USS Austin (LPD-4) - 1960s

1960s

The amphibious transport dock remained at Brooklyn through May, then sailed to Norfolk, Virginia, on 26 May to complete her outfitting. During September and October, she was engaged in shakedown training in the vicinity of Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. The ship then made a port call at Corpus Christi, Texas, before returning to her home port of Norfolk in November.

From November 1965 through April 1966, Austin operated in the Norfolk area before entering the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 5 May for repairs and alterations. When this work was completed, she headed for the Caribbean to conduct two weeks of trials off Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. The ship next sailed to the Dominican Republic to assist in the withdrawal of units of the Inter-American Peace Force which had helped restore stability during a political crisis. These units were disembarked at Sunny Point, North Carolina, on 9 August, and she then returned, via Norfolk, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she arrived on 21 August for adjustments to her main propulsion plant. On 3 November Austin returned to Norfolk.

She spent the next four and one-half months in preparation for an extended deployment as a unit of the Caribbean Amphibious Ready Group. On 15 April 1967, Austin touched at Morehead City, North Carolina, to embark United States Marine Corps units and then proceeded to the Caribbean. While there, she participated in numerous amphibious training exercises and made port visits at Ponce, Puerto Rico, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Colón, Panama, and Guantanamo Bay. The vessel returned her marines to Morehead City on 17 August and arrived at Norfolk on 19 August for a leave and upkeep period. She got underway again on 4 November to become a part of the recovery force for the Apollo 4 space mission. From 13–16 November, Austin held amphibious training exercises, then returned to Norfolk for the holidays.

She sailed on 8 January 1968 to carry naval personnel and equipment to Key West, Florida. After continuing on to Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, the ship arrived back in Norfolk 25 January. During February, March, and April, she took part in several training exercises along the east coast. On 13 May, another cruise to the Caribbean began which included visits to Bermuda, Nassau, Bahamas, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Key West, Florida. The vessel briefly returned to Norfolk on 3 June and then retraced her route to take part in Operation Race Run at Vieques Island. Austin was back in home port on 30 June and entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 19 July for an overhaul.

Refresher training at Guantánamo Bay in late January 1969 was followed by two weeks of amphibious warfare training in the Virginia Capes area. In April, Austin took part in special amphibious exercises before beginning another deployment to the Caribbean on 18 May. During the four-month cruise, she was involved in Operation Exotic Dancer II, held off Puerto Rico and visits included San Juan and Roosevelt Roads, La Guaira, Venezuela; Colón, Panama; Guantanamo Bay; Bridgetown, Barbados; and St. Thomas. This deployment ended on 10 September, and the ship began a period of leave and upkeep at Norfolk. She sailed again on 4 November as a recovery ship in support of the Apollo 12 spaceshot and remained on station until 24 November when she began the voyage back to Norfolk. Austin made a brief stop at Port of Spain, Trinidad, on 29–30 November and arrived at Norfolk on 6 December.