15 space capsule. She operated extensively within the Mediterranean, conducting amphibious landing exercises and hosting midshipmen training cruises. Unexpected missions, such as providing hurricane relief, were also part of her agenda. The ship underwent significant repairs in Maryland and Virginia, with continued post-repair trials and training in preparation for various operations including NATO exercises and deployments to the Mediterranean.

During the 1980s, the Austin's operational history was marked by Mediterranean deployments and NATO exercises, as well as providing urgent relief after the container ship collision off Spain. In 1983, amid the Lebanese Civil War, Austin supported peacekeeping forces and aided in response to the Beirut barracks bombing. Later, the ship conducted cold-weather training near the Arctic Circle and routine missions in Europe. She also played a part in the LF6F Mediterranean deployment, including the response to the hijacking of the Achilles Lauro cruise ship.

In the 1990s, the Austin was involved in the Gulf War during which she underwent an urgent maintenance halt to redeploy. She played roles in Operations Provide Comfort and Sharp Edge and was refitted for subsequent missions after returning from the Mediterranean. The ship also supported Operations Safe Haven and Safe Passage, addressing the Cuban refugee crisis, before returning to home port in Norfolk, Virginia.

Her service in the 2000s included deployments to the Mediterranean, supporting operations in Kosovo and aiding humanitarian efforts in Haiti with the National Guard and Army Corps of Engineers. The Austin's final deployment was to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, transporting Marines and providing operational support.

Eventually decommissioned on September 27, 2006, the USS Austin was towed to the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia. She was dismantled by International Shipbreaking Ltd in Texas, with the anchor and bell preserved at the Brooklyn Navy Yard museum.

Technical specifications

Photo of Austin class