USS Fort Mandan LSD 21

• Namesake: USS Fort Mandan (LSD-21) was named after Fort Mandan, the winter encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition near present-day Washburn, North Dakota. • Class and Type: She was a Casa Grande-class dock landing ship, designed for transporting and launching landing craft and vehicles during amphibious operations. • Launched in WWII: The ship was launched on 2 June 1945 by the Boston Navy Yard, making her one of the later amphibious warships constructed in World War II. • Postwar Service: Although commissioned too late for combat in WWII, Fort Mandan served in a variety of roles during peacetime, including training exercises and Cold War missions. • Arctic Operations: In 1948, the ship participated in “Operation Bluejay”, helping to establish military bases in the Arctic, including the famous Thule Air Base in Greenland. • Rescue Mission: On 7 September 1947, Fort Mandan assisted in rescuing the crew of the disabled Norwegian merchant ship SS Ringhorn off the coast of Newfoundland. • NATO Exercises: Fort Mandan took part in NATO amphibious exercises in Europe, helping to strengthen U.S. alliances during the early Cold War period. • Humanitarian Role: The ship delivered earthquake relief to Greece in 1953, demonstrating the Navy's global reach and humanitarian capabilities. • Decommissioned and Transferred: USS Fort Mandan was decommissioned from the U.S. Navy on 23 March 1971 and was transferred to the Greek Navy, where she served as Ypoploiarchos Grigoropoulos (L-161). • Legacy: The ship was finally scrapped in 2001, but her service lives on both in U.S. Navy history and as part of Greece’s naval heritage.