Dive Type: Wreck Dive
Typical Depth Range: 60 to 130
feet
Expertise Required:
Intermediate to Advanced
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The Spiegel Grove, a 510-foot steam
turbine-powered Landing Ship Dock launched in
1955 and de-commissioned in 1989, will be the
largest ship ever intentionally sunk to create
an artificial reef. This war ship was designed
to transport landing craft that carried combat
troops to shore. Scuba divers will able to reach
the top structure of the ship at just 40 feet
below the surface, making this wreck dive
accessible to a wider range of sport divers then
the Duane or Bibb (2 Coast Guard Cutters
scuttled nearby for artificial reefs).
The Spiegel
Grove named after the Fremont, Ohio, estate of
Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the
United States was commissioned on June 8, 1956.
She served 33 years until her she ended her
active service in 1989.
 The
Spiegel Grove made headlines several times as
she saw duty in Cuba, the Middle East, Caribbean
and the Mediterranean. After the Iraqi attack of
the USS Stark 1987 by a Exocet anti-ship
missile, the Spiegel Grove towed the damaged
ship to safety. In addition, she was part of the
task group in 1971, that rescued the Apollo 14
crew. On November 14, 1978, the Spiegel Grove
became the first ship in history to land an
air-cushioned vehicle in its well deck. During
the mid-1980s, just before she was
decommissioned, the vessel ran a series of
secret missions, deploying surveillance
equipment in Grenada and dropping minesweepers
in Nicaragua, according to her former crew.
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Specifications of the
USS Spiegel Grove
- D: 6,8880 tons
(12,150 fl)
- S: 22.5 kts
- Dim: 155.45 x 25.6 x
5.4 (5.8 max.)
- A: 6/76.2-mm DP (II
x 3)-LSD 34 also:
2/20-mm Mk 15 CIWS (I x
2)
- Electron Equipt:
Radar: 1/LN-66,
1/SPS-10, 1/SPS-6
- M: 2 sets G.E. GT; 2
props; 24,000 hp
- Range: 5,300/22.5;
10,00/20; 13,000
- Boilers: 2 Babcock &
Wilcox, 40.8kg/cm²
pressure
- Fuel: 1,390 tons
- Man: 18 officers,
325 men + 318 troops
Remarks: Portable
helicopter platform. Can
carry 3 LCU, 18 LCM (6) or 9
LCM (6) in 119.2 x 14.6 well
deck with 975 m² of vehicle
parking space forward of the
docking well. Two 50-ton
cranes. Originally had 16
76.2-mm DP (II x 8) now have
one mount forward to
starboard, and two
amidships. Two Mk 56 and 63
gunfire-control systems
removed in 1977. Last active
U.S. ships with SPS-6
air-search radar. Being
decommissioned to reserve
for retention for possible
emergency mobilization; LSD
32 extended in active
service two years, was to
have decommissioned
30-98-87.
Combat Fleets of the World
Naval Institute Press
United States Institute
Annapolis, Maryland 21402
1988 |
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