USS Schenectady ( LST - 1185 ) The USS " Schenectady " ( LST - 1185 ) was the fifth Newport class tank landing ship built . She was delivered to the navy on 1 May 1970 and commissioned on 13 June . " Schenectady " operated in support of American forces in Vietnam and Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm . History . Schenectady ( LST - 1185 ) was laid down on 2 August 1968 by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Co . , San Diego , Calif . ; launched on 24 May 1969 ; sponsored by Mrs . Charles E . Goodell ; and commissioned on 13 June 1970 , Comdr . David E . Sigsworth in command . Assigned to Amphibious Squadron ( PhibRon ) 9 and homeported at San Diego , Schenectady conducted training exercises and trials through the summer . In October , she got underway to accompany Defiance ( PG - 95 ) and Surprise ( PG - 97 ) to Panama . Detached on the 19th , she returned to San Diego on the 29th and , for the next six months , participated in further training exercises along the southern California coast . On 5 May 1970 , the LST departed San Diego and headed west to participate in Operation “ Keystone Oriole , ” an operation involving the withdrawal of marine units from Vietnam . Diverted en route to avoid typhoon Carla , she arrived at Danang , R . V . N . , on 24 May ; loaded ; and departed again on the 25th . From Vietnam , she proceeded to Hong Kong , then to Subic Bay , whence she headed east to Pearl Harbor and San Diego . Arriving at the latter on 19 June , Schenectady remained on the west coast into the fall and , on 1 October , departed San Diego with six other units comprising PhibRon 5 . On the 14th , she joined the 7th Fleet . Four days later , she arrived at Yokosuka . Upkeep in Japan and training operations in the Ryukyus followed . From there , she moved into the Trust Territories ; conducted survey operations ; and returned to Okinawa to load diesel electric generating plants for delivery to the government of the Philippines for use in its rural electrification program . Arriving at Manila on 23 November , she offloaded her cargo , then proceeded to Subic Bay and joined Amphibious Ready Group ALFA . She departed Subic Bay with that group on the 26th and , for the next three and a half weeks , conducted operations which ranged from the Philippines to Japan and into the South China Sea . On 20 December , she returned to Subic Bay . Six days later , she proceeded to Hong Kong , where she remained through the end of the year . On 5 January 1972 , she departed Hong Kong and resumed her wide ranging 7th Fleet operations . During this period , " Schenectady " participated in the South Vietnamese Army ' s offensive to recapture Quang Tri province . While so engaged , on 29 June , the LST came under the fire of enemy shore batteries and became the first ship of her class to return fire in an actual combat situation . After an absence in excess of ten months , Schenectady returned to Coronado , Calif . , on 6 August 1972 . For the next year , she remained on the west coast , participating in exercises and engaged in normal operations and upkeep . On 29 August 1973 , she departed from the United States for another deployment to the western Pacific . She arrived in Subic Bay , P . I . , on 22 September and , for the next five months , transported men and cargo between ports in Japan , Taiwan , Okinawa , and the Philippines . On 10 February 1974 , she stood out of Buckner Bay , Okinawa , to return to the United States . Stopping at Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , for four days , 23 to 27 February , Schenectady entered San Diego on 6 March . Schenectady earned a battle star for service along the coast of Vietnam . Fate . She was decommissioned on 15 December 1993 and laid up in reserve at Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility Pearl Harbor , HI . " Ex - Schenectady " was sunk as a target on 23 November 2004 in operation Resultant Fury , the first time a B - 52 dropped self - designated , laser guided weapons on a moving ship .