- 1969 - March April May June July August September October November December
- 1970 - January February March April May June July August September October November December
- 1971 - January February March April May June July August September October November December
- 1972 - January February March April May June July August September October November December
- 1973 - January February March April June August September October November December
- 1974 - January February March April May June July August September October November
- 1975 - January February March April May June July August September October November December
- 1976 - January February March April May June July August September
- 1977 - January February March April May June July August September October November December
- 1978 - January February March April May June July August September October November December
SHIP'S ARCHIVES
New Media Secured! I am thrilled to announce a major acquisition: a copy of our ship's official launching movie!
To ensure this piece of history is preserved for the long term, I reached out to Colorlab in Rockville, MD. Colorlab is a family business committed to the acquisition, presentation, and preservation of motion picture film. They processed the original film from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), creating a high-resolution 4K ProRes4444 archival file, along with an additional HD file perfect for streaming.
This crucial work came with a cost, but it's a vital investment in keeping our ship's history available for future generations. With the exception of NARA, LSD36.COM is the only available source for this media! The link can be found below.
Forget the last thing—this is huge! I personally visited the NARA facility in College Park, MD, and obtained 57 pages of our ship's original hull plans! These aren't just documents; they're the blueprint of our history. As I make copies available, my immediate goal is to simply cover the acquisition cost, but know this: every dollar of profit will go directly toward our ongoing fundraising efforts. The index can be found below.

The Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) traces its lineage to 1794, when the Navy Department Library was established under the Naval Bureau, which was part of the War Department in Philadelphia. The NHHC, headed by the Director of Naval History, is an Echelon II command headquartered at the Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia.
"NHHC is responsible for preserving, analyzing, and disseminating U.S. naval history and heritage. It provides the knowledge foundation for the Navy by maintaining historically relevant resources and products that reflect the Navy's unique and enduring contributions through our nation's history and supports the fleet by assisting with and delivering professional research, analysis, and interpretive services. NHHC comprises many activities, including the Navy Department Library, the Navy Operational Archives, the Navy art and artifact collections, underwater archeology, Navy histories, 10 museums, the USS Constitution repair facility, and the historic ship Nautilus."
The NHHC has the following artifacts from USS Anchorage (LSD 36)
- 1 Builder's Plaque
- 1 Steering Wheel
- 1 Life Ring
- 1 Surface Warfare Office Pennant
- 1 Meritorious Unit Commendation Pennant
- 1 Commanding Officers Plaque
- 2 Bells:
- Ship's Bell *on USS Anchorage (LPD 23)
- Quarterdeck Bell
- 2 Clinometers
- 3 50 Star Flags
- 6 Battle Efficiency Plaques: 1993-1998
- 9 Cruise Books: 1968-1970, 1971, 1974, 1989, 1990-1991, 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2001 *the Navy Department Library only accepts original cruise books for their collection. Because of copyright issues, they only photocopy portions of a book and not the entire book.
Cruise Books
Frank Arre, formerly with the Naval Historical Foundation, has access to the following cruise books for duplication: 1968-1970, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1987, 1989, and 1998. Thanks to shipmates Paul Vangoethem for providing the 1975 book, Dennis Pard for providing 1977 and 1980, and Darren Knight for providing 1987. I have been told there was no cruise book produced for the 2002 deployment. Frank does have access to 1972, 1990-1991, 1994, 1996, and 2001, but doesn’t think the quality of images are adequate for reproduction.
If you have a cruise book for a year he does not have, or any of the not 'adequate for reproduction' years, Frank asks that you do one of two things, either donate the book outright or allow it to be copied and then returned to you. If donated, Frank would copy first, then turn it over to the Navy Department Library, who would send you a tax-deduction form. EMail Frank for more information.
Other artifacts from USS Anchorage (LSD 36)
- 1 Ship's Anchor *located at Ship Creek Small Boat Launch, Anchorage, Alaska

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) serves as the nation's memory, diligently preserving a select 2% to 5% of all federal records generated annually, ensuring that invaluable historical documents like the Emancipation Proclamation, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, and everyday records such as Dust Bowl photographs, dating from 1775 onward, remain accessible. Through meticulous preservation of billions of textual pages, millions of maps, photographs, and film, and hundreds of terabytes of electronic data, and by proactively developing initiatives like the Electronic Records Archives (ERA), NARA guarantees the enduring accessibility, readability, and authenticity of essential U.S. government information for generations to come.
Deck Logs 1969-1978
As of July 2, 2025, all digitized deck logs have been downloaded from NARA. I will continue to update as NARA makes more deck logs available.
A Critical Request on Privacy: These historical records often contain sensitive personal data, such as names, social security or service numbers, and details of disciplinary actions. Your responsible use of this material is essential. To protect individual privacy, please maintain strict confidentiality and refrain from sharing any personal details from the logs in public forums or on social media. Please note: This collection is currently protected by a password.
Hull Plans 2/1/65
- Hull
- 348 General Arrangement, Outboard & Inboard Profile and Inner Bottom
- 349 General Arrangement Main Deck and Above
- 350 General Arrangement, 2nd Deck and Below
- 351 Lines and Offsets
- 352 Midship Sections
- 353 Living, Recreation & Sanitary Spaces
- 354 Commissary, Messing & Service Spaces Arrgt. of
- 355 Office Spaces
- 356 Medical Spaces
- 357 Stowage Spaces
- 358 Shell Expansion & Framing
- 359 Decks, Flats & Inner Bottom
- 360 Superstructure
- 361 Portable Decks, Ramps, Dk. & BHD Fittings for Water Barrier & Ramp
- 362 Stern Gate & Stern Gate Machinery
- 363 Replenishment & Fueling At Sea
- 364 Anchor Stowage & Handling
- 365 Rudders, Shaft Struts & Steering Gear
- 366 Ammunition Stowage & Handling
- 367 Cargo Flow and Store Strikedown
- 399 Long. BHD & Sections
- Electrical
- 385 Power Distribution Systems Schematic
- 386 Power Distribution Systems Elementary
- 387 Lighting Distribution Systems Schematic
- 388 Outline of Switchboards
- 389-1 List of Motors and Controllers
- 389-2 List of Motors and Controllers
- 389-3 List of Motors and Controllers
- 391-1 MK56 & MK63 GFCS Contr. Rooms & 3"/50 Gen. Mount Power Rooms Arrgt. of Equipment
- 391-2 MK56 & MK63 GFCS Contr. Rooms & 3"/50 Gen. Mount Power Rooms Arrgt. of Equipment
- 392 Weapons Control System Block Diagram
- 393 Antenna Arrangement
- Electronic
- 394-1 Radio Comm. Crypto & Teletype System
- 394-2 Radio Comm. Crypto & Teletype System
- 395 Sonar, Infrared, Navigation, Radar & IFF Sys.
- 396 CIC & Chart Room Arrangement of Equipment
- 397 Pilot House & Bridge Wings Arrngt. of Equipment
- 398-1 Radio Central, Crypto Rm. Secure TTY Room & Message Processing Area Arrgt. of Equipment
- 398-2 Radio Central, Crypto Rm. Secure TTY Room & Message Processing Area Arrgt. of Equipment
- Machinery
- 368-1 Arrangement of Mach. Rooms #1 & #2 Plan
- 368-2 Arrangement of Mach. Rms. Elevation & Sect.
- 369 Arrangement of Gen. Air Cond. Refr. Air Deballasting & Pump Rooms
- 370 Arrangment of Workshops
- 371 Arrgt. of Boiler Uptakes, Stacks & Forward Blower System
- 372 Diag. Arrgt. of Main Steam Aux. Steam & Aux. Exhaust System
- 373 Diagrammatic Arrgt. Feed & Condensate System
- 374 Diag. Arrgt. Fuel Oil Trans. Service Stripping System
- 375 Diagrammatic Arrangement JP-5 System
- 376 Arrangement of Shafting
- 377 Full Power, Overload & Endurance Heat Balance & Flow Diagram
- 378 Diag. Arrgt. Fire Main, Washdown & Foam Sys.
- 379 Diag. Arr. Drainage & Ships Service Compressed Air Systems
- 380 Diag Arr. Ballasting, Air Deballasting & Deck Drain & Flooding Systems
- 382 AC. Heating & Venilation Diagram O1 Level & Above & Equipment Lists
- 383 AC. Venilation Diagram Mn Dk. & 2nd Deck
- 384 AC Heating & Ventl. Diag. 3rd Deck & Below
TIP: When looking at a document, CNTRL F and typing ANCHORAGE or just LSD might direct you to relevant text faster
With reference to USS Anchorage (LSD 36):
- Virginia M. Heyward christens USS Anchorage - 5/5/1968 IMAGE
- NEWSFILM RELEASE *ship launching - 5/7/1968 PDF
- Ship Launching - 5/7/1968 VIDEO
- Commissioning Ceremony Program *with notes from dignitaries - 3/1969 PDF
- Plank Owner Certificate - 3/1969 IMAGE
- WESTPAC *port visits with dates - 1969-1970 PDF
- Deck Log Entry *ship's first New Years Day - 1/1/1970 0000-0400 PDF
- USMC 7th Motor Transport Battalion - 2/1970 PDF
- stripes.com article "Keystone Robin Marines ship out" - 4/1971 IMAGE
- WESTPAC *port visits with dates - 1971-1972 PDF
- USMC 11th Motor Transport Battalion - 4/71 PDF
- Welcome Aboard - 1972 PDF
- WESTPAC *port visits with dates and miles - 1973-1974 PDF
- Welcome Aboard - 1974 PDF
- USMC 1st Marine Aircraft Wing - 1/1974 PDF
- Cruise Book *copied for us by the Naval Academy Nimitz Library - 1974 PDF
- SHORE LEAF "Navy making history today" - 10/1974 IMAGE
- Photo of ship *signed by numerous crew members - 1975 IMAGE
- USMC 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade (Operation Frequent Wind) - 4/1975 PDF
- Polymode Survey *Operation Polymode - 11/1975 PDF
- WESTPAC *port visits with dates - 1975 PDF
- WESTPAC *port visits with dates - 1977 PDF
- PROPULSION OPERATING GUIDE - 12/1978 PDF
- WESTPAC *port visits - 1980 PDF
- Vice Admiral Alexander S. Heyward, Jr. & Virginia N. Heyward *Virginia sponsored ship christening in 1968 - 12/1982 IMAGE
- "USS Anchorage 80s" VHS from Steve Rulo (7/86-5/90) - 1980's YOUTUBE
- USS Anchorage (LSD 36) towing the USS Belleau Woods (LHA 3) - 3/1987 YOUTUBE
- Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy Press Release - 6/1987 PDF
- US Navy in Desert Shield/Desert Storm - 1/1991 WEBSITE
- Flight Ops Certification - 2/1995 PDF
- MEF Planner's Reference Manual - Part II Equipment Capabilities - 12/1999 PDF
- PHASE 1 UNIFORM NATIONAL DISCHARGE STANDARDS FOR VESSELS OF THE ARMED FORCES - 4/1999 PDF
- Amphibious Ships and Landing Craft Data Book - 8/2001 PDF
- Future Deployable Medical Capabilities and Platforms for Navy Medicine - 2/2002 PDF
- U.S. AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS AND CRAFT - 11/2002 PDF
- SUBMISSION OF COMMAND HISTORY *for calendar year - 2002 PDF
- navy.mil article "Anchorage Sailors Make Rescued Fisherman Feel At Home" - 6/2003 IMAGE
- Federal Business Opportunities Solicitation #N6279103R0066 - 6/2003 PDF
- Decommissioning invitation and program cover - 2003 PDF
- Decommissioning Ceremony Program - 10/2003 PDF
- Welcome Aboard - 2003 PDF
- U.S. Naval Institute PROCEEDINGS *transfer to Taiwan - 5/2004 PDF
- Legislation on Foreign Relations Through 2004 *transfer to Taiwan - 7/2005 PDF
- Report to Congress on Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels for FY 2009 - 2/2008 PDF
- USS Anchorage (LSD 36) towed to sea during RIMPAC/SINKEX Video 1 - 7/2010 DVIDS
- USS Anchorage (LSD 36) towed to sea during RIMPAC/SINKEX Video 2 - 7/2010 YOUTUBE
- USS Anchorage (LSD 36) being hit by multiple weapons during RIMPAC/SINKEX *starts at 7:29 in video, runs through 8:30 - 7/2010 YOUTUBE
- USS Anchorage (LSD 36) going down after being hit during RIMPAC/SINKEX - 7/2010 VIDEO
- SINKEX Report - 7/2010 PDF
- What is SINKEX? Naval Sea Systems Command - WEBSITE, U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration - WEBSITE
- jacksonville.com article "NAS Jax P-3s join Pacific live-fire exercise" - 6/2010 PDF
- Naval Vessel Register - 10/2010 PDF
- Implementation of New Topside Paints - 2011 PDF
- Huntington Ingalls News Release - 5/2011 PDF
- USS Anchorage (LSD 36) books at Barnes & Noble - 2/2013 PDF
- military.com article mentioning Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Jacinto Ganac *served on USS Anchorage (LSD 36) and (LPD 23) - 5/2013 WEBSITE
- "Captain Philip E. Old assumed the duties of ..." *ship's Main Propulsion Division Officer, Damage Control Assistant 1988-1990 - 10/2019 IMAGE
- In Memory of USS Anchorage LSD-36 *memorial page created by USS Bremerton (SSN 698) - 7/12/22 WEBSITE
- Navy League Anchorage Council Sea Services Memorial - 8/2023 Dedication Program PDF LSD 36 Storyboard IMAGE
Miscellaneous:
- Ribbons earned - IMAGE
- Ribbon list from NDAWS, Navy Personnel Command *good for some information, list is incomplete - PDF
- OPNAVNOTE:1650 MASTER LIST OF UNIT AWARDS AND CAMPAIGN MEDALS *good for some information, list is incomplete - PDF
- Commanding Officers from 1969 to 2003 - WEBPAGE
- Naval Base San Diego Piers - IMAGE
- San Diego anchorages frequently used by USS Anchorage (LSD 36) *several of these anchorages mentioned in ship's history - IMAGES Coronado Roads, Harbor Island
- USS Anchorage (LSD 36) spent many hours/days operating within the Southern California Operations Area (SOCAL) *mentioned throughout ship's history - PDF
- USS Anchorage (LSD 36) locations while underway in October 1970 *coordinates taken from deck logs entries at 0800, 1200, and 2000 - IMAGE
- Map showing USS Anchorage (LSD 36) locations on nine equator crossings - IMAGE
- Naval History of Alaska - FLYER
- Information on exposure to Agent Orange, Asbestos, Lead, and Radiation - WEBPAGE
If have questions or comments about the information found on this page, please EMail Michael.