USS Tortuga (LSD 46)

USS TORTUGA is the sixth Dock Landing Ship in the WHIDBEY ISLAND class and the third ship in that class built by Avondale in New Orleans. In April 2006, the TORTUGA replaced the USS FORT McHENRY (LSD 43) as a forward deployed naval unit in Sasebo, Japan. The hull swap was part of the Navy's long-range plan to routinely replace older ships assigned to the Navy's Forward Deployed Naval Force with newer or more capable ships. The TORTUGA was previously homeported in Little Creek, Va.

General Characteristics:	Keel laid: March 23, 1987
	Christened: November 19, 1988
	Commissioned: September 7, 1990
	Builder: Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, La.
	Propulsion system: four Colt Industries 16 Cylinder Diesels
	Propellers: two
	Length: 610 feet (186 meters)
	Beam: 84 feet (25.6 meters)
	Draft: 21 feet (6.4 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 16,000 tons full load
	Speed: 22 knots
	Well deck capacity: four LCAC or 21 LCM-6 (on deck: one LCM-6, two LCPL and one LCVP)
	Aircraft: none, but two landing spots allow for operation of aircraft as large as the CH-53E
	Crew: Ship: 20 Officers, 25 Chief Petty Officers, 302 Enlisted
	Crew: Marine Detachment: approx. 400 + approx. 100 surge
	Armament: two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, two 25mm Mk-38 guns, six .50-calibre Machine guns, two Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) systems
	Cost: $153 million
	Homeport: Sasebo, Japan

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS TORTUGA. 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 TORTUGA memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

The Shield:

Dark blue and gold are traditional Navy colors and symbolize the sea and excellence. In honor of Ponce de Leon, the Spanish explorer who discovered the Dry Tortugas in 1513, the colors red and yellow are adopted from the national flag of Spain. Red is also the color of valor and is symbolic of the proud history of amphibious warfare. The angular configuration simulating Fort Jefferson appears as a spearhead and represents the ship’s primary mission of amphibious assault. The gold wings below the spearhead reflect the ship’s capability of amphibious airlift. The crossed officer’s sword and enlisted cutlass honor the spirit of leadership and teamwork between the ship’s wardroom and crew. The supporters are rifled Parrott guns of the mid-19th century and are of the same design as those first installed at Fort Jefferson. They symbolize toughness and tenacity in battle.

The Crest:

The morion embellished with a lion’s head commemorates Ponce de Leon. The wreath of palm refers to the tropical climate of Florida and the Dry Tortugas. The stars and spearheads surrounding the morion represent the five battle stars the first USS TORTUGA (LSD 26) earned for Korean service and the eight battle stars LSD 26 earned for service in Vietnam.

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About the Construction of USS TORTUGA:

Construction of the TORTUGA began in September of 1986 at Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans. On 23 March 1987, the keel, or the backbone of the ship, was officially laid.

The next major construction milestone was the launching of the ship in November of 1988. However, the threat of Hurricane Gilbert in the Gulf of Mexico forced an early launching of the ship, as a precautionary measure, on 15 September 1988.

Steeped in tradition, the time of launching is also when the ship is christened. On 19 November 1988, Mrs. Rosemary Parker Schoultz, the sponsor of the TORTUGA, presided over the christening ceremony, breaking the traditional bottle of champagne over the bow of the ship.

Notable guests on hand for the christening ceremony included Vice Admiral Joseph Donnell, III, Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Vice Admiral Schoultz, USN Retired, and the Honorable J. Bennett Johnston, U.S. Senator.

On September 7, 1990, TORTUGA was officially commissioned and became an active part of the fleet after three years of construction.

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Accidents aboard USS TORTUGA:

Date	Where	Events
June 6, 2002	1,000 yards off the North Carolina coast, near Morehead City	While conducting operations in support of a routine exercise as part of the USS NASSAU (LHA 4) Amphibious Ready Group TORTUGA ran aground late at night. No one was injured, and there did not appear to be any significant damage. TORTUGA was safely floated the next morning but remained at anchor while divers conducted an underwater inspection of the hull. Following the grounding, USS TORTUGA's CO and the XO were relieved.