USS Casa Grande LSD-13

• Namesake: USS Casa Grande (LSD-13) was named after the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Arizona, reflecting a tradition of naming dock landing ships after historic American sites. • Class: She was the lead ship of her class, known as the Casa Grande-class Dock Landing Ships, designed to transport and launch landing craft and amphibious vehicles during World War II. • Commissioning: USS Casa Grande was commissioned on 5 June 1944, at the height of World War II, entering service just days before the D-Day landings in Europe. • World War II Service: The ship played a key logistical role in the Pacific Theater, participating in the Leyte Gulf and Okinawa campaigns, where she landed troops and equipment under enemy fire. • Kamikaze Attack: On 2 April 1945, during the Okinawa campaign, Casa Grande narrowly escaped damage from a Japanese kamikaze attack, underscoring the dangers faced by support vessels. • Post-War Operations: After World War II, she assisted in the occupation of Japan by transporting occupation troops and equipment, and later supported Operation Magic Carpet, bringing American servicemen home. • Korean War Service: Reactivated for the Korean War, USS Casa Grande participated in amphibious operations and supported United Nations forces from 1950 to 1953. • Innovative Design: The ship featured a well deck that could be flooded to launch and recover landing craft and amphibious vehicles, a concept that greatly enhanced the Navy’s amphibious assault capabilities. • Extended Service: Casa Grande served through the 1950s and early 1960s, participating in numerous training exercises and fleet operations, before being decommissioned in 1969. • Final Fate: After decommissioning, she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register and eventually sold for scrap in 1975, closing the chapter on one of the Navy’s pioneering amphibious warfare ships.