I enlisted in the United States Navy in March of 1961, with my mother's permission, as I was only seventeen years old. I went through basic training, which we called Boot Camp, in San Diego, and then I was sent to Radar "A" school at Treasure Island in San Francisco. After six months of radar school, I was assigned to the USS Point Defiance (LSD-31), named after Point Defiance, Oregon. Once in 1963 we steamed past Point Defiance, Oregon and that was the closest I came to it.
Of all the Dock Landing Ships, I liked the name Point Defiance best, so I was pleased that she became my ship, and my home for the next three years. The Point Defiance was a Thomaston class ship because the USS Thomaston (LSD-28)was the first ship of the class to be commissioned. My first time aboard was in late December, 1961, and I had not seen an LSD so I expected it to be like an LST. The LSD was much larger than an LST, had a normal bow in front rather than that of an LST, and had a large well deck. When I went aboard, I saluted the ensign (United States flag), flying aft, saluted the officer of the deck and requested, "Permission to come aboard, sir." "Granted," he said, and I offered him my orders. As he read them I looked at the gray monster around me and I thought there were two ships together for the deck I was standing on was duplicated on the opposite side of where we stood. I would learn, when daylight came, that the well deck was bordered by port and starboard hulls which held a large crane each and equipment lockers, tools and boats.
The image of the Point Defiance is from http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1231.htm and is credited to Hyperwar US Navy in World War II.
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