USS St. Louis (LKA-116) - Mid 1970s

Mid 1970s

On 31 March 1972 St. Louis headed out of Long Beach Naval Shipyard back to the picket line off the coast of South Vietnam, participating in the defense of Quang Tri during the Easter Offensive on 24 May 1972. The St. Louis offloaded South Vietnamese Marines and US Navy SEAL squads during this assault, earning a campaign star, and later, in the 1990s, the Combat Action Ribbon. After seven months of transporting men and cargo between various bases in the western Pacific, she returned to Long Beach on Veterans Day 1972. She spent the rest of 1972 and all of 1973 on the west coast. She visited Acapulco, Mexico, in February, participated in DSRV operations in May and visited Portland, Oregon, in June for the annual Rose Festival. She finished out 1973 with availability periods, refresher training, and amphibious exercises. In mid-January 1974, St. Louis stood out of Long Beach to return to the western Pacific. As of May 1974, she was in port at Subic Bay, P.I.

USS St. Louis participated in "Operation Eagle Claw" in 1981 The Iran Hostage Rescue Mission. She and her Mike 8 Boats were at full battle ready positions and A contingent of Special Force Marines were on Board.

Operations Brought her within 20 Miles of Tehran,Iran Crew Members witnessed flyovers of Iranian Air force A-6 Intruders With Missile Armament under the wings.

There were also several Incidents of Chemical attack Warnings as some of these Aircraft were seen to be releasing an Aerosol agent of some sort over the Vessels in the Vicinity of the Beach Head. Some have speculated this was Either Mustard gas or Some other Chemical Agent. Many Veterans of this Operation have had long term symptoms of nerve agent poisoning but the V/A does not acknowledge this.

When St. Louis returned to the Home port of 32nsd Street Naval Station San Diego, CA. She received an overhaul and then was Re-Home ported to Sasebo, Japan where she remained doing Humanitarian Aid missions until she was decommissioned in 1992.

St. Louis was taken out of commission and put in reserve on 2 November 1992. As of 30 July 2001 she was berthed at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Middle Loch, in Pearl Harbor.