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Indian National Flag waves on ex USS
Trenton after handover to the Indian Navy - Norfolk, Virginia - January 2007
Norfolk, Virginia - September 2006
Mediterranean Sea - July 2006
Suez Canal - July 2006
Norfolk, Virginia - April 2006
Galveston, Texas - February 2006
Port Everglades, Florida - April 2004
Norfolk, Virginia - August 2000
Norfolk, Virginia - September 1999
Atlantic Ocean - July 1996
Hampton Roadstead, North Carolina -
August 1995
Chesapeake Bay - December 1991
Chesapeake Bay - December 1991
underway - December 1991
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
underway - May 1987
May 1987
Morehead City, North Carolina - May 1987
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City,
North Carolina - May 1987
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City,
North Carolina - May 1987
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City,
North Carolina - May 1987
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City,
North Carolina - May 1987
Mk-33 3”/50-caliber twin gun mount -
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City, North Carolina - May 1987
Mk-33 3”/50-caliber twin gun mount -
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City, North Carolina - May 1987
Mk-33 3”/50-caliber twin gun mount -
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City, North Carolina - May 1987
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City,
North Carolina - May 1987
M-110A2 203mm Howitzer offload - exercise
SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City, North Carolina - May 1987
M-110A2 203mm Howitzer offload - exercise
SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City, North Carolina - May 1987
M-110A2 203mm Howitzer - exercise SOLID
SHIELD 87 - Morehead City, North Carolina - May 1987
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City,
North Carolina - May 1987
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City,
North Carolina - May 1987
exercise SOLID SHIELD 87 - Morehead City,
North Carolina - May 1987
underway - May 1986
off Lebanon - March 1984
Norfolk, Virginia - October 1983
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USS
Trenton (LPD 14):
The third Trenton (LPD-14) was laid down at
Seattle, Wash., on 8 August 1966 by the Lockheed Shipbuilding &
Construction Co.; launched on 3 August 1968; sponsored by Mrs. Richard J.
Hughes; and commissioned on 6 March 1971, Capt. Karl R. Thiele in command.
Trenton got underway on 9 April for the east coast and reached her home port,
Norfolk, Va., on 12 May. The amphibious transport dock remained in port until
1 June when she departed Hampton Roads for shakedown training out of
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. However, on 28 June, her shakedown cruise was
interrupted when a steam valve in her number two engine room ruptured,
killing four sailors instantly and severely injuring six others. The injured
men were "medevaced" first to Guantanamo Bay and thence to the burn
ward of the Army Hospital at Fort Sam Houston, Tex. There, two of the six
subsequently died as a result of their injuries.
Trenton returned to Guantanamo Bay for interim repairs and then made her way
back to Norfolk on one engine, arriving on 6 July. After repairs at the
Norfolk Naval Shipyard, she completed shakedown training off the Virginia
Capes and in the Guantanamo Bay operating area. On 9 November, the ship
returned to Norfolk and remained there through the end of 1971.
On 17 January 1972, Trenton rounded Cape Charles and headed north to
participate in Exercise "Snowy Beach." She arrived off Reid State
Park, Maine, three days later and participated in the cold weather amphibious
exercise until the 23d when she headed home. On 4 February, she stood out of
Hampton Roads bound for the Gulf of Mexico in company with Ponce (LPD-15).
The two ships reached New Orleans on 9 February and, for the next six days,
served as "hotel" ships for ROTC and military participants in the
Mardi Gras Festival.
Trenton returned to Norfolk on 20 February and resumed her east coast-West
Indies routine. Following amphibious training at Onslow Beach, N.C., and sea
trials near Norfolk, she visited the Caribbean in April with other units of
Amphibious Squadron (PhibRon) 4. She then devoted the rest of the early
summer to exercises and training at Onslow Beach and at Norfolk before
preparing for her first Mediterranean deployment.
The ship departed Norfolk on 28 July, embarked marines at Morehead City,
N.C., on the 29th, and headed across the Atlantic on the 30th. She reached
Rota, Spain, on 10 August and, with the other units of PhibRon 4, was
incorporated into the 6th Fleet as Task Force (TF) 61. She spent the
remainder of the year and most of the first month of 1973 in the Mediterranean.
During that six-month period, Trenton participated in six amphibious landing
exercises (Phiblex's), most of which were conducted in cooperation with the
military services of foreign nations. In September, she conducted a landing
exercise at Timbakion, Crete, with units of the Italian Navy. Greek and
Italian ships joined her later that month for Phiblex 3-73 conducted at
Alexandroupolis, Greece. In mid-October, troops of the French Foreign Legion
provided the opposition for a landing exercise at Corsica. Trenton visited
Izmir, Turkey, in mid-September and, in mid-December, concluded her exercise
schedule at Porto Scuda, Sardinia, with Phiblex 6-73. On 16 January 1973, she
headed home; and, 10 days later, she entered the Naval Amphibious Base at Little
Creek, Va.
On 1 March, Trenton shifted to the administrative command of PhibRon 10. On
the 27th, she embarked marines at Morehead City and headed for Onslow Beach,
where she participated in Exercise "Exotic Dancer VI." On 7 April,
the warship headed south to Vieques Island, near Puerto Rico. From 10 to 14
April, Trenton joined other Navy ships in Exercise "Escort Tiger
XIV," which consisted of training for disaster assistance to the island
countries of the Caribbean. During this Caribbean cruise, she visited
Maracaibo, Venezuela; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and St. Thomas in the Virgin
Islands before embarking the marines at Vieques on 3 May. After a port visit
at Ponce, Puerto Rico, Trenton carried her marines to Guantanamo Bay for a
four-day exercise. On 14 May, she departed the Caribbean and, after
disembarking the marines on 17 May, reached Norfolk on the 18th.
On 11 June, Trenton steamed out of Hampton Roads for northern Europe. She
reached Kiel, Germany, on the 22d, and, for the next week, participated in
the annual "Kiel Week" naval celebration. Early in July, she
visited Portsmouth, England, and, at mid-month, put into Rotterdam in the
Netherlands. The amphibious transport dock bade farewell to Europe at
Rotterdam on 21 July and headed back to the United States.
Trenton spent the remainder of the summer conducting drills in the Virginia
capes operating area and in preparation for her second Caribbean deployment
of the year. On 1 October, she shifted from PhibRon 10 to PhibRon 8. On the
last day of that month, she embarked marines at Morehead City and headed
south. For the remainder of the year, she cruised the Caribbean, visiting
ports in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and in the Netherlands Antilles as
well as conducting amphibious exercises at Vieques Island. The amphibious
transport dock returned to Norfolk on 14 December.
During the first four months of 1974, Trenton conducted operations out of
Little Creek and Norfolk and prepared for duty in the Mediterranean. On 10
May, she embarked marines at Morehead City and put to sea. Ten days later,
she reached Rota, Spain, and joined the 6th Fleet. For the next six months,
she cruised the Mediterranean, visiting ports and conducting exercises. In
July, Trenton participated in the evacuation of 286 refugees from strife-torn
Cyprus to Beirut, Lebanon. While with the 6th Fleet, she participated in four
amphibious exercises. One - Operation "Good Friendship/Double
Effect" - included ships of the Turkish Navy. On 20 October, she steamed
out of Rota to return to the United States. She arrived in Norfolk on 31
October and operated in the western Atlantic through the end of 1974.
On 7 March 1975, she embarked marines at Morehead City and headed south.
After an amphibious assault exercise at Onslow Beach from 8 to 10 March, she
continued south to the Caribbean. During the two-month cruise, Trenton
participated in four exercises, two of which - "LantReadEx 2-75"
and "Rum Punch" - were held in cooperation with units of the
British and Dutch navies. She returned to Norfolk on 28 April. In May, she
hosted a class from the Naval War College, conducted a midshipman training
cruise for the Naval Academy, and returned to Onslow Beach for joint service
Exercise "Solid Shield." During the early summer.
Trenton prepared for overhaul. On 14 August, she headed north to New York,
moored at the Coastal Dry-dock & Repair Co. on the following day, and
commenced a nine-month overhaul.
On 12 May 1976, Trenton completed her overhaul and, following loadout at
Little Creek, Va., she deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on 6 July for
refresher training. Returning to Norfolk on 17 August, the ship's next three
months was spent in preparation for a forthcoming Mediterranean deployment.
On 15 November, Trenton, with embarked elements of Marine Battalion Landing
Team 1/6, formed Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group 3-76 and operated with
the Sixth Fleet until she returned to Norfolk on 12 May 1977.
Following post-deployment standdown which ended on 30 June, Trenton spent the
remainder of 1977 conducting midshipman training cruises, engaging in
amphibious exercises, and participating in COMPTUEX 3-77, which involved
units of the Standing Naval Force Atlantic.
The year 1978 found Trenton embarking elements of Battalion Landing Team 1/2
and deploying to the Caribbean from 30 January to 7 March to participate in
Atlantic Fleet Readiness Exercise 1-78. The succeeding four months were spent
in preparations for a return to the Mediterranean. The ship, with embarked
elements of Marine Battalion Landing Team 2/8, departed More-head City on 27
July, as part of Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group 2-78. The remainder of
1978 was spent with the Sixth Fleet in that sea.
1981-1996
On 21 April 1981, during a five-day port visit, the Trenton and USS Jack
(SSN-605) were slightly damaged when the Jack, surged against the Trenton in
a sea swell.
On 17 October 1983 the Trenton departed Norfolk for the Mediterranean Sea.
Somewhere east of Bermuda, she was diverted to Grenada to take part in
Operation Urgent Fury. Trenton transited to the Eastern Mediterranean in
November and took station off the coast of Beirut. While there she lost the
hydraulic operating system for the port sterngate, as a result of operating
in high sea conditions, and had to retire to Larnaca Bay, Cyprus to raise it
lest it be lost to heavy seas. Further repairs were made at Haifa, Israel during
December and until 3 January 1984.
In April 1988, the Trenton participated in Operation Praying Mantis, a
one-day naval battle between the United States and Iran, one helicopter Cobra
is lost. the ship and its crew were awarded the Combat Action Ribbon, the
Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for various operations.
In September 1990 the Trenton was ordered to the Persian Gulf in support of
Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Her crew received a Navy Unit
Commendation and the Southwest Asia Service Medal.
On 26 December 1990, Navy Seals, Marine Recon, and Marine MP's from the
Trenton boarded the Libyan ship IBN Kahldoon to search for prohibited cargo
which was found and confiscated. It was determined that the Libyan vessel was
in violation of the supply embargo placed on Iraq.
On 4 January 1991 the ship conducted Operation Eastern Exit. The U.S.
Ambassador, the Soviet ambassador, and 193 additional foreign nationals
evacuated in four helicopter round trips from U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu,
Somalia to the ship and ultimately to safety. The ship and crew were awarded
the Navy Unit Commendation as part of PHIBRON 6.
In April, 1996, President Clinton ordered the ship to steam towards the coast
of Liberia to assist in the evacuation of U.S. citizens and foreign
nationals. This operation became known as Operation Assured Response. Her
crew received the Joint Meritorious Unit Award.
End of United States Navy career
In July, 2006, the U.S. tasked the vessel with evacuating citizens from
Lebanon. The ship took some 3,500 Americans in two trips one to Cyprus and
the other to Turkey. During the deployment, the ship’s crew also conducted
maritime security operations off the Somali Peninsula in Africa.
USS Trenton (LPD-14) and its nearly 400 sailors made their final homecoming
21 September 2006 before the ship’s decommissioning and transfer to the
Indian Navy on 17 January 2007.
On 16 February 2007, Trenton was awarded the 2006 Battle "E" award.
Sale to the Indian Navy
In 2006, the Indian government purchased Trenton for US$48.44 million (Rs
2.18 billion). The ship was turned over to the Indian Navy on 17 January
2007. The Indian Navy renamed the ship as the INS Jalashwa (Sanskrit for
Water horse). It remained at Norfolk Naval Base for refitting until May 2007.
Six H-3 Sea King maritime utility transport helicopters will be operated from
the ship. The ship is likely to be based at Visakhapatnam under the Eastern
Naval Command.
source: US Naval History & Heritage
Command and wikipedia
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