USS Paul Revere ( APA - 248 ) USS " Paul Revere " ( APA / LPA - 248 ) was the lead ship of the " Paul Revere " class of attack transport in the United States Navy . She was named for the early patriot , Paul Revere ( 1735 – 1818 ) . She later served in the Spanish Navy as " Castillia " ( L - 21 ) . The ship was originally laid down as Maritime Administration Hull 27 on 15 May 1952 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp . , Camden , New Jersey , and was launched on 11 April 1953 as the SS " Diamond Mariner " , sponsored by Mrs . Franklin Ewers . The ship was delivered to MARAD on 22 December 1953 , and was operated by the Prudential Steamship Corp . for MARAD until placed in the Maritime Reserve Fleet on 24 July 1954 . She was acquired by the US Navy on 14 September 1956 , classified APA - 248 and named " Paul Revere " on 4 June 1957 , converted by Todd Pacific Shipyards , San Pedro , California , and commissioned at Long Beach , California on 3 September 1958 , Capt . Robert Erly in command . Service history . 1958 – 1964 . After shakedown , " Paul Revere " spent the next full year participating in a series of amphibious training operations : " Rocky Shoals " at San Diego in November 1958 , " Twin Peaks " at Camp Pendleton in February 1959 , " PACNAMIDLEX " at Del Mar , California in August , " Clear Ridge " off California in September , and " Totem Pole " at Kodiak , Alaska during November . During 1960 – 1961 , she was assigned " Ready APA " duty , in which she maintained on board , at all times , a fully equipped and reinforced battalion of landing troops to be put ashore on short notice at any trouble spot in the Pacific . On 21 March 1961 trouble flared in Laos , and " Paul Revere " commenced patrolling the waters off the coast of Southeast Asia . She remained in the area in a ready status for a total of fifty - four days until tensions eased , then resumed her normal South China Sea patrol . In January 1962 , after returning to the U . S . , " Paul Revere " accomplished a most dramatic rescue , when one of several helicopters engaged in anti - submarine warfare ( ASW ) exercises plunged into the ocean . Operating several hundred yards from the scene , she launched a manned boat which returned the three crewmen of the helicopter to the ship for medical treatment , all in the space of six minutes . Following overhaul , she spent the last 5 or 6 months of 1962 in the Western Pacific . This deployment included the ports of Subic Bay , Hong Kong , and several ports in Japan . The year 1963 saw her complete a successful WestPac deployment and another rigorous schedule of training operations . Departing San Diego on 28 January 1964 for her fourth WestPac deployment en route to Pearl Harbor " Paul Revere " participated in " Coco Palm " , a merchant convoy sailing exercise . From Pearl Harbor she sailed to Buckner Bay in preparation for one of the largest amphibious operations since the end of World War II . This exercise , called " Back Pack " , involved over 50 , 000 American and Nationalist Chinese personnel and over 125 ships . It was conducted off the southwestern coast of Taiwan and terminated on 12 March . " Paul Revere " also participated in " Ligtas " , a combined SEATO exercise in the Philippines during May , and operation " Minute Hand " , conducted at Numazu , Japan in July . Returning to the States , she joined another convoy exercise , " Mad Bull " , and arrived San Diego on 6 August . Vietnam , 1964 – 1972 . " Paul Revere " spent the first seven months of 1965 conducting training operations off the coast . In August she lifted elements of the 1st Marine Division to Okinawa and during October and November she transported personnel of South Korea ' s famed Tiger Division to Qui Nhon , South Vietnam from Pusan . From 7 – 18 November she conducted her first actual combat assault as a unit involved in operation " Blue Marlin " , with Marine battalions embarked . She was involved in a similar operation called " Double Eagle " at Quảng Ngãi Province , landing the 3rd Battalion , 1st Marines , 1st Marine Division , on 28 January 1966 . She continued lift support for Marine units in Vietnam through March and then returned to San Diego on 19 April . " Paul Revere " resumed coastal operations on her return , until May 1967 when she again deployed to the Far East . As a unit of the Amphibious Ready Group ( ARG ) off the coast of Vietnam she engaged in operations " Belt Drive " , " Fortress Sentry " , " Formation Leader " , and " Knox " . She returned to San Diego on 16 December and commenced coastal operations . For meritorious service from 17 August to 11 November 1967 during sustained amphibious operations against communist insurgent forces in the Republic of Vietnam , " Paul Revere " was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation , the first ship of her type to receive the award . During 1968 she participated in training cruises for Naval Reservists and Midshipmen , including a special familiarization cruise for Sea Cadets . She also continued her upkeep and training preparations for her next coming deployment in January 1969 . Having been redesignated LPA - 248 on 1 January 1969 , " Paul Revere " deployed on 30 January , departing San Diego as part of ARG " Bravo " ( TG 76 . 5 ) in company with , , , , , and , bound , via Pearl Harbor and Subic Bay , for Southeast Asia . Ports - of - call during the cruise included Pearl Harbor , Subic Bay , Buckner Bay , Okinawa ; Yokosuka , and Hong Kong . While in Pearl Harbor , " Paul Revere " was berthed near the while it was being repaired after a serious fire at sea . She arrived in her operating area off Vietnam on 7 March and delivered her cargo to Da Nang and supported combat operations conducted by a USMC Battalion Landing Team which was embarked on board . On 3 June 1969 , while operating off the coast of Viet Nam , " Paul Revere " received word that had been struck and cut in two by . The stern section of the " Evans " was towed to Subic Bay and was in the floating drydock when " Paul Revere " arrived for upkeep . Toward the end of the deployment , " Paul Revere " participated in a series of " Keystone " operations beginning with " Keystone Eagle " on 14 July 1969 . After an impressive ceremony on the deep water piers in Da Nang Harbor , the 1st Battalion 9th Marines boarded " Paul Revere " and sailed for Okinawa in the first increment of America ' s withdrawal from South Vietnam . A photograph of the ship loading Marines appeared in " Newsweek " magazine . The 2nd and 3rd Battalion s of the 9th Marines were transported to Okinawa in two subsequent trips . " Paul Revere " was relieved of duty with ARG " Bravo " ( TG 76 . 5 ) by on 29 August 1969 at Subic Bay . During the homecoming sea and anchor detail the crew observed the San Diego – Coronado Bridge , under construction for three years , had been completed . In an awards ceremony at Naval Station San Diego , Captain Mitchell Karlowicz was awarded the Bronze Star for commanding " Paul Revere " in support of combat operations against the enemy . On 7 November 1969 , USS Paul Revere participated in an exercise with several ships and USS Sculpin , SSN 590 , to test torpedoes on a decommissioned submarine , USS Bream SS 243 , which was to be sunk as a target in the SoCal Op Areas . The Bream , which was operated remotely from the Paul Revere , was ultimately sunk by naval gunfire from an accompanying cruiser . " Paul Revere " had a dry dock period at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard from November 1969 to April 1970 . Other ships at Hunters Point during this period included USS Midway CV 41 and a Turkish destroyer . During the time in the yards , she was refitted with modern ECM equipment and additional communications hardware to enable the ship to deploy as the flagship for Amphibious Groups I and III on a WestPac cruise in September 1970 . The cruise began with " Paul Revere " escorting two new gunboat s , and , to Pearl Harbor . During the 1970 – 71 cruise , under the command of a naval aviator , Captain Charles Lindberg , the ship visited Pearl Harbor , Bangkok , Subic Bay , Okinawa , Sasebo , Yokosuka , Hong Kong and Singapore . On the voyage to Singapore " Paul Revere " crossed the equator and initiated the crew ' s " pollywogs . " In 1972 she participated in the Easter Offensive s . Post - Vietnam , 1972 — decommissioning . Paul Revere ( LPA - 248 ) made a WESTPAC cruise Feb . - Sep . 1974 and was Host to TACRON - 1 Unit Delta and Seventh Fleet Amphib Staff . . After Vietnam " Paul Revere " was placed in reserve status , home - ported at the Bremerton , Washington , Naval Shipyard , and crewed by Naval Reserve personnel . In the summer of 1977 during her crew ' s annual drill period , she took on board the men and equipment of 2nd Battalion , 47 th Infantry Regiment ( United States ) ( part of 3rd Brigade , 9th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis , WA ) , and delivered them to Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base for amphibious operations training . May 1979 , the USS Paul Revere served as a training platform for the first Seaman Apprenticeship class to be trained on a US Naval Vessel . Previously to this all sailor ' s who went to Seaman Apprenticeship training did so on the USS Never Sail at RTC San Diego , CA . At the time , the ship was based out of Long Beach and for two weeks , the students participated in both classroom and OJT instruction . At mid point in training , the USS Paul Revere got underway and spent the weekend at sea and even performed an Unrep . " Castillia " ( L - 21 ) . " Paul Revere " was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 January 1980 , and subsequently sold through the Security Assistance Program to Spain on 17 January 1980 , renamed " Castillia " ( L - 21 ) . The Spanish Navy decommissioned the ship on 6 June 1998 , and in 2000 it was scrapped at Puerto de Santa Maria , Spain , the seaport from which Columbus embarked on his second voyage .