 USS Ashland underway off Cape Henry, Virginia, 20 May 1953
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Moore Dry Dock Company |
| Operators | |
| Succeeded by | Casa Grande class |
| In commission | 1943–1985 |
| Planned | 8 |
| Completed | 8 |
| Retired | 8 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Dock landing ship |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 457 ft 9 in (139.52 m) |
| Beam | 72 ft 2 in (22.00 m) |
| Draft | 15 ft 10 in (4.83 m) max |
| Propulsion | 2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers, oil-fired; 2 Skinner Uni-Flow reciprocating engines; Twin screws |
| Speed | 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Range | 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 254 |
| Armament |
|
The Ashland-class dock landing ship were the first class of dock landing ship of the United States Navy. They were built during World War II. A dock landing ship (hull classification LSD) is a form of auxiliary warship designed to support amphibious operations. Eight ships were built for the United States Navy and they remained in US service until the 1960s. Two of the class were sold for export overseas, with one joining the Republic of China Navy and the other the Argentinian Navy. The two transferred ships stayed in service until the 1980s. All eight ships were scrapped.