USS Ponce (LPD 15)

- later AFSB(I) 15 -

USS PONCE is the 12^th and last ship in the AUSTIN - class of Amphibious Transport Docks. The ship is named after the city in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, discoverer of Florida, first governor of Puerto Rico. The PONCE was originally scheduled to be decommissioned on March 30, 2012, however, decommissioning was cancelled and the ship will now be converted to an Afloat Forward Staging Base to support MH-53 helicopters and patrol craft. She will be jointly operated by a MSC/Navy crew.

General Characteristics:	Awarded: May 17, 1965
	Keel laid: October 31, 1966
	Launched: May 20, 1970
	Commissioned: July 10, 1971
	Builder: Lockheed Shipbuilding Co., Seattle, Wash.
	Propulsion system: two boilers, two steam turbines
	Propellers: two
	Length: 569 feet (173.4 meters)
	Beam: 105 feet (32 meters)
	Draft: 23 feet (7 meters)
	Draft: ballasted: 34 feet (10.4 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 16,900 tons
	Speed: 21 knots
	Well deck capacity: one LCAC or one LCU or four LCM-8 or nine LCM-6 or 24 amphibious assault vehicles (AAV)
	Aircraft: none, but telescopic hangar installed aboard. The hangar is not used to accommodate helicopters but on the flight deck there is space for up to six CH-46 helicopters.
	Crew: Ship: 24 officers, 396 enlisted
	Crew: Marine Detachment: approx. 900
	Armament: two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, two 25mm Mk 38 guns, eight .50-calibre machine guns
	Homeport: Norfolk, Va.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS PONCE. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

Click here to view the list.

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Click here to see which USS PONCE memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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USS PONCE Cruise Books:

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Accidents aboard USS PONCE:

Date	Where	Events
1977 / 1978	Moorehead City, NC	Either in the fall or spring of 1977 or 1978, the USS PONCE runs aground outside of the harbor of Moorehead City, NC, after missing the harbor entrance. The PONCE was about to embark Marines for a Med cruise. Damage was minor and the PONCE was laid up for about a week. Info by Richard Othmer, former BM3 aboard PONCE.
February 2, 1982	Atlantic	USS PONCE collides with USS FORT SNELLING (LSD 30) during a towing exercise which causes minor damage to PONCE's port side, mainly to the accommodation ladder and flight deck catwalk. The two ships were en route to Portsmouth, UK.
February 14, 1984	Radio Island, near Moorehead City, NC	During attempts to move an assault craft to Radio Island, USS PONCE suffers a major casualty when her sterngate is damaged and eventually lost. PONCE goes to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for repairs.

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USS PONCE Image Gallery:

The photos below were taken by me and show the PONCE at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on November 9, 2008.

The photos below were taken by me and show the PONCE at Norfolk, Va., after completion of her convertion and modification to an Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB). Work was conducted at MHI Ship Repair & Services in Norfolk, Va., and included replacing bridge equipment with modern commercial systems for the CIVMARs who will navigate, operate and maintain the ship. In addition, PONCE's main propulsion boilers were overhauled; main and auxiliary condensers were cleaned; additional overhauls were made and maintenance performed on existing ship's equipment; and the galley was upgraded and overhauled. Soon, PONCE will be redesignated AFSB(I) 15 while the "I" stands for interim.

The first photo shows PONCE returning to Norfolk, Va., from sea trials on May 4, 2012, while the other photos show her berthed at the Naval Base on May 6, 2012.

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