USS POINT DEFIANCE (LSD-31)

• Namesake: USS Point Defiance (LSD-31) was named after Point Defiance, a prominent geographical feature in Puget Sound, Washington. • Class & Type: She was a Thomaston-class dock landing ship, designed for amphibious assault operations, and commissioned into the U.S. Navy on March 31, 1955. • Vietnam War Service: Point Defiance played a vital role in the Vietnam War, participating in multiple amphibious operations, including Operation Starlite (the first major American ground combat operation of the war in August 1965). • Space Program Support: In 1966, USS Point Defiance served as a recovery ship for the Gemini 11 space mission, helping recover astronauts and their spacecraft upon splashdown. • Humanitarian Aid: The ship provided humanitarian assistance following natural disasters, including relief operations in the aftermath of Typhoon Joan in the Philippines in 1970. • Helicopter Operations: Point Defiance was among the first dock landing ships to operate helicopters extensively, enhancing the U.S. Navy’s amphibious flexibility. • Evacuation of Saigon: In April 1975, during Operation Frequent Wind, she helped evacuate U.S. personnel and Vietnamese refugees from Saigon as South Vietnam fell. • Decommissioning: After nearly three decades of service, USS Point Defiance was decommissioned on September 30, 1983, and later struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1990. • Fate: The ship was eventually sunk as a target in 2001 during a training exercise off the coast of California, continuing to serve the Navy in her final role. • Mascot & Crew Pride: The crew adopted a bulldog as their unofficial mascot, symbolizing the ship’s tenacity and the tight-knit spirit of her sailors throughout her career.