USS Charleston (LKA-113) in 1987
History
United States
NameUSS Charleston
NamesakeCharleston, South Carolina
Ordered11 June 1965
BuilderNewport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.
Laid down5 December 1966
Launched2 December 1967
Commissioned14 December 1968
Decommissioned27 April 1992
Stricken31 August 2015
HomeportNorfolk, VA
Nickname(s)"Chuckie" or "The Chuck"
FateAwaiting disposal by scrapping
General characteristics
Class and typeCharleston-class amphibious cargo ship
Displacement18,465 tons (full load)
Length576 ft (176 m)
Beam82 ft (25 m)
Draft26 ft (7.9 m)
PropulsionSteam Turbine
Boats & landing
craft carried		LCM, LCVP, motor whale boat
Complement50 officers, 592 men
ArmamentAs built

4 × twin 3-inch/50-caliber guns

Later fitted

2 x 20mm Phalanx CIWS
Service record
Operations: Vietnam War, Desert Storm

USS Charleston (AKA-113/LKA-113) was an amphibious cargo ship, and was the lead ship of her class in the United States Navy. She was the fifth ship to be named Charleston for Charleston, South Carolina. She served as a commissioned ship for 23 years and 4 months.

She was laid down as AKA-113 at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia, and was launched on 2 December 1967. She was commissioned on 14 December 1968, and was redesignated as LKA-113 on 1 January 1969.

Charleston was involved in the Vietnam War, and earned eight awards and campaign ribbons for her service.

Decommissioned 1992, she was mothballed at Portsmouth, Virginia. She is berthed at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, awaiting disposal.

There is no DANFS entry for the ship.

In the Tom Clancy novel Red Storm Rising, The Charleston is sunk by an AS-4 missile launched by a Badger bomber while part of an amphibious group involved in the recovery of Iceland from a Soviet invasion.


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