Design and description
The ''Ashland''s were the first dock landing ships designed and constructed for the United States Navy. Though initially the American planners had no interest in the ship type, a design was developed from a British Staff Requirement which called for a ship with a floodable deck aft to operate at least two British landing craft tanks. The ship type was initially designated "tank landing carrier" (TLC). The dock landing ship was designed with the capability of moving smaller, pre-loaded amphibious warfare craft over long distances. The ''Ashland''-class ships measured Waterline length, long at the waterline and Length overall, overall with a Beam (nautical), beam of and a seagoing Draft (hull), draft of and a maximum draft of . The vessels had a Displacement (ship), light displacement of and a full load displacement of . While loaded and seagoing, their displacement is and when the well deck was flooded down. They had a complement of 254. The vessels were propelled by two shafts powered by two Skinner Unaflow, Skinner Uniflow reciprocating engines fed steam by two double boilers creating . This gave the dock landing ships a maximum speed of and a range of at . In United States Navy service, the ''Ashland''s were equipped with a single 5-inch/38-caliber gun, /38-caliber gun, two twin-mounted Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun, guns and two quad-mounted 40 mm guns and sixteen Oerlikon 20 cannon, guns.Amphibious capabilities
Their well deck extended three-quarters the length of the ship and measured . The stern gate that opened onto the well deck measured . The original design called for the ability to transport 16 landing craft mechanized (LCMs), with each LCM able to embark a single tank. With four TLCs a medium tank battalion (comprising 48 tanks) could be transported. Furthermore, the ships had to transport the vehicle crews, numbering 280 troops and maintain a sustained speed of 15 knots at full load to keep up with the invasion fleets. The final design allowed for the ships to embark either two British Landing craft tank#Mark 3, landing craft tanks (LCT) side by side or three US Landing craft tank#Mark 5, Mk 5 LCTs with one forward of the other two which were positioned side by side or 14 LCMs or of cargo in the well deck. Furthermore, they could store of fuel for the vehicles also with accommodate the crews of up to 24 vehicles in addition to a headquarters staff. Beginning in November 1943 during World War II, a deck was erected over the top of the well deck which doubled the carrying capacity of light vehicles such as trucks and DUKWs. Further additions included the installation of a mezzanine or spar deck beneath the new deck and atop the well deck to increase the carrying capacity of small vehicles again, with the decks being connected by ramps allowing for the vehicles to be driven onto the ship via the stern.Ships in class
Construction and career
On 26 November 1941, eight LSDs were ordered for construction at the Moore Dry Dock Company yard in Oakland, California for the United States Navy. They entered service at the height of World War II and saw action in the Pacific War, Pacific theater, taking part in several major invasions including the battles of Battle of Saipan, Saipan, Philippines campaign (1944–1945), Philippines, Battle of Okinawa, Okinawa and Battle of Iwo Jima, Iwo Jima. Following the war, the vessels were placed Reserve fleet, in reserve. During the war, the ability to transport smaller vessels such as PT boats or minesweepers sometimes led to criticism that the ''Ashland''-class ships were not available for their primary jobs. Furthermore, the landing ship docks were fitted with repair shops and some acted as repair ships in forward areas. They were reactivated for the Korean War, taking part in Military exercise, fleet exercises. ''Epping Forest'' operated in Korean waters, taking part in minesweeping operations, the first for an LSD. In 1954, ''Belle Grove'' was part of the fleet monitoring Operation Castle, a nuclear test at Bikini Atoll and again in 1957 for Operation Hardtack I. In 1956, ''Ashland'' was re-configured to operate six Martin P5M Marlin, Martin P5M-2 Marlin aircraft before being taken out of service again 1957. In 1956 ''White Marsh'' was decommissioned, but remained in active service with a civilian crew as part of the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS). ''White Marsh'' remained in this service until being transferred to the Republic of China, Taiwan. ''Lindenwald'' also saw service with the MSTS but was reacquired by the United States Navy. ''Belle Grove'' and ''Gunston Hall'' operated off the coast of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War and performed several transport missions in support of operations there. ''Lindenwald'' also took part in the Dominican Civil War#US intervention, landings of US troops in the Dominican Republic in 1965.Export
Following the Korean War, the Republic of China Navy sought to expand its amphibious capability in case an opportunity arose to invade mainland China. They acquired ''White Marsh'' on 17 November 1960 on loan and renamed the ship ''Tung Hai'' and gave it the pennant number 191. The vessel was later purchased outright in May 1976 and was renamed ''Chung Cheng'' with the pennant number 639. ''Chung Cheng'' was discarded in 1988. On 24 April 1970, Argentina purchased ''Gunston Hall'', renaming the ship ''Candido de Lasala'' with the pennant number Q43, later B10. ''Candido de Lasala'' was used both as a landing ship dock and as a depot ship for small craft. The vessel was deleted in 1982.Gallery
Notes
Citations
References
* * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ashland Class Dock Landing Ship Ashland-class dock landing ships, Ship classes of the United States Navy