Iwo Jima-class Amphibious Assault Ships
LPH-3 USS Okinawa
Highlights of Ship's Service History
24 Oct 1958
Contract awarded to the U.S. Navy Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA.
1 Apr 1960
Keel laid
19 Aug 1961
Launched
14 Apr 1962
Commissioned
4 Apr 1968
Recovery ship for Apollo 6, an unmanned test vehicle
7 Aug 1971
Flagship for the recovery of Apollo 15
17 Dec 1992
Decommissioned
17 Dec 1992
Stricken from the Navy List
6 Jun 2002
Sunk during a SINKEX off southern California. Demonstrating the robustness of the design, the ex-Okinawa absorbed hits from several Maverick and Harpoon missiles & a number of general-purpose bombs. She was finally sunk by a Mk48 torpedo launched from the nuclear-powered attack submarine SSN-707 USS Portsmouth.
Sources | |
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships - U. S. Naval Historical Center United States Naval Vessel Register Wikipedia NavSource: Photographic History of the U.S. Navy Haze Gray & Underway |
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