USS Charleston (LKA-113)

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.

For other ships with the same name, see USS Charleston.
USS Charleston (LKA-113) in 1987
History
United States
Name: USS Charleston
Ordered: 11 June 1965
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.
Laid down: 5 December 1966
Launched: 2 December 1967
Commissioned: 14 December 1968
Decommissioned: 27 April 1992
Stricken: 31 August 2015
Homeport: Norfolk, VA
Nickname(s): "Chuckie" or "The Chuck"
Fate: Awaiting disposal
General characteristics
Class and type: Charleston-class amphibious cargo ship
Displacement: 18,465 tons (full load)
Length: 576 ft (176 m)
Beam: 82 ft (25 m)
Draft: 26 ft (7.9 m)
Propulsion: Steam Turbine
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 LCM, LCVP, motor whale boat
Complement: 50 officers, 592 men
Service record
Operations: Vietnam War, Desert Storm

She was laid down as AKA-113 at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA, 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, PA awaiting disposal.

There is no DANFS entry for the ship.

The Charleston is sunk in the Tom Clancy novel Red Storm Rising.

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