View source for USS Vancouver

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|Ship image=[[File:USS Vancouver (LPD-2) underway, circa in the 1970s.jpg|300px|USS Vancouver]]
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1992}}
|Ship name=
|Ship namesake=[[Vancouver, Washington]]
|Ship ordered=30 December 1959
|Ship builder=[[New York Naval Shipyard]]
|Ship laid down=19 November 1960
|Ship launched=15 September 1962
|Ship acquired=10 May 1963
|Ship commissioned=11 May 1963
|Ship decommissioned=31 March 1992
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=8 April 1997
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Scrapped 2013
|Ship notes=
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class=[[Raleigh class amphibious transport dock]]
|Ship displacement=8,650&nbsp;tons light, 14,113&nbsp;tons full, 5,463&nbsp;tons dead
|Ship length= 522&nbsp;feet (159&nbsp;m) extreme, 500&nbsp;feet (152&nbsp;m) waterline
|Ship beam=100&nbsp;feet (30&nbsp;m) extreme, 84&nbsp;feet (25.6&nbsp;m) waterline
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft=23&nbsp;feet (7.0&nbsp;m)
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed=21&nbsp;knots (39&nbsp;km)
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=436
|Ship troops=1,000
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=four 3"(76&nbsp;mm)/50 caliber guns
|Ship armour=
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|Ship aircraft=
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'''USS ''Vancouver'' (LPD-2)''' was a [[Raleigh class amphibious transport dock|''Raleigh''-class]] [[amphibious transport dock]], named after the city of [[Vancouver, Washington]], which was in turn named after the famous north-west explorer [[George Vancouver]]. ''Vancouver's'' was commissioned 11 May 1963 and served during the Vietnam War and 1991 [[Gulf War]]. She was decommissioned 27 March 1992, placed in reserve and stricken 8 April 1997. Title was transferred to the [[United States Maritime Administration]] 29 November 2001. ''Vancouver'' was towed for scrapping in Brownsville, Texas, in April 2013.

== History ==
Her keel was laid down on 19 November 1960 at [[Brooklyn, New York]] by the [[New York Naval Shipyard]]. She was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on 15 September 1962 sponsored by Mrs. [[Stuart Symington]], and [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 11 May 1963.<ref name="DANFS">{{cite DANFS |url= http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/v/vancouver.html |title= Vancouver }}</ref>

After completing builder's trials at New York City and shakedown training out of [[Norfolk, Virginia]], the amphibious transport dock ship departed the latter port on 14 August and laid a course for the west coast. She transited the [[Panama Canal]] on 20 August and after making a side trip to [[Acapulco]], Mexico, to assist a disabled fishing vessel arrived in [[San Diego]], her permanent home port, on 31 August.<ref name="DANFS" />

Late in September and early in October, ''Vancouver'' made the traditional visit to her namesake city, Vancouver, Washington, and then returned to San Diego for seven weeks of training. Underway training occupied the first four weeks while amphibious training took up the last three. In mid-December, she welcomed on board the newly appointed [[Secretary of the Navy]], [[Paul H. Nitze]], and the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, Admiral [[U.S. Grant Sharp, Jr.]], as well as several other high ranking [[United States Navy]] and [[United States Marine Corps]] officers, and treated them to a display of her multifaceted amphibious capabilities.<ref name="DANFS" />

In mid-February 1964, the ship moved from San Diego to [[Long Beach, California]], where she entered the naval shipyard for post-shakedown availability. She finished repairs on 21 May, completed final acceptance trials early in June, and then returned to San Diego. Late in June, the amphibious transport dock ship made another voyage north to Canada for a visit to another namesake city, [[Vancouver]], British Columbia, in time to participate in that city's annual maritime festival. On the way back home, she stopped in [[San Francisco]], for the [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] weekend and then reentered San Diego on 7 July. At that point, she began her operational schedule. She participated in three amphibious warfare exercises between July and October and then began preparations for her first deployment to the Far East.<ref name="DANFS" />

=== 1964 ===
Her first tour of duty with the Seventh Fleet coincided with the beginning of the rapid acceleration of American involvement in [[South Vietnam]] heralded by the [[Gulf of Tonkin incident]] in August 1964—generally accepted as the beginning of the [[Vietnam War]]. She departed San Diego on 16 November, loaded marines at [[Port Hueneme]], and set out across the Pacific on 18 November. ''Vancouver'' arrived in [[Buckner Bay]], [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], on 6 December, and unloaded her passengers. Embarking another Marine battalion at Okinawa on 21 December she moved to [[U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay|Subic Bay]] in the [[Philippines]], where she traded her second load of marines for a third which she transported to Okinawa in January 1965.<ref name="DANFS" />

During the 1964 Christmas Holidays in Subic Bay, ''Vancouver'' had the honor of welcoming aboard the USO tour group consisting of [[Bob Hope]], Jerry Calona, [[Anna Maria Alberghetti]], [[Jill St. John]] and [[Ann Sidney]] (Miss World 1964).{{citation needed|date=December 2014|reason=Not cited by DANFS or other linked sources.}}

=== 1965 to 1966 ===
After off-loading the Marines, ''Vancouver'' departed Buckner Bay, Okinawa on 15 January 1965 bound for Hong Kong for R&R. After a paint job by {{Clarify|date=December 2021|reason= What does this phrase mean? |text= Mary Sue and the Girls}}, she left Hong Kong on 21 January, bound for Subic Bay, arriving on 23 January. She departed Subic Bay fully loaded with Marines and all their gear on 27 January for [[Da Nang]], South Vietnam. She twice returned to Subic Bay twice without off-loading the Marines.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}}

In February, the ship still loaded with elements of the Ninth Marine Expeditionary Brigade departed Subic Bay and took up station off Da Nang South Vietnam. She remained on station for the next 40 days. After 2 false starts she anchored in Da Nang harbor and, on 8 March in company with {{USS|Henrico|APA-45|6}} and {{USS|Union|AKA-106|6}}, landed the first U.S. combat troops at [[Red Beach Base Area|Red Beach]], Da Nang, South Vietnam. The Marines were to protect the perimeter of the [[Danang Air Base]] and free South Vietnamese troops for other combat duties.<ref name="DANFS" />

She left Da Nang on 12 March, stopped over in Okinawa, departed there on 16 March and arrived in Numazu, Japan, then Yokosuka, Japan on 18 March. She spent almost 3 weeks in Yokosuka. She departed Yokosuka on 8 April, bound for Okinawa. She arrived at Okinawa on 11 April, then headed to Da Nang, South Vietnam arriving on 14 April. She moved to [[Huế]], South Vietnam and off-loaded Marines there. On 19 April, ''Vancouver'' departed Huế for Subic Bay, arriving 20 April. She departed Subic Bay after a 2-hour stop, bound for Sydney, Australia to participate in the [[Battle of the Coral Sea]] celebration.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}}

''Vancouver'' crossed the equator for the first time on 24 April 1965 arriving in Sydney on 1 May. She participated in the Coral Sea celebration with open house tours of the ship. On 10 May, ''Vancouver'' departed Sydney for Melbourne, Australia arriving on 12 May. On 19 May, she left Melbourne, bound for [[Pago Pago]], [[American Samoa]]. While in Pago Pago, three of the crew were lost in a swimming mishap caused by severe rip currents in one of the lagoons. She departed Pago Pago on 28 May and arrived in San Diego on 8 June. During her first deployment, from 18 November 1964 to 8 June 1966, ''Vancouver'' steamed 35,442 miles.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}}

However, less than two months after her return, she embarked Marines for a special troop lift to the widening Vietnam War. She departed the west coast on 5 August 1965 and did not return until 5 October 1965. At that point, she began the normal schedule of upkeep and training exercises at San Diego and other points along the California coast.<ref name="DANFS" />

During the first week in July, ''Vancouver'' embarked [[LVT-5]]s and Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/26 ([[1st Battalion, 26th Marines]]) in preparation for her second Seventh Fleet assignment. On 9 July, she put to sea and after a two-day stop at [[Pearl Harbor]] from 14 to 16 July, arrived at Subic Bay on 28 July. There, she became a unit of the newly constituted Seventh Fleet Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), Task Group (TG) 76.5—a self-contained mobile amphibious assault team made up of a Special Landing Force (SLF), marines and support units, and the ships which served as their transportation and mobile bases. In a series of training exercises held in the Philippines, the Navy-Marine Corps teammates honed their skills for an almost instant response to any need for amphibious support or reinforcement in the Seventh Fleet's zone of operations.<ref name="DANFS" />

Quite naturally, Vietnam constituted the area most in need of such a capability at that time. Accordingly, the ARG concluded its amphibious training on 12 August, reembarked the landing force, and sailed for the waters off South Vietnam. Between 16 and 29 August 1966, ''Vancouver'' participated in her first combat action during [[Operation Deckhouse III]] which consisted of two landings at a point some 60&nbsp;miles (100&nbsp;km) east of [[Saigon]]. The first phase, from 16 to 20 August, saw BLT 1/26 move ashore in both waterborne and airborne modes against minor opposition and later destroy a fortified [[Vietcong]] (VC)-held village. During the second set of landings, 22 to 29 August, the Marines sent ashore changed operational control from the ARG to the authorities ashore to assist in [[Operation Toledo]] a search-and-destroy mission to deprive the VC of caches of arms and supplies. At the conclusion of "Deckhouse III", ''Vancouver'' returned to Subic Bay for ten days of upkeep.<ref name="DANFS" />

Departing the Philippines on 12 September, the ship began her second amphibious assault, [[Operation Deckhouse IV]], on 15 September 1966 in the vicinity of the [[Cua Viet River]] in [[Quảng Trị Province]] just south of the [[Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone]] (DMZ). The landings constituted a seaward arm of the larger [[Operation Prairie]] being conducted by American and South Vietnamese forces ashore to destroy North Vietnamese Army fortifications, bunkers, and supply caches in the area and to stem intensified infiltration across the DMZ. During their ten days ashore, the Marines of the SLF encountered heavy resistance and accounted for 254 of the enemy killed before they reembarked on 25 September. At the conclusion of the operation, ''Vancouver'' disembarked her portion of BLT 1/26 troops at Da Nang and headed for Okinawa.<ref name="DANFS" />

After she embarked BLT [[3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines]] there, she returned to Vietnamese waters on 6 October and steamed with the contingency force in the area off the DMZ for the next 22 days. On 28 October, she disembarked BLT 3/3 and, two days later, embarked BLT [[3rd Battalion, 26th Marines]] for transportation to the Philippines. She departed Da Nang on 1 November and arrived in Subic Bay on 12 November. During December, she participated in an amphibious exercise, "Mudpuppy II", at [[Mindoro]] and conducted upkeep at Subic Bay. On 30 November, the amphibious transport dock ship got underway for Vietnamese waters and arrived near [[Vũng Tàu]] the following day.<ref name="DANFS" />

=== 1967 ===
There, near the entrance to the [[Saigon River]], she began another amphibious operation in the "Deckhouse" series, [[Operation Deckhouse V]], on 4 January 1967. It lasted until 15 January and was a joint United States – South Vietnamese effort utilizing Marines of both nations. ''Vancouver'' embarked more than 500 [[Republic of Vietnam Marine Division|South Vietnamese Marines]] at Vũng Tàu on 4 January and, after a two-day delay caused by bad weather, sent her binational force ashore on 6 January by both assault craft and helicopter. In spite of continued bad weather and her first experience with riverine operations, the ship and her boats remained in the area for ten days, providing the necessary logistics support for the SLF operating ashore. After reembarking the SLF and South Vietnamese Marines on 15 January and then disembarking the latter again at Vũng Tàu the following day, she departed Vietnam to return to the Philippines.<ref name="DANFS" />

The ship arrived at Subic Bay on 19 January, but remained only two days before continuing on to Okinawa where she exchanged BLT 1/9 for BLT [[1st Battalion, 4th Marines]] late in January. Following a visit to [[Keelung]] Taiwan where she couldn't get into the harbor due to an impending typhoon, she returned to the Philippines early in February and conducted an amphibious exercise, "Mudpuppy III", with the Marines of BLT 1/4. Another brief rest and relaxation period at Subic Bay at the end of the first week in February preceded her departure from the Philippines on 12 February. ''Vancouver'' resumed duty with the ARG on 14 February and, two days later, began her part in [[Operation Deckhouse VI]], another two-phase amphibious assault in support of operations of wider scope being conducted ashore.<ref name="DANFS" />

At the conclusion of Operation Deckhouse VI, the amphibious transport dock ship visited Subic Bay; Hong Kong; Okinawa, and [[United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka|Yokosuka]], Japan, before departing the latter port on 24 March to return home to San Diego. After a three-day stop at Pearl Harbor at the end of the month, she arrived in San Diego on 8 April.<ref name="DANFS" />

Following an unusually long period in port at San Diego, ''Vancouver'' resumed operations along the west coast in July. In addition to single-ship underway training, she revisited Vancouver, British Columbia, in July to participate in a Fleet Assembly as part of the [[Canadian Centennial]] Celebration. Late that month, the ship resumed local operations which included underway training and amphibious refresher training. That employment occupied her for the remainder of the year and the first month of 1968.<ref name="DANFS" />

=== 1968 ===
On 1 February 1968, the ship departed San Diego bound for Okinawa to begin another tour of duty with the Seventh Fleet. She stopped at Pearl Harbor from 8 to 10 February and, after being diverted from Okinawa on 12 February, arrived in Da Nang on 23 February to disembark her marines, urgently needed to stem the 1968 [[Tet Offensive]]. The following day, ''Vancouver'' got underway for Subic Bay where she arrived on 26 February. On 27 February, she changed operational control to TG&nbsp;76.5 and became part of the Seventh Fleet ARG once more. On 29 February, the ship steamed out of Subic Bay for the Cửa Việt River area of Vietnam where she began supporting the SLF, operating ashore since late January. While continuing that mission, she put into Da Nang on 10 March and spent the next two weeks repairing boats as well. In April, she steamed around off the DMZ providing support for BLT [[3rd Battalion, 1st Marines]] until 10 April, when she headed back to the Philippines.<ref name="DANFS" />

''Vancouver'' arrived in Subic Bay on 15 April and remained there until 26 April at which time she got underway to return to Vietnamese waters. The ship arrived on station near the mouth of the Cua Viet River and began providing logistics support to elements of BLT 3/1 committed to defensive positions in the vicinity of [[Cửa Việt Base]] and [[Đông Hà Combat Base]]. That duty lasted until 3 June, when she reembarked the SLF.<ref name="DANFS" />

On 6 June, ''Vancouver'' began a combat operation, code named [[Operation Swift Sabre]]. The SLF moved ashore in two groups. One group assaulted beaches in landing craft while the other group flew well inland in helicopters. Both groups then began moving toward one another in a sweep of [[Elephant Valley]] in [[Thừa Thiên Province]] to eliminate a frequent source of hostile mortar fire on the Da Nang Air Base. After supporting the Marines for a week, ''Vancouver'' received a replacement SLF, BLT [[2nd Battalion, 7th Marines]], when BLT 3/1 changed operational control to military authorities ashore. The new battalion landing team came on board on 14 and 15 June, and ''Vancouver'' set a course for the Philippines on 15 June. She entered Subic Bay on 18 June and began a ten-day upkeep period. Between 30 June and 3 July, the ship participated in the amphibious exercise "Hilltop XX" and then departed Subic Bay on 6 July for her last tour of duty in Vietnamese waters during the 1968 deployment.<ref name="DANFS" />

Immediately upon her arrival off Vietnam, she began preparations for the amphibious operation, [[Operation Eager Yankee]]. In the predawn of 9 July, destroyers {{USS|Benner|DD-807|6}} and {{USS|O'Brien|DD-725|6}} began the prelanding bombardment, ''Vancouver'', as primary control ship for the boat phase of the assault, began shuttling Marines ashore some ten miles east of [[Phu Bai Combat Base]] The first elements of BLT 2/7 went ashore in LVTs and began establishing defensive positions and clearing landing zones for the airborne phase of the operation. The ship remained in the area providing logistics support for the Marines as they drove northwest toward a known VC haven. After a week without contacting the enemy, ''Vancouver's'' landing force joined shore-based units in [[Operation Houston IV]] while the ship continued in her support role. The second operation ended on 22 July, and the marines reembarked that same day.<ref name="DANFS" />

However, they did not remain on board for long because, on the following day, [[Operation Swift Play]] began. In that operation, an all-helicopter affair, the Marines landed well inland about ten miles southwest of [[Hội An]] in east central [[Quảng Nam Province]]. They failed to contact the enemy during the helicopter assault and, the following day, changed operational control to authorities ashore while ''Vancouver'' played her usual support role. She remained in the vicinity until 19 August at which time she headed back to Subic Bay without her Marine contingent.<ref name="DANFS" />

The warship arrived in Subic Bay on 21 August and spent the next six days engaged in turnover operations with her relief, {{USS|Ogden|LPD-6}}. On 27 August, she put to sea bound for Hong Kong where she arrived on 29 August. After a five-day rest and relaxation period, she departed Hong Kong for Okinawa. Diverted to Subic Bay by a [[typhoon]], she continued her voyage via the [[San Bernardino Strait]] and finally arrived at Okinawa on 9 September. The following day, she set sail for Yokosuka, Japan, where she arrived on 12 September for five days of upkeep.<ref name="DANFS" />

On 17 September, ''Vancouver'' began her voyage home. She reentered San Diego on 28 September and, after a month of post-deployment standdown, resumed local operations along the California coast.<ref name="DANFS" />

=== 1969 ===
That employment lasted until early in February 1969 when she began the first portion of her regular overhaul at San Francisco. That phase of the task was completed in mid-April and, after a brief return to San Diego, the ship entered the [[Long Beach Naval Shipyard]] for drydocking. The refurbishing was finished near the end of May, and ''Vancouver'' returned to San Diego on 28 February. Following two months of inspections and refresher training, the ship loaded vehicles and cargo at San Diego and got underway for the Western Pacific on 1 August. She made a three-day stop at Pearl Harbor from 8 to 11 August; then resumed her voyage and arrived at Okinawa on 21 August. After unloading cargo at Buckner Bay, she got underway for Vietnam on 24 August. Upon arriving at [[Tau My]], South Vietnam on 27 August, ''Vancouver'' unloaded cargo there and at Da Nang before departing Vietnam that same day.<ref name="DANFS" />

On 29 August, she arrived in Subic Bay and began turnover operations to relieve {{USS|Paul Revere|LPA-248|6}} of duty with ARG ''Bravo'' (TG&nbsp;76.5). A week later, on 6 September, she put to sea with TG&nbsp;76.5 for her first line tour with the amphibious ready group. She arrived off Da Nang two days later and entered the harbor on 10 September to unload more cargo. On 12 September, she and her group participated in [[Operation Defiant Stand]] by staging an amphibious feint about ten miles south of the actual landing beaches to draw off defenders while [[Amphibious Ready Group Alpha|ARG ''Alfa'']] stormed ashore. The task group completed its deception early that morning and headed back out to sea to steam around until needed again. That routine, punctuated by brief visits to Da Nang and a series of amphibious and other exercises, occupied her until late October.<ref name="DANFS" />

On 20 October, ''Vancouver'' began a new phase in her participation in the Vietnam War. Operation Defiant Stand had been the last amphibious operation of the war. On the heels of [[President of the United States]] [[Richard Nixon]]'s announcement of the staged withdrawal of large numbers of American troops from the war, the amphibious ready group began carrying out the withdrawal. On 20 October, ''Vancouver'' moved from Da Nang to Cửa Việt Base and began loading elements of BLT 1/4. She completed [[Operation Keystone Cardinal]] on 22 October and set course for Okinawa the following day. She disembarked the Marines at Okinawa on 25 and 26 October but remained at the island for liberty until 2 November. After embarking BLT 1/9, she headed for Subic Bay where she disembarked the marines on 4 November.<ref name="DANFS" />

Following a week of repairs at Subic Bay, she reembarked BLT 1/9 on 12 November, conducted an amphibious assault exercise on 13 November, and got underway for Vietnam on 14 November. The new line period, unlike those before, consisted entirely of steaming well off the coast outside the territorial waters of Vietnam in order that the amphibious ready group's presence not be construed as a violation of President Nixon's troop reduction in Vietnam. She continued steaming in the new operating area until 23 November at which time she retired toward the Philippines. She entered Subic Bay on 27 November. Another practice landing in the Philippines followed on 1 December and ''Vancouver'' repaired storm damage sustained during the transit from Vietnam to the Philippines.<ref name="DANFS" />

=== 1970 to 1971 ===
On 6 December, the ship once more got underway for the coast of Vietnam. She arrived off Da Nang on 9 December; but, four days later, she left the combat zone for visits to Hong Kong, [[Taiwan]], and Okinawa. ''Vancouver'' returned to the Vietnamese coast on 31 December 1969. 1 January 1970, however, brought her departure from the area on her way back to the Philippines. She entered Subic Bay on 11 January and remained in the Philippines until 20 January when she started a round-trip voyage to Okinawa. The ship returned to Subic Bay on 27 January and remained in the area until 4 February when she headed for Taiwan. After a patrol of the [[Taiwan Strait]], she entered port at [[Kaohsiung]], Taiwan, for a four-day visit. She returned to Subic Bay on 21 February and began turnover operations with her relief ship {{USS|Denver|LPD-9|2}}. On 4 March, she departed Subic Bay for Okinawa where she delivered cargo on 6 March. Continuing her voyage on 7 March, she stopped at Da Nang on 11 March, unloaded cargo, and headed back to Okinawa where she refueled on 14 March before continuing on toward the United States.<ref name="DANFS" />

''Vancouver'' arrived in [[Del March, California]], on 27 March and, the following day, moved to the [[San Diego Naval Station]] for drydocking and repairs. Repairs were completed early in June, and the ship departed San Diego on 10 June with [[United States Naval Academy]] midshipmen embarked for their summer cruise. She arrived in Yokosuka on 24 June and departed again on 29 June. The ship visited [Hong Kong between 4 and 8 July and stopped at Da Nang on 9 and 10 July to load cargo bound for the United States. On the way back home, she stopped at Pearl Harbor from 24 to 27 July and then reentered San Diego on 1 August. Local operations out of San Diego, including LVT training and amphibious refresher training, occupied the ship's time through the end of the year and for the first three months of 1971.<ref name="DANFS" />

On 30 March, ''Vancouver'' put to sea to return to the Western Pacific. She made a two-day stop at Pearl Harbor at the end of the first week in April and arrived in Subic Bay on 19 April. The ensuing six weeks brought amphibious training and port visits to [[Singapore]] and Kaohsiung. In June, the ship carried cargo from [[Vũng Tàu]] and Da Nang in the Vietnam to Subic Bay and Okinawa. Early in July, ''Vancouver'' participated in an amphibious exercise at [[Zambales]] and then departed the Philippines on 19 April for a week at Hong Kong. On 28 July, the ship returned to the Philippines at Mindoro for more amphibious exercises. August brought voyages to [[Sasebo, Nagasaki|Sasebo]], Japan, and Kaohsiung, Taiwan and, early in September, she returned to the Philippines for another round of practice landings at Zambales.<ref name="DANFS" />

On 9 September, ''Vancouver'' left Subic Bay to pick up cargo in Vietnam. She stopped at Da Nang, [[Qui Nhơn]], and [[Cam Ranh Bay]] before returning to Subic Bay on 17 September. On 25 September, she embarked upon a roundtrip voyage to Okinawa and returned to Subic Bay on 9 October. On 14 October, ''Vancouver'' set out on her voyage back to the United States, stopping en route at Okinawa and Pearl Harbor before arriving back in San Diego on 5 November 1971.<ref name="DANFS" />

=== 1972 to 1974 ===
The amphibious transport dock ship remained in San Diego through the end of 1971 for post-deployment standdown and for the usual holiday leave and upkeep period. On 11 January 1972, ''Vancouver'' began local operations along the California coast. That duty lasted until 10 June, when she embarked midshipmen for the annual training cruise and got underway for the Far East. During the midshipman cruise, the ship made a visit to Yokosuka, Japan, and two each to Hong Kong and Subic Bay in the Philippines. Late in July, she headed back to the west coast, arriving at San Diego on 4 August. There, on 21 August, ''Vancouver'' began her regularly scheduled overhaul.<ref name="DANFS" />

The ship completed post-overhaul sea trials early in February 1973 and conducted type and refresher training until mid-March. On 17 March, ''Vancouver'' again deployed to the Western Pacific. She arrived in [[U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo|Sasebo]], Japan, on 4 April then continued her voyage on 5 April. She briefly stopped at Okinawa on 6 April and arrived in Subic Bay on 8 April.<ref name="DANFS" />

On 9 April, she relieved {{USS|Cleveland|LPD-7|2}} as one of the support ships for [[Operation End Sweep]], the clearing of American [[naval mine]]s in the harbors of North Vietnam as a result of the withdrawal of American forces from the Vietnam War. During April, May, and June 1973, the amphibious transport dock ship alternated tours of duty in Vietnamese waters in support of the minesweeping forces with liberty and upkeep periods in Philippine ports. She also made periodic liberty calls at Hong Kong and at various Japanese ports.<ref name="DANFS" />

The ship completed her last tour of duty in Vietnamese waters on 18 July and headed back to the Philippines, arriving in Subic Bay on 20 July. For her remaining two months in the Far East, ''Vancouver'' visited Hong Kong, the Japanese ports [[Numazu]], [[Kagoshima]], and [[Iwakuni]]. She returned to the Philippines early in September, whence she put to sea on 19 September to return home. After stopping overnight at Pearl Harbor on 2 and 3 October, the ship continued on to San Diego where she arrived on 9 October 1973 and began a year of operations along the California coast. Her tasks included: helicopter qualifications, landing craft training, and full scale amphibious warfare exercises.<ref name="DANFS" />

On 18 October 1974, she concluded her west coast schedule and got underway for the Western Pacific. She stopped at Pearl Harbor on 25 and 26 October and continuing her voyage on 26 October, arrived in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, on 9 November 1974. Though assigned to ARG Alfa as relief for {{USS|Ogden|LPD-5|6}}, ''Vancouver'' began her first real peacetime deployment to the Far East in more than a decade. For the next six months, she spent most of her time alternating between Okinawa and the Philippines conducting a series of amphibious exercises and transporting marines and cargo.<ref name="DANFS" />

=== 1975 to 1976 ===
Having received orders on 13 February 1975 to proceed to rendezvous with ARG ''Alfa'' (TG 76.4) ''Vancouver'' consequently cancelled a port visit to Manila and a scheduled Convoy exercise and stood out, bound for the [[Gulf of Thailand]]. After operating in those waters (17–24 February), ''Vancouver'' and her consorts returned to Subic Bay on account of worsening weather on 25 February. In-port maintenance for ships and embarked aircraft ensued until 1 March at which time ARG ''Alfa'' sailed to return to the Gulf, to prepare for [[Operation Eagle Pull]], the evacuation of Cambodia. TG 76.4 conducted training and preparations (5 March-12 April), punctuating those evolutions with swim calls on 20, 22, and 30 March to permit her crew to enjoy some relaxation.<ref name="DANFS" />

Eagle Pull commenced on 12 April 1975, with ''Vancouver'' utilizing helicopters and deploying marines from BLT 2/4 to conduct the evacuation. "Due to the length of [the] preparations," her chronicler writes, "most of the evacuees were to be airlifted to Thailand and only a handful were actually evacuated during Eagle Pull," with {{USS|Okinawa|LPH-3|6}} embarking the evacuees. TG 76.4 proceeded north upon completion of the operation, and disembarked the evacuees at [[Sattahip]], Thailand. The ships then returned to Subic Bay on 17 April, greeted upon arrival by Admiral [[Maurice F. Weisner]], Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet.<ref name="DANFS" />

The deterioration of affairs in South Vietnam, however, dictated a quick return to those waters. ''Vancouver'' and the rest of TG 76.4 sped out of Subic Bay on 18 April 1975, and headed for the coast of South Vietnam, rendezvousing with TG 76.3 -- carriers {{USS|Enterprise|CVAN-65|6}} and {{USS|Midway|CVA-41|6}} and the guided missile light cruiser {{USS|Oklahoma City|CLG-5|6}}, the flagship for Vice Admiral [[George P. Steele]], Commander, 7th Fleet—on 23 April. Five days later, ''Vancouver''—placed on one-hour alert and detached for the purpose—proceeded to the mouth of the Batak River to serve as flight deck and wet well for refugees. During her time in those waters, the ship recovered six [[Air America (airline)|Air America]] helicopters, and later transferred the 123 evacuees via the ship's embarked LCM-8s to the [[Military Sealift Command]] ship SS ''Pioneer Contender''. Winding up those evolutions off the mouth of the Batak on 28 April, Vancouver proceeded north to rejoin TG 76.4.<ref name="DANFS" />

The following day, 29 April 1975, [[Operation Frequent Wind]], the evacuation of South Vietnam, began, ''Vancouver'' reprising her operations during Eagle Pull, utilizing her embarked helicopters and marines. "Operations lasted all day and through the night with helicopters full of evacuees landing on any flight deck they could find clear," an observer on board wrote later, "Not only U.S. helos but South Vietnamese ... shuttling refugees out to U.S. ships for future transfer to MSC ships. Plans and preparations made for Eagle Pull came in handy in Operation Frequent Wind. During the evacuation, ''Vancouver'' processed over 2,200 refugees." The evolutions over on 1 May, the amphibious ship, along with TG 76.4, steamed to Subic Bay, arriving on 3 May.<ref name="DANFS" />

At the end of the deployment, she departed Okinawa on 20 May 1975 and arrived back in San Diego on 6 June, and resumed west coast operations almost immediately with type training and a weapons inspection. Similar duty occupied her through the end of that year and during the first nine months of 1976. On 25 September 1976, she headed back to the western Pacific once more. She made a three-day stop at Pearl Harbor at the beginning of October and put in at Kwajalein Atoll on the 10th for ARG commanding officers to conduct turnover briefings. From Kwajalein, she continued her voyage to [[Broad Sound, Australia]], where she arrived on 21 October. There, she conducted a rehearsal landing in preparation for the [[Operation Kangaroo II]] landing exercises conducted between 24 and 29 October in conjunction with Australian military and naval forces. At the conclusion of Kangaroo II, ''Vancouver'' made a five-day visit to Sydney, Australia, and then got underway for Okinawa. She reached her destination on 20 November, disembarked one group of marines, and took on another. The following day, she headed for Subic Bay, arriving there on 24 November to begin a three-week availability. Late in December, ''Vancouver'' embarked upon a voyage to Taiwan and Hong Kong observing New Year's Eve at the latter port.<ref name="DANFS" />

=== 1977 to 1978 ===
After a return to Okinawa and Subic Bay early in January 1977, the ship visited [[Singapore]] during the latter half of the month. She returned to the Philippines on 11 February and conducted exercises in the vicinity of Subic Bay until mid March. On 16 March, the amphibious transport dock ship put to sea, bound for [[Inchon, Korea]]. During the latter part of March and early part of April, she participated in amphibious training with units of the South Korean military. On 12 April, she stopped at Okinawa and the next day headed back to the Philippines. ''Vancouver'' arrived in Subic Bay on 16 April but departed again on 28 April for a round-about voyage home. She made stops at Okinawa, [[Eniwetok]], and Pearl Harbor before arriving back in San Diego on 21 May. After a month of post deployment standdown, the ship entered the Bethlehem Steel Co. shipyard at [[San Pedro, Los Angeles]], for her regular overhaul. She remained there into 1978.<ref name="DANFS" />

''Vancouver'' completed her overhaul satisfactorily on 18 April 1978. A rigorous period of refresher training out of San Diego followed in preparation for the ship's forthcoming deployment to the Western Pacific. ''Vancouver'' departed from San Diego on 31 August and spent the remainder of the year in operations with the Seventh Fleet. Her schedule took her to Eniwetok, [[Marshall Islands]]; Subic Bay, Philippines; [[Pusan]], [[Korea]], and Hong Kong.<ref name="DANFS" />

=== 1980 ===
''Vancouver'' received the [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]] for 8 August 1980 to 11 October 1980 for service in relating to Iran and / or in the [[Indian Ocean]].<ref name="USN Awards" /> Commenced her 13th deployment leaving San Diego, Ca on 24 May 1980 operating in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean during the Iranian Hostage Crisis and participating in five major amphibious operations with embarked Marines.  Port calls included Hawaii, the Philippines, Perth Australia, and Mombasa Kenya while crossing the equator.  Returned to San Diego on 22 November 1980.{{citation needed|date=April 2015|reason=No source provided.}}

=== 1990 to 1991 ===
During the 1990/1991 [[Gulf War]], ''Vancouver'' was assigned to ARG 3 embarking the Marine Fifth Expeditionary Brigade. ''Vancouver'' departed with the 13 ship ARG, 1 December 1990 and arrived in the North [[Arabian Sea]] 12 January 1991. The group conducted landing drills and although ''Vancouver'' was stationed off the coast of Kuwait during its liberation, the Amphibious Marines aboard were deployed into Saudi Arabia and further supported the 2nd Marine Division during ground combat to retake Kuwait.  After departing from the Persian Gulf, Vancouver provided support to the people of the Philippines after the volcanic activity from Mt. Pinatubo in April 1991. In May 1991, ''Vancouver'' provided support during relief operations in the aftermath of the [[1991 Bangladesh cyclone]]. ''Vancouver'' returned to San Diego, via Pearl Harbor, in June 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.marad.dot.gov/sh/ShipHistory/Download?filename=6bbd06f0-6dbb-47a0-b6f1-dfa0c5aa9397.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141228195501/http://www.marad.dot.gov/sh/ShipHistory/Download?filename=6bbd06f0-6dbb-47a0-b6f1-dfa0c5aa9397.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 28 December 2014 |title= Vancouver NHPA History |website= US Maritime Administration |access-date= 28 December 2014 }}</ref>

== Fate ==
''Vancouver'' was decommissioned 27 March 1992 and mothballed in reserve status at Pearl Harbor until she was transferred to the [[National Defense Reserve Fleet]], [[Benicia, California]]. Sold for scrapping 21 February 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.marad.dot.gov/sh/ShipHistory/Detail/5491 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20141228173111/http://www.marad.dot.gov/sh/ShipHistory/Detail/5491 |url-status= dead |archive-date= 28 December 2014 |title= Vancouver Milestones |website= US Maritime Administration |access-date= 28 December 2014 }}</ref> She was relocated to the Mare Island Shipyard (former [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]]) for dismantling preparation on 21 February 2013. She moved into dry dock on 8 March 2013. She was towed to Brownsville, Texas in March and April 2013 for scrapping.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://navy.memorieshop.com/Vancouver/index.html |archive-url= https://archive.today/20141228173040/http://navy.memorieshop.com/Vancouver/index.html |url-status= usurped |archive-date= 28 December 2014 |title= Vancouver |website= navy.memorieshop.com |access-date= 28 December 2014 }}</ref> As of May 2013, she was being recycled at EMR's International Shipbreaking Ltd. in Brownsville, Texas.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}}

==Awards and honors==
''Vancouver'' earned 11 [[battle star]]s for service in the [[Vietnam War]].<ref name="DANFS" /> ''Vancouver'' also received a number of unit awards.<ref name="USN Awards">{{cite web |url= https://awards.navy.mil |title= Navy Unit Awards for USS Vancouver |website= awards.navy.mil |access-date= 28 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20041014224730/https://awards.navy.mil/ |archive-date= 14 October 2004 }}</ref>
* [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] for 9 February 1965 to 13 March 1965, Vietnam<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] for 13 April 1965 to 18 April 1965, Vietnam<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)|Gallantry Cross Medal Color with Palm]] for 10 time periods from March 1965 to August 1968<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Vietnam Service Medal]] for 30 time periods from August 1965 to July 1972<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] for 11 April 1975 to 13 April 1975, [[Operation Eagle Pull]]<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Humanitarian Service Medal]] for 12 April 1975, [[Operation Eagle Pull]]<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] 12 April 1975, [[Operation Eagle Pull]]<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Humanitarian Service Medal]] for 29 April 1975 to 30 April 1975, [[Operation Frequent Wind]]<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] for 29 April 1975 to 30 April 1975, [[Operation Frequent Wind]]<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Navy Unit Commendation]] for 29 April 1975 to 30 April 1975, [[Operation Frequent Wind]]<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Navy "E" Ribbon]] for 1 July 1976 to 30 June 1977<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]] for 8 August 1980 to 11 October 1980, Iran/Indian Ocean (21 Nov 79 - 20 Oct 81)<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Navy Unit Commendation]] for 1 August 1990 to 30 Apr 1991, [[Gulf War]]<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Southwest Asia Service Medal]] for 12 January 1991 to 8 May 1991, [[Gulf War]]<ref name="USN Awards" />
* [[Joint Meritorious Unit Award]] for 10 May 1991 to 13 June 1991, [[1991 Bangladesh cyclone]]<ref name="USN Awards" />

== References ==
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/v/vancouver.html}}
*{{Naval Vessel Register|hull=LPD-2}}
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|USS Vancouver (LPD-2)}}
*{{navsource|10/09/0902}}
*[https://archive.today/20141228173111/http://www.marad.dot.gov/sh/ShipHistory/Detail/5491 Vancouver history from US Maritime Administration]

{{Raleigh class landing platform dock}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vancouver (LPD-2)}}
[[Category:Raleigh-class amphibious transport docks]]
[[Category:Cold War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States]]
[[Category:Vietnam War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Brooklyn]]
[[Category:1962 ships]]