USS Fort Snelling ( LSD - 30 ) USS " Fort Snelling " ( LSD - 30 ) was a of the United States Navy . She was named for Fort Snelling at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers , for many years the northernmost military post in the land of the Sioux and Chippewa . She was the second ship assigned that name , but the construction of was canceled on 17 August 1945 . " Fort Snelling " ( LSD - 30 ) was laid down on 17 August 1953 by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp . , Pascagoula , Miss . ; launched on 16 July 1954 , sponsored by Mrs . Robert P . Briscoe , wife of Vice Admiral Briscoe ; and commissioned on 24 January 1955 , Commander H . Marvin - Smith in command . Service history . Homeported at Norfolk , Virginia , " Fort Snelling " carried out an intensive exercise schedule along the east coast and in the Caribbean , almost always with Marines embarked for amphibious training . She made her first deployment to the Mediterranean in 1956 , returning the next year again to serve with the 6th Fleet . During her 1958 deployment , she was at sea bound for the island of Rhodes when on 14 July she was notified to land her Marines at Beirut , Lebanon , the next day . Thus , " Fort Snelling " took part in the immediate response of the U . S . Navy to the Middle Eastern crisis of summer 1958 . Several times more before leaving the Mediterranean she returned to the coast of Lebanon to support the Marines ashore . Through 1959 and 1963 , " Fort Snelling " continued her training operations with marines in the Caribbean and on the Carolina coast . In April 1965 , Fort Snelling was ordered to the Dominican Republic as part of a task force which included the USS Boxer ( LPH - 4 ) , USS Rankin ( AKA - 103 ) , USS Wood County ( LST - 1178 ) , USS Ruchamakin ( APD - 89 ) , USS Yancey ( AKA - 93 ) and USS Raleigh ( LPD - 1 ) . Its main mission along with the task force was to deploy marines to evacuate U . S . , Canadian and British citizens . Some 14 , 000 marines participated . In 1966 , while returning from a Mediterranean deployment , " Fort Snelling " was assigned as task group commander of the Navy ' s Palomares Incident recovery operations . Because of her large well deck , " Fort Snelling " carried the deep diving submarine " Aluminaut " . In addition , Fort Snelling also deployed the small submarine Alvin from its flight deck via its cranes . In 1966 , she participated in the extraction of U . S . Marines from the Dominican Republican crisis . On 3 April 1978 , " Fort Snelling " and the replenishment oiler collided north of Corsica when the " Waccamaw " lost steering control during refueling . Despite structural damage both ships proceeded under their own power to Naples , Italy , for repairs . In August 1982 , " Fort Snelling " embarked members of 24 MAU for a Med cruise . Over the course of 7 months , the " Fort Snelling " participated amphibious landings in Denmark , Germany , and Turkey , with a liberty call at the Port of Naples , Italy . After a 5 day liberty , the " Fort Snelling " and other members of her squadron rushed the 24 MAU to Beirut Lebanon to become the backbone of the Multi National Peacekeeping Force . In early March 1983 , the 24 MAU was relieved by the 22 MAU . The 24 MAU was then returned Stateside by the " Fort Snelling " and her squadron mates . In October 1983 , " Fort Snelling " participated in Operation URGENT FURY ( the invasion of Grenada ) as part of Amphibious Squadron Four ( PHIBRON - 4 ) . Upon conclusion of Operation Urgent Fury , Ft . Snelling continued on her deployment with PHIBRON - 4 to support peacekeeping operations in Lebanon . During March 1984 , Ft . Snelling assisted in the evacuation of noncombatants from Beirut , conducting flight operations and subsequently transporting hundreds of evacuees to Cyprus . The US Navy forces had published Notices to Mariners not to approach within 2 , 000 yards of navy ships . While Ft Snelling was conducting fueling operations with USS Sylvania , it was struck by a merchant vessel - the merchant sunk in approximately 20 minutes . Leading many to believe the collision was intentional . The damage suffered from the impact led to her decommissioning following the deployment . " Fort Snelling " was decommissioned on 28 September 1984 and transferred to the Maritime Administration ( MARAD ) on 7 September 1989 . Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 24 February 1992 and she was sold for scrapping on 25 August 1995 to Peck Recycling , Richmond , Virginia , for $ 268 , 707 .