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USS Coronado (AGF 11)

- formerly T-AGF 11, formerly AGF 11, formerly LPD 11 -
- decommissioned -
- sunk as a target -


USS CORONADO was built and commissioned as an AUSTIN - class LPD. She was the second ship in the Navy to bear the name. After her redesignation from LPD to AGF she underwent numerous modifications and finally served as flagship Third Fleet. On November 14, 2003, the CORONADO was transfered to the Military Sealift Command and her designation was changed to T-AGF 11. But shortly afterwards, due to some discrepancies, the Navy redesignated the CORONADO as USS and put the ship under control of a US Navy Commanding Officer again. The reason for the redesignation was that the Department of the Navy declared that the CORONADO had to be able to conduct belligerent operations but international law requires that those operations may only be conducted by warships but as T-AGF 11, the CORONADO was not a designated warship. The CORONADO subsequently operated with a mixed crew of US Navy and MSC sailors. She was decommissioned at San Diego, Calif, on September 30, 2006, and spent the following years laid-up at Pearl Harbor, Hi., awaiting final disposal. The CORONADO was finally sunk as a target on September 12, 2012, during exercise Valiant Shield 117 miles south of Guam.

General Characteristics:Keel Laid: May 3, 1965
Launched: July 30, 1966
Commissioned: May 23, 1970
Decommissioned: November 14, 2003
MSC "in service": November 14, 2003
Decommissioned: September 30, 2006
Builder: Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company, Seattle, Wash.
Propulsion system: two boilers, geared turbines
Propellers: two
Length: 567,5 feet (173 meters)
Beam: 84 feet (25.6 meters)
Draft: 23,6 feet (7.2 meters)
Displacement: 17,000 tons full load
Speed: 20+ knots
Armament: two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, Machine gun mounts
Aircraft: two light helicopters
Crew: AGF 11: 516 and 120 Staff     T-AGF 11: 150 CivMar and Navy Staff


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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS / USNS CORONADO. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.


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USS CORONADO Cruise Books:


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Accidents aboard USS CORONADO:

DateWhereEvents
October 9, 2004Yokosuka, JapanA Pacific typhoon causes the USS VINCENNES (CG 49) to snap away from the pier at Yokosuka, Japan and to collide with the USS CORONADO. There are no casualties or injuries reported as a result of the collision.


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History of USS CORONADO:

USS CORONADO was built by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company in Seattle, Washington. Its keel was laid on 3 May 1965 and the ship was launched on 30 July 1966. USS CORONADO was commissioned 23 May 1970.

USS CORONADO was designed as an Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD), built to transport Marines and their equipment to the scene of an amphibious assault, and move them ashore by landing craft and helicopters. The ship is one of seven fitted with additional superstructure for command ship duties.

First assigned to the U. S. Atlantic Fleet in the 1970's, CORONADO conducted extensive operations and deployed on numerous occasions to Northern Europe and the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas.

In 1980, CORONADO was redesignated an AGF (Miscellaneous Command Ship). Her first assignment was to relieve the USS LA SALLE (AGF 3) as the command ship for Commander, U. S. Middle East Force, stationed in the Persian Gulf.

Reassigned in October 1985, CORONADO relieved USS PUGET SOUND (AD 38) as the command ship of Commander, SIXTH Fleet. During her ten month tour with SIXTH Fleet, she operated out of Gaeta, Italy, participating in operations in the Gulf of Sidra and strikes against Libyan terrorist support facilities.

In July 1986, CORONADO was relieved as SIXTH Fleet command ship and ordered to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to become the command ship for Commander, THIRD Fleet. Subsequently, CORONADO was relieved as THIRD Fleet command ship and deployed to the Arabian Gulf to assume duties as command ship for Commander, Middle East Force in January of 1988. Upon her return to Pearl Harbor in November 1988, CORONADO again assumed her duties as command ship for THIRD Fleet.

The ship remained homeported in Hawaii until August 1991, when it and THIRD Fleet changed homeports to Naval Air Station North Island, in her namesake city of Coronado, California.

While stationed in San Diego, USS CORONADO became an integral part of the surrounding community.

On November 14, 2003, the CORONADO was transfered to the Military Sealift Command becoming the first Command Ship ever to be assigned to the MSC. CORONADO subsequently entered the shipyard to be coverted to accommodate civilian sailors. Afterwards, the CORONADO returned to the fleet and resumed duties as the flagship of the THIRD Fleet. She continued that duty for another 3 years before she was decommissioned at San Diego, Calif., on September 30, 2006.


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As AGF 11:



The photos below were taken by Brian Barton and show the CORONADO undergoing modifications to accommodate civilian sailors. The photo was taken in San Diego on December 6, 2003.



The photos below were taken by me and show the CORONADO laid-up at Pearl Harbor, Hi., on March 20, 2010.



The photos below were taken by me and show the CORONADO laid-up at Pearl Harbor, Hi., on March 6, 2012. Roughly 6 months later, the CORONADO was sunk as a target near Guam.



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