USS Dubuque (LPD-8) Ship's BellMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: USS Dubuque LPD -8) Ship's Bell
DATE: January 10, 2011
USS Dubuque is the Navy's third oldest ship currently in service. The USS Cleveland
and USS Enterprise are older. The USS Dubuque is approaching her decommissioning
in 2011. A specific date has not yet been set. The USS Dubuque will be "put in storage
for a potential recall at a later date.
Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware is requesting approval to request the USS
Dubuque's ship bell from the US Navy be loaned to the City of Dubuque once the ship
is decommissioned and establish a representative from the City to attend the
decommissioning ceremony in San Diego, California when the date is set. Then Mayor
Walter Pregler, the Chief of Police and the Fire Chief were all present at the
commissioning ceremony in 1967.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval, and designation of a representative to attend the ceremony.
MCVM:lw
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager
Michael C. Van Milligen
Dubuque
Intel
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2007
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
continued
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Marie L. Ware, Leisure Services Manager
USS Dubuque (LPD -8) Ship's Bell
January 5, 2011
Dubuque
Weal
AA- America cily
2007
The purpose of this memo is to request Council approval to request the USS Dubuque's
ship bell be loaned to the City of Dubuque once the ship is decommissioned and
establish a representative from the City to attend the decommissioning ceremony.
USS Dubuque is the Navy's third oldest ship currently in service. The USS Cleveland
and USS Enterprise are older. The USS Dubuque is approaching her decommissioning
in 2011. A specific date has not yet been set. The USS Dubuque will be "put in storage
for potential recall at a later date."
Jim Unsen of the Dubuque Navy League Council requested the city's consideration to
request the ship's bell for display after the ship is decommissioned. The City of
Dubuque must formally request this transfer from the Navy. The Head Curator has
unofficially approved the loan of the ship's bell pending our formal request. Constance
Beninghove of the Museums and Collections Division has shared the process for formal
request. We must provide information on the potential location of the bell, security, a
point of contact and acknowledgement we will pay for shipping of the bell to and from
their location.
CDE Chris Nodine, XO USS Dubuque (LPD -8) is interested in representative(s) from its
namesake to be present at the decommissioning ceremony. Jim Unsen shared Mayor
Walt Pregler, Chief of Police and Fire Chief were all present at the commissioning
ceremony in 1967.
A ship's bell according to Jim Unsen is around 18 -24" size. In speaking with Jim we
discussed locations of the Veterans' Memorial, Federal Building, Grand River Center or
City Hall. Jim Unsen talked with the Dubuque Navy League members and they are in
agreement a public location is best. In speaking with Jim they feel the Federal Building
or Grand River Center would be best.
The bell could be displayed and secure by building an exhibit with a clear cube and
wood base. Jim has an individual that will build the display case. For security an indoor
location is best. Since the bell is small, creating security at an outdoor venue would be
difficult.
COST
Cost of this request to the city would be:
1. Shipping of the bell — Leisure Services would pay out of operating budget
2. Travel cost of representative(s) of city to attend decommissioning ceremony
ACTION REQUESTED
MLW:et
attachment
copy Jim Unsen, Navy League
USS Dubuque ship bell, page two
I request Council approval to formally request loan of the USS Dubuque's ship bell from
the US Navy to the City of Dubuque. I would further request the Council's consideration
to send a representative of the City of Dubuque to the decommissioning ceremony to be
held in San Diego, California when the date is set.
•
Ship History
Du BUQU F:
USS DUBUQUE FAMILY . LEADERSHIP ABOUT US SHIP INFO DIVISIONS NEWSLETTER PHOTOS
USS DUBUQUE
USS Dubuque
Ship Facts
USS DUBUQUE (LPD 8) General Characteristics -
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• Type: Austin Class Amphibious Transport Dock
• Constructed by: Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation, Pascagoula, MS
• Keel laid: January 25, 1965
• Launched: August 6, 1966
• Commissioned: September 1, 1967
• Length: 569 feet (173.4 meters)
• Beam: 105 feet (32 meters) -
• Draft (standard): 21 feet (7 meters)
• Draft (ballasted): 34 feet (10.4 meters)
• Displacement (full load): 16,500 tons
• Propulsion system. Two 600psi Foster - Wheeler boilers, two Delaval steam turbines, two shafts
• Shaft horsepower: 24,000 per shaft
• Speed (maximum): 21 knots
• Armament: Two 25mm Mk 38 chain guns, two 20mm Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS, eight .50- calibre machine guns
• Crew: 24 officers, 396 enlisted, 840 marine troops, 90 flag /staff personnel
• Cargo Capacity: 2,500 tons
• Well deck: 7,000 sq. feet
• Well deck capacity: One LCU, or one LCAC, or two LCM -8, or four LCM -6
• Helicopter landing capacity: Two CH- 46/CH -53 equivalents, or four UH- 1 /AH -1 equivalents, or two AV -8B Harriers
• Vehicle stowage: 14,000 sq. feet
• Aircraft stowage: 14,700 sq. feet
• Weapons ordnance stowage: 53,300 cu. feet
USS DUBUQUE is named after Dubuque, Iowa on the Mississippi River and her founder, Julien Dubuque - a French Canadian explorer.
The second ship to bear the name, USS Dubuque was commissioned on September 1st, 1967 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in
Portsmouth, Virginia.
In November 1967, the ship arrived at its first homeport of San Diego, California after transiting the Panama Canal. From 1968 until
1975, USS DUBUQUE made five Western Pacific deployments that saw extensive duty in Vietnam. In a highly publicized event in
October 1968, the ship returned 14 repatriated prisoners of war to North Vietnam. From 1969 until 1971 the ship conducted ten
Keystone Cardinal troop lifts to Okinawa, Japan as part of the "Vietnamization" of the war. From February to June of 1973 the ship
operated helicopters that conducted mine clearance operations in Haiphong Harbor. In April 1975 the ship participated in the
evacuation of Saigon and the rescue of refugees fleeing South Vietnam.
On 15 August 1985 USS DUBUQUE departed San Diego for its new homeport of Sasebo, Japan. The ship arrived in Sasebo on
September 4th, 1985 to join the U.S. Seventh Fleet Overseas Family Residency Program. Since joining the Seventh Fleet, the primary
mission of the ship was to support the U.S. Marines stationed in the Western Pacific.
In May 1988 USS DUBUQUE deployed to the Arabian Gulf and served as the control ship for mine sweeping operations to protect U.S.
flagged tankers during the Iran -Iraq War. For its praticipation in this operation the ship was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation. In
1989 the ship participated in the contingency operation to evacuate U.S. personnel from the Philippines during a failed coup attempt.
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Immediately following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, USS DUBUQUE received tasking in the Arabian Gulf as part of
Operation Desert Shield. The ship functioned as the leading element of Amphibious Ready Group Bravo, which transported Marine
Regimental Landing Team Four to Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia during the critical early stages of the multi - national build up.
In 1992 USS DUBUQUE celebrated 25 years of distinguished service. From June to September of 1999 USS DUBUQUE participated in
the first Ship -Swap with USS JUNEAU (LPD 10), where each ship's crew remained in their original home ports, allowing USS DUBUQUE
to return to the homeport of San Diego, CA. It has received three Battle Efficiency Awards and participated in countless amphibious
exercises and operations throughout the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. That the ship is still in magnificent condition is a tribute
to the long line of sailors who have served onboard in the past quarter century.
Currently, after two valiant deployments to the Arabian Gulf in the latest "War on Terrorism" conflict, USS DUBUQUE is again being
refurbished to continue in her mission for another decade.
Ship Crest
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