SITE NAVIGATION

SHIP SPECIFIC INFORMATION

TYPE	AMPHIBOUS TRANSPORT DOCKS (LPD)
CLASS	AUSTIN
OFFICIAL NAME	USS PONCE
PENNANT NUMBER	15
NICKNAME	PROUD LION
MOTTO	N/A
BUILDER	LOCKHEED SHIPBUILDING
CONTRACT AWARD DATE	05/17/1965
KEEL LAYING DATE	10/31/1966
LAUNCH DATE	05/20/1970
DELIVERY DATE	06/25/1971
COMMISSION DATE	07/10/1971
PLANNING YARD	PUGET SOUND DETACHMENT BOSTON, BOSTON, MA
NAVSEA PMS	470
CUSTODIAN	US NAVY
STATUS	ACTIVE DUTY
HOMEPORT	NORFOLK, VA
MAILING ADDRESS	FPO, AE, 09582-1717
UIC (UNIT IDENT. CODE)	07201
TYPE COMMANDER	SURFLANT
FLEET COMMAND	N/A
GROUP COMMAND	EXPSTRKGRU 2
SQUADRON COMMAND	PHIBRON 4

AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIPS

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LPD 15 | USS PONCE

Namesake:

Not yet available

Not yet available

Historical Notes:

PONCE (pronounced “PON-SAY”) is an Amphibious Transport Dock. USS PONCE (LPD 15) is assigned to Commander, AMPHIBIOUS GROUP TWO as a unit of the Naval Surface Forces, United States Atlantic Fleet and is the 12th and last vessel of the AUSTIN class. Her mission is to embark, transport, land and support United States Marine Corps and Navy elements by sea and air, and to conduct amphibious landings or raids to secure beach heads for further prosecution of operations ashore.

Constructed by the Lockheed Shipbuilding Company, USS PONCE was commissioned on July 10, 1971in Seattle, Washington. She is the first United States Ship to be named after the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, which is named in honor of the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon.

Since commissioning, PONCE has deployed numerous times to include the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic, Persian Gulf and operations in the Caribbean.

Ship's Crest:

Description of Coat of Arms: USS PONCE's insignia is comprised of four major elements: a rampant lion signifying the high spiritedness of the Navy-Marine Corps team that serves in her; a trident, emblematic of the U.S. Naval Power and supremacy; an anchor chain, linking the ships name and its designator symbols; the total purple lion, which is the coat of arms of Juan Ponce de Leon, a continuing reminder of our bond with the people of our namesake city. You may overhear several of the crew refer to our ship as the "Proud Lion".