USS Cabildo ( LSD - 16 ) USS " Cabildo " ( LSD - 16 ) was a of the United States Navy . She was named for The Cabildo in New Orleans , the old town hall and now a historical museum , where the formal transfer of the Louisiana Territory from France to the United States took place . " Cabildo " was laid down on 24 July 1944 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co . , Newport News , Virginia ; launched on 22 December 1944 , sponsored by Miss A . B . Pendleton ; and commissioned on 15 March 1945 , Commander E . B . Holdorff , USNR , in command . Service history . World War II , 1945 – 1947 . " Cabildo " sailed from New York City on 6 May 1945 for Pearl Harbor , where she arrived on 8 June . She carried out her duties of docking and repairing small craft , transporting amphibious craft , and operating boat - pools at Guam and Okinawa in July . After carrying boats to the Philippines in August , " Cabildo " reported in Wakanoura Wan , Honshū , on 11 September . Here she loaded Javanese , Dutch , and Australians , rescued from Japan ese prison camps , who she carried to Okinawa . Laden with men of the Army Engineers , she arrived at Manila on 3 October , then sailed for Japan , where she acted as receiving and repair ship at Sasebo and Yokosuka until 19 April 1946 . " Cabildo " returned to the west coast on 12 May 1946 , and was decommissioned on 15 January 1947 . Korea , 1950 – 1952 . Recommissioned at San Diego on 5 October 1950 , she took part in atomic weapons tests in the Marshalls — " Operation Greenhouse " — in which she was one of the first ships to become radioactive . After extensive decontamination she sailed , on 21 November 1951 , from San Diego for duty in Korean waters . She lifted soldiers and marines from Japan to Korea , and from Korea ' s east coast to the Inchon battle lines , and during a part of her tour served as flagship and tender to Mine Squadron 3 in its dangerous operations . While with this group in April off Wonsan , " Cabildo " received a direct hit from a shore battery , but suffered no casualties , and was able to continue her mission . 1952 – 1960 . Returning to San Diego on 2 September 1952 , " Cabildo " prepared for another extended Far Eastern deployment from 3 July 1953 to 23 April 1954 . In 1955 she was fitted with mezzanine and helicopter decks , and from that time operated extensively with Marine units in developing the vertical envelopment concept of amphibious warfare . " Cabildo " s west coast operations alternated with two tours of duty in the Far East from January 1956 to July 1958 . Clearing San Diego on 11 February 1959 , she carried craft and an underwater demolition team detachment to the Aleutians before continuing to Japan . After duty in Japanese and Formosan waters , she returned to Long Beach on 5 June 1959 . Amphibious exercises at Okinawa highlighted her 1960 deployment , which began on 16 February and continued through the major portion of the year . Decommissioning and disposal . " Cabildo " was decommissioned on 31 March 1970 at Long Beach , CA , and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet . She was struck from the Naval Register on 15 October 1976 , and used as a fleet target , sunk by grounding at San Nicholas Island in September 1985 . " Cabildo " received two battle star s for service in the Korean War and six battle stars for the Vietnam War .