USS Newport (LST-1179)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Newport.
History
United States
Laid down: 1 November 1966
Launched: 3 February 1968
Commissioned: 7 June 1969
Decommissioned: 30 September 1992
Homeport: NAB Little Creek, Virginia (former)
Motto: "First in Her Class"
Fate: Transferred to Mexico; renamed Papaloapan (P-411)
History
Mexico
Name: Papaloapan (A411)
Acquired: 23 May 2001
Status: In service
General characteristics
Class and type: Newport class tank landing ship
Displacement:
Length:
  • 522 ft (159.11 m) overall,
  • 500 ft (152.40 m) at the waterline.
Beam: 70 ft (21.34 m)
Draft: 19 ft (5.79 m)
Propulsion:
  • 6 diesel engines, 16,000 brake horsepower, two shafts, Twin Controllable Pitch Screws
  • Bow Thruster – Single Screw, Controllable Pitch,
Speed: 21.5 knots (37+ km/h)
Capacity: 19,000 sq ft (1,765.2 m2), capacity of 29 tanks or 30 AAVs.
Troops:
  • Marine detachment:
  •   360 plus 40 surge
Complement:
  • Crew:
  •   14 officers, 210 enlisted
Armament:
  • 4 three-inch/50 caliber guns in two twin-barrel mounts
  • 1 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS mounts.

The USS Newport (LST-1179) was the third ship to bear the name of the Rhode Island city. The first of her class of LSTs, she was capable of a sustained speed of 20 knots (37 km/h). Her ability to adjust her draft, accompanied by her unique bow-ramp design, helped bring a new degree of responsiveness to the amphibious fleet.

Built by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, she was christened on 3 February 1968 by Mrs. Nuella Pell; wife of Rhode Island Senator, Claiborne Pell.

While assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, Newport completed ten deployments to the Mediterranean, as an asset of the Sixth Fleet. She also completed numerous deployments to the North Atlantic and Caribbean, in support of U.S. foreign policy. She assisted in the 1976 evacuation of Lebanon, and the 1990 Liberian Civil War; as well as operating in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, from a station in the Mediterranean.

During her service, she earned the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy "E" Ribbon (for Battle Efficiency), (twice), Navy Expeditionary Medal (one service star), National Defense Service Medal (one service star), Humanitarian Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (nine service stars), and a Secretary of State Tribute of Appreciation.

Deployments

Initially dry docked at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, followed by move to Horn Brother, Newport News, Virginia. Commander William Naldrett relieves Commander Fred – June 1979.

Refresher training after Regular Overhaul included a post visit to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

12 March 1980 – Crosses Arctic Circle off the coast of Norway.

17 March 1982 – Fire destroys No. 3 Engine Room while anchored in the port of Berbera, Somalia

December 1990 – Shellback Initiation off the coast of Liberia

Fate

USS Newport was decommissioned on 30 September 1992, at her homeport of NAB Little Creek, Virginia. After several years in the Navy's mothball facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she was sold to the Mexican Navy. Rechristened at Mexican Naval Shipyard Number 1 (ASTIMAR-1), Tampico, Tamaulipas Mexico, as Mexican Navy Ship (ARM in Spanish) Papaloapan (P-411).

In late 2005, the ARM Papaloapan (P-411) (former USS Newport) answered the call of the United States once again, bringing aid and supplies to citizens of Mississippi, who fell victim to Hurricane Katrina.

In January 2010, she was deployed with 5000 tons of cargo in a humanitarian mission to Haiti.[1]

In November 2012, she was sent to Cuba with tons of supplies to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy

References

  1. ↑ Sale ayuda mexicana rumbo a Haití (in Spanish), retrieved 2010-01-14
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