USS Cayuga (LST-1186)

• Namesake: USS Cayuga (LST-1186) was named after Cayuga County, New York, and the Cayuga people, reflecting the tradition of naming tank landing ships after counties or Native American tribes. • Class: She was a Newport-class tank landing ship, a class designed with a unique bow ramp and greater speed compared to earlier World War II-era LSTs. • Commissioning: The ship was commissioned on 28 August 1970, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, with Commander R. J. Naughton as her first commanding officer. • Vietnam Service: Cayuga served in the Vietnam War, participating in the evacuation of Saigon (Operation Frequent Wind) in April 1975, helping to rescue refugees and U.S. personnel. • Humanitarian Missions: In addition to combat operations, Cayuga participated in humanitarian missions, including transporting Vietnamese refugees ("boat people") after the fall of Saigon. • Unique Bow Ramp: Unlike earlier LSTs, Newport-class ships like Cayuga featured a 112-foot aluminum bow ramp supported by twin derrick arms, enabling faster offloading of vehicles and cargo. • Pacific Operations: Cayuga was primarily assigned to the Pacific Fleet, operating out of San Diego and making frequent deployments to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. • Exercise Participation: She took part in numerous exercises, including joint operations with allied navies such as RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific Exercise), fostering international cooperation. • Gulf War Reserve: Though decommissioned in 1994, Cayuga was placed in the reserve fleet and considered for reactivation during the Gulf War, reflecting her continued strategic value. • Final Fate: USS Cayuga was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 2001 and eventually sunk as a target during a fleet training exercise, continuing her service by helping train new generations of sailors.