TRICK OR TREAT
DECOM'S COMPLETE
NEW ORLEANS HAS LEFT THE FLEET

  1. The Story of NEW ORLEANS
  2. Historical Highlights
  3. Photo Gallery
  4. The Ballad of Typhoon Phil





The Story of NEW ORLEANS

USS NEW ORLEANS (LPH 11) first took shape March 1, 1966, when her keel was laid at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was commissioned on November 16, 1968, under the command of Captain G. M. Even, USN. After completion of final outfitting and weapons on load, she proceeded through the Panama Canal to arrive at her homeport of San Diego on March 3, 1969. Less than five months later, she departed for Vietnam on the first of 18 Western Pacific deployments.

Receiving her baptism of fire in the Vietnam War, NEW ORLEANS was a highly effective and versatile platform during that conflict. Her first deployment was eight months long, and included numerous operations off the coast of Danang, Vietnam. In October 1969, NEW ORLEANS off loaded Battalion Landing Team 2-26 in Vietnam, and was in sight of Danang on New Year's Eve. She helped move troops out of Vietnam during OPERATION KEYSTONE CARDINAL. In March 1970 she returned 1,100 Marines and 100 vehicles to San Diego during operation KEYSTONE BLUE JAY. August 1972 found NEW ORLEANS performing mine sweeping operations in support of OPERATION END SWEEP. Serving as a control ship, she cleared the mined coastal and harbor waters off North Vietnam.

NEW ORLEANS answered the call to duty again in 1990, when she steamed into harm's way during OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. When USS TRIPOLI (LPH 10) struck a mine on February 18, 1991, leaving a 20 by 30 foot hole in her hull, NEW ORLEANS took over as the flagship for mine sweeping operations in the Persian Gulf. She played a major role in the largest amphibious task force deployed in 25 years, as she was the only ship in the Gulf to actually send Marines into combat.

NEW ORLEANS also distinguished herself in crises other than wars. She spent several months in the Indian Ocean during the Iranian Hostage Crisis. She served in an alert status off the coast of the Philippines during their 1986 national elections. She participated in contingency operations near Selat Lombok. Whenever and wherever NEW ORLEANS was needed, she was on station, maintaining a careful watch on U. S. interests.

During the years of relative peace, NEW ORLEANS maintained her battle readiness by constant training, rigorous preparation, and participation in countless exercises. In 1970 she participated in MEBLEX 1-70, one of the largest amphibious exercises ever conducted on the West Coast. Since then, she has participated in many major exercises, including TEAM SPIRIT, VALIANT BLITZ, COBRA GOLD, KERNEL USHER, RIMPAC, VALIANT USHER, KERNEL BLITZ, and TANDEM THRUST. NEW ORLEANS' constant vigilance in maintaining her battle readiness led to many awards and accolades, as well as outstanding performance on every imaginable inspection. After sweeping every "Efficiency" award one year, she even became known as the "Hallmark Ship."

Lending a helping hand to those in need has also been a recurring theme for NEW ORLEANS, as evidenced by her many humanitarian accomplishments. In 1971, she provided extensive assistance to the residents of Palnuan City on Mindoro Island, Republic of the Philippines. Marines from the embarked Battalion Landing Team built water storage tanks while medical personnel treated over 800 villagers for conditions ranging from intestinal parasites to tuberculosis. Dental care was also provided. One of the ship's portable generators was used to show 2,000 villagers their first movie. A year later, NEW ORLEANS returned to the Philippines to provide flood relief. In 1989, while in transit to Mazatlan, Mexico, she was diverted to Cabo San Lucas to render assistance after a propane explosion destroyed a large section of the city. Most notably, NEW ORLEANS deployed in September 1993 in support of OPERATIONS RESTORE HOPE and UNOSOM II off the coast of Mogadishu, Somalia.

NEW ORLEANS amassed an impressive record of search and rescue achievements, starting with her very first Navy helicopter landing underway. A UH-2 flew from Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey to evacuate a seriously ill shipyard worker to a hospital ashore during machinery trials a few days after her commissioning. NEW ORLEANS entered the record books for the longest MEDEVAC (775 nautical miles) when a crew member injured his head in an accident and two Air Force H-53s flew 7 hours and 43 minutes from Hawaii to reach the ship and take him to a hospital.

The ship operated her own organic search and rescue helicopter (call sign "CAJUN") until August 1992. First an H-46 Sea Knight, it was later replaced by an H-1 Huey. NEW ORLEANS performed many MEDEVACs and rescues utilizing both "CAJUN" and embarked Navy and Marine Corps helicopters. Beneficiaries of these services included personnel from NEW ORLEANS, other United States Ships, Norwegian merchants, Australian Navy ships, and civilian fishing and sailing vessels. In addition, NEW ORLEANS' helicopters have rescued pilots from F-4, H-53, and AV-8 aircraft, as well as space vehicles.

NEW ORLEANS began her space career on February 9, 1971, when she recovered the Apollo 14 command module and astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Ed Mitchell 900 miles south of American Samoa in the South Pacific. On September 25, 1973, she recovered the Skylab III command module and astronauts Alan Bean, Owen Garriott, and Jack Lousma 190 miles southwest of San Diego. On February 8, 1974, NEW ORLEANS recovered the Skylab IV command module and astronauts Jerry Carr, Ed Gibson, and Bill Pogue 250 miles southwest of San Diego. Finally, on July 5, 1975, she recovered the Apollo/Soyuz Test Project command module and astronauts Thomas Stafford, Donald Slayton, and Vance Brand.

Aviation testing was another arena in which NEW ORLEANS excelled. Her accomplishments included the first landing of an AV-8A HARRIER on an LPH class ship in the Pacific, followed by the first underway operations of the "Jump Jet." The first UAV operations from an LPH were conducted onboard NEW ORLEANS. She performed dynamic interface testing for several rotary wing platforms, and operated many experimental aircraft complements utilizing Navy, Marine, Army, Air Force, and Special Operations assets. Additionally, a number of foreign and civilian aircraft have landed on her flight deck.

A world-class hostess, NEW ORLEANS represented the nation with dignity and grace around the globe. In 1969, she hosted the Eighth Vietnamese Awards Ceremony. Guests included the Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam, Commander in Chief U. S. Pacific Fleet, and numerous other dignitaries. Over the years, she has received several foreign heads of state, the Bolshoi Ballet, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, several Chiefs of Naval Operations, and Miss America, to name a few.

NEW ORLEANS also enjoyed her share of the limelight. In 1971 the popular Mike Douglas TV Show was filmed onboard. In addition to the media coverage of all the space program recoveries, several portions of the Oscar winning movie "Apollo 13," starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton, were shot onboard. NEW ORLEANS' Hollywood career ended in May of 1997, after the crew participated in the filming of the TV movie tentatively titled "A Thousand Men and a Baby." The movie is based on a true story about a U. S. Navy ship that recovered and cared for an infant during the Korean War. The movie is scheduled to air on CBS affiliates at 9 PM (PST), December 7, 1997.

Throughout her 29 year history, NEW ORLEANS has always lived up to the "Hallmark" standard. As a fighting ship, she has never let her country down, always ready to go in harm's way to defend our national interests. NEW ORLEANS has excelled in every endeavor; her many accomplishments are a tribute to the fine Navy and Marine Corps Team that has served with her so well. Her legacy of excellence will be the standard by which other amphibious assault ships will be judged in the years to come. She will be sorely missed.
Fair winds and following seas, NEW ORLEANS!





Historical Highlights



01 Mar 66	Keel laid by Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

03 Feb 68	Launched.  Christened by sponsor, Mrs. 
		Arthur A.de la Houssaye.

06 Nov 68	Crew moved aboard.

16 Nov 68	Commissioned at U. S. Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA.  
		First helicopters landed for display purposes.

10-12 Dec 68	First underway helicopter operations; MEDEVAC of
		shipyard worker by HC-4.

24 Feb 69	Transited Panama Canal.

03 Mar 69	Arrived homeport San Diego.

01Aug 69	Underway for WESTPAC (Vietnam War).

11 Jan 70	Conducted memorial service for USS DUPAGE.

27 Mar 70	Returned from WESTPAC.

14 May 70	Participated in Maritime Week and Armed Forces Week
	 	festivities in San Francisco; hosted over 5,000 visitors.

9-19 Jul 70	Transported load of miscellaneous aircraft to Pearl Harbor.

17-28 Aug 70	Supported Nixon's Presidential Visit to Puerto Vallarta, 
		Mexico.

28 Sep 70	NASA evaluated Pettybone crane (Tilley) for use with Apollo 
		14 Mission.

07 Jan 71	Underway for Apollo 14 Mission.

09 Feb 71	Recovered Apollo 14 crew and command module. 

11 Feb 71	Astronauts flown off to Pago Pago, Samoa.

25 Feb 71	Returned from WESTPAC.

15 Apr 71	Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department established.

01 May 71	Underway for WESTPAC.

12 May 71	Provided medical assistance to SS COLUMBIA MARINER.

18 May 71	Evacuated crew member from SS AMICA (Norwegian ship).
		Medical Officer performed appendectomy.

28-31 Jul 71	Provided civic action medical assistance in Paluan Village, 
		Mindoro, R.P.I.

05 Nov 71	Returned from WESTPAC.

17 Feb 72	Entered Dry Dock #1, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, for new 
		low pressure turbine and communications upgrades.

17 Jul 72	Underway for WESTPAC (Vietnam contingency operations and 
		Philippine flood relief).

 01 Oct 72	Evacuated 28 personnel from USS NEWPORT NEWS after her 
		8 inch gun turret exploded.

23 Oct 72	15,000th helicopter landing.

 04 Feb 73	Rescue and Assistance Team helps USS TOLOVANA (AO 72) 
		in fighting fire while at anchor.

13 May 73	Returned from WESTPAC.

25 Sep 73	Recovered Skylab III crew and command module.

29 Sep 73	Gun Mounts 32 and 34 removed for installation of Basic 
		Point Defense Missile System (BPDMS).

08 Feb 74	Recovered Skylab IV crew and command module.

16 Mar 74	Underway for WESTPAC.

30 May 74	Performed MEDEVAC of crewman from merchant ship 
		OCEANIC LONDON.

31 May 74	Performed MEDEVAC of female crew member from merchant ship 
		KYMO.

10 Jun 74	Performed MEDEVAC of crewman from USS ST. LOUIS (LKA 116).

31 Aug 74	Returned from WESTPAC.

05 Jul 75	Underway for WESTPAC.

24 Jul 75	Recovered U. S. astronauts and command module from 
		Apollo/Soyuz Test Project.

03 Dec 75	25,000th helicopter landing made by CH-46.

16 Dec 75	First Harrier landing and takeoff on LPH in Pacific 
		(made pierside).

19 Dec 75	First underway AV-8A Harrier operations on LPH in Pacific.

17 Mar 76	26,000th landing made by the Commanding Officer, 
		Capt Zoehrer, in CAJUN 05.

23 Mar 76	Returned from WESTPAC.

02 Apr 77	Underway for WESTPAC.

04 Jul 77	Fired 21 gun salute in Hong Kong Harbor.

07 Dec 77	Returned from WESTPAC with 58 "Tigers" from Pearl Harbor.

21 Jun 78	Underway for WESTPAC.

02 Jul 78	MEDEVAC from USS ASHTABULA (AO 51) to Tripler Army 
		Hospital, Hawaii.

05 Oct 78	Returned from WESTPAC with 68 "Tigers" from Pearl Harbor.

16 Feb 79	Received CAJUN 07, the ship's Search and Rescue UH-1N (Huey)

03 Oct 79	35,000th accident free landing made by Canadian UH-1N.

15 Oct-21 Nov	Modified For Harriers.

30 Mar 80	Rescued the lone and unconscious skipper of a 28 ft sailing 
		vessel 30 miles southeast of Catalina Island.  The sailor 
		recuperated from exposure in sickbay while NEW 
		ORLEANS' Sailors returned his boat to Dana Point.

15 May 80	Recorded 25.5 knots on ship's speed log during 
		Full Power Trials.

23 May 80	Underway for WESTPAC.

03 Jul 80	Project Handclasp in Luzon.  
		Delivered 25,000 lbs of materials.

19 Aug 80	Miss America USO troupe visited and spent the night.

24 Sep 80	Man overboard recovered by Marine CH-46.

20 Nov 80	40,000th safe landing made.

22 Nov 80	Returned from WESTPAC with 103 "Tigers" from Pearl Harbor.

22 Feb 81	Arrived Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for regular overhaul.

23 Feb 81	Shifted homeport to Bremerton, WA for overhaul.

08 Jul 81	Ship's helicopter undergoes Standard Depot Level 
		Maintenance (SDLM) work in Corpus Christi, TX.

12 Dec 81	Returned to San Diego with  200 private vehicles, 20 
		tons of household goods, and 82 dependents.

15 Jul 82	Underway for WESTPAC.  Met 6 typhoons in a 5 week period.

20 Sep 82	Returned from WESTPAC.

15-19 Oct 82	40,000 guests tour NEW ORLEANS during Fleet Week in San Fran.

30 Jan 83	Underway for WESTPAC.

03 Feb 83	Participated in the longest over water air-sea 
		rescue to date (775 NM one way).

14 Jul 83	Returned from WESTPAC.

30 May 84	Underway for WESTPAC

06 Dec 84	Returned from WESTPAC.

16 Jan 86	Underway for WESTPAC.

14 Feb 86	CH-46 under control of Cubi Point crashes.

27 Apr 86	Arrived in Bali Operating Area 
		to provide Presidential Support.

02 May 86	Air Force One overflies NEW ORLEANS; President Reagan 
		radios the bridge to say "Thanks."

16 Sep 86	Returned from WESTPAC.

06 Oct 86	Homeport shifted to San Francisco for overhaul.

22 Apr 87	CAJUN 08 rescues three people from an overturned 
		fishing boat south of Half Moon Bay, CA.

29 Sep 87 	Returned to San Diego.

16 Dec 87	CAJUN 08 rescues three people from a sinking 
		fishing boat off San Clemente Island.

16 Jun 88	Underway for WESTPAC.

15 Aug 88	CAJUN 08 rescues two men overboard from HMAS SWAN.

18-24 Aug 88	12,000 visitors toured NEW ORLEANS while inport Fremantle,
		Australia.

6-13 Sep 88 	Contingency operations near Selat Lombok.

05 Nov 88	A CH-46 makes the 65,000th landing on NEW ORLEANS.

01 Dec 88	CAJUN 08 brings MEDEVAC from USS FRESNO the day after 
		crossing the International Dateline. 

16 Dec 88 	Returned from WESTPAC with 53 "Tigers" from Pearl Harbor.

04 May 89	Humanitarian assistance to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

15 Sep 89	CAJUN 08 transferred to USS PELELIU to replace an aircraft 
		lost at sea.

21 Feb 90	CAJUN 09 received from MCAS El Toro.

21 Mar 90	AV-8B from VMA-311 lost at sea; pilot recovered by CAJUN 
		uninjured.

03 Aug 90	Captain Michail Ezel, Deputy Chief of Staff, Red Flag 
		Soviet Pacific Fleet toured the ship.

20 Aug 90	Bolshoi Ballet toured and had lunch aboard NEW ORLEANS.

01 Dec 90	Underway for WESTPAC (Desert Shield/ Desert Storm/
		Desert Saber/Desert Stay).

24 Feb 91	Off load of 11th MEU into Kuwait.

01 Mar 91	NEW ORLEANS replaces TRIPOLI as the MCM flagship after 
		it struck a mine.

28 Aug 91	Returned from WESTPAC.

30 Jun 92	First launch/recovery of UAVs on an LPH.

14 Aug 92	CAJUN 11 transferred to MCAS Yuma.

10 Oct 92	Hosted 1,800 guests, including the Assistant Secretary 
		of the Navy, while at anchor in San Fran. Bay for Fleet Week.

14 May 93	San Ysidro Middle School National Honor Society induction 
		ceremonies held on NEW ORLEANS.

03 Sep 93	Underway for WESTPAC (Somalia).  First WESTPAC with HC 
		SAR detachment.

19 Dec 93	GEN John Shalikashvili, USA, Chairman, Joint Chiefs
		of  Staff, visits overnight.

20 Dec 93	Admiral Frank Kelso, USN, Chief of Naval Operations, 
		visits for two nights.

18 Mar 94	Returned from WESTPAC with 142 "Tigers" from Pearl Harbor.

19 Nov 94	Astronaut Captain Jim Lovell, USN, director Ron Howard,
		and actors Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton film 
		"Apollo 13."

12 Jun 95	Received Battle Efficiency Award For 1994.

23 Jun 95	Underway for WESTPAC.

24 Oct 95	Marine raid on Al Hamra Facility.

22 Dec 95 	Returned from WESTPAC with 198 "Tigers" from Pearl Harbor.

08 Apr 96	Received Battle Efficiency Award (and all Departmental 
		Efficiency Awards) for 1995.

13 Jun 96	Won 1995 Admiral Flatley Award for Aviation Safety.

01 Jul 96	Won 1995 CNO Safety Award.

31 Jan 97	Underway for WESTPAC.

02 May 97 	Returned from WESTPAC with "78 Tigers" from Pearl Harbor.

20 May-6 Jun 97	Filming for "A Thousand Men and a Baby."

31 Oct 97	U. S. Navy retires USS NEW ORLEANS.  Decommissioning 
		Ceremony held at Pier 13, Naval Station San Diego, CA.




Photo Gallery


Click on the thumbnails below to see a larger version of the photo . . .





The Ballad of Typhoon Phil


In the Year of eighty-two, NEW ORLEANS sailed the ocean blue,
Things were going fine and dandy, until we met with Typhoon Andy.
We made a stop for a little rest, but had to run from Typhoon Bess.
Along came Cecil followed by Dot, Oh how that put us on the spot.
No one knew quite what to say, when we crossed with Ellis and Faye.
We hoped it to be the last of them, but alas came Gordon and Miriam.
Then there was Iwa the last of the year, kept us all from having a beer.
We blame you not for all that happened, but now we'll call you
Typhoon Captain.


This poem was written to express the exasperation felt by the crew during its 1982 WESTPAC. Although that was a bad year for Typhoons, the crew of the NEW ORLEANS will not soon forget the thrill of the 42 degree rolls caused by typhoon Justin in 1997.

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