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USS Schenectady (LST 1185)

- decommissioned -
- sunk as a target -

USS SCHENECTADY was the seventh ship in the NEWPORT - class of Tank Landing Ships. Homeported in San Diego, Ca., she was decommissioned on December 15, 1993, and transfered to the Naval Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility (NISMF), Pearl Harbor, HI, where she spent the following 11 years. Stricken from the Navy list on July 13, 2001, the SCHENECTADY was sunk as a target by the US Air Force on November 23, 2004. The SINKEX took place north of Kauai, Hawaii, and was intended to demonstrate the use of "smart bombs" against moving targets.

The USS SCHENECTADY was once named at the suggestion of a Schenectady schoolgirl who wrote a letter to the secretary of the Navy, asking for the possibility of naming a ship after her hometown.

General Characteristics:Awarded: July 15, 1966
Keel laid: August 2, 1968
Launched: May 24, 1969
Commissioned: June 13, 1970
Decommissioned: December 15, 1993
Builder: National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, Calif.
Propulsion system: 6 diesels; 16,000 horsepower; bow thruster
Propellers: two and one bow thruster screw
Length: 522 feet (159 meters)
Length over derrick arms: 561 feet (171 meters)
Beam: 70 feet (21.2 meters)
Draft: 17,4 feet (5.3 meters)
Displacement: approx. 8500 tons
Speed: 20 knots
Aircraft: helicopter platform only
Armament: one 20mm Phalanx CIWS, 4 3-inch/.50-caliber guns
Crew: 14 officers, 210 enlisted and approx. 350 embarked troops


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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS SCHENECTADY. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.


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USS SCHENECTADY Cruise Books:


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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

The Ship's Seal represents symbolically a number of themes pertinent to the ship. The composition combines symbols of both the sponsoring City and County and the Amphibious Force.

The shock of wheat is the seal of the City of Schenectady, recalling the "fair land" of the Mohawk Valley and symbolizing peace and plenty. The scales of justice beneath the crossed swords, the seal of the County of Schenectady, represents strength and justice. The Danforth Anchor has been symbolic of the LST since its origin, because of its significant use during Amphibious operations.

Above the shield is the torch of liberty and freedom. The entire emblem, through these symbols, represents liberty and freedom defended by strength through justice, peace and plenty.

This seal is based on a design originated by Petty Officer First Class Noel Talampas, USN, a member of the nucleus crew of the SCHENECTADY.



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USS SCHENECTADY Video Gallery:

Click on the thumbnail on the left to view a clip of SCHENECTADY being sunk as a target off Kauai, Hi, using JDAM bombs launched from B-52s and guided by Joint STARS E8-C aircraft from over 100km away.

DivX file, 2 MB



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