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USS El Paso (LKA-117)
Encyclopedia
USS El Paso (AKA-117/LKA-117) is a Charleston class amphibious cargo ship
named after the city of El Paso, Texas
. She served as a commissioned ship for 24 years and 3 months.
She was laid down as AKA-117 at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA on 22 October 1968, and redesignated LKA-117 on 1 January 1969. She was launched on 17 May 1969, and commissioned
on 17 January 1970.
El Paso was not involved in the Vietnam War
.
In 1993 El Paso deployed to the Indian Ocean
and Persian Gulf
, and participated in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia
.
She was decommissioned on 21 April 1994. She is berthed at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility
in Philadelphia, PA.
The ship earned several awards and campaign ribbons for her service.
Unofficial ship's motto (1977-1982): "You call, we haul -- N-o-o-o problem!"
Roy Cash, nephew of singer Johnny Cash
and father of Miss America
1987 winner Kellye Cash
, once served as her captain.
There is no known DANFS entry for the ship.
Amphibious cargo ship
Amphibious cargo ships were U.S. Navy ships designed specifically to carry troops, heavy equipment and supplies in support of amphibious assaults, and to provide naval gunfire support during those assaults. A total of 108 of these ships were built between 1943 and 1945—which worked out to an...
named after the city of El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. She served as a commissioned ship for 24 years and 3 months.
She was laid down as AKA-117 at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA on 22 October 1968, and redesignated LKA-117 on 1 January 1969. She was launched on 17 May 1969, and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 17 January 1970.
El Paso was not involved in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
In 1993 El Paso deployed to the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
and Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, and participated in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
.
She was decommissioned on 21 April 1994. She is berthed at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility
Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility
A Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility is a facility owned by the U.S. Navy as a holding facility for decommissioned naval vessels, pending determination of their final fate...
in Philadelphia, PA.
The ship earned several awards and campaign ribbons for her service.
Unofficial ship's motto (1977-1982): "You call, we haul -- N-o-o-o problem!"
Roy Cash, nephew of singer Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
and father of Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1987 winner Kellye Cash
Kellye Cash
Kellye Cash-Sheppard from Memphis, Tennessee, was Miss Tennessee 1986 and was crowned Miss America 1987, capturing preliminary honors in both the talent and swimsuit competitions....
, once served as her captain.
There is no known DANFS entry for the ship.