USS Spiegel Grove

USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) was a United States Navy LSD-class ship, named after Spiegel Grove, the home and estate in Fremont, Ohio of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States. The ship was laid down on 7 September 1954 by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation of Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Design and Construction

The USS Spiegel Grove was designed as a LSD-class ship, a type of amphibious warfare vessel that is designed to support and launch landing craft and amphibious vehicles. The ship was 510 feet long, 84 feet wide, and had a displacement of 8,325 tons. It was powered by a steam turbine engine that could propel the ship at speeds up to 20 knots.

Service History

The USS Spiegel Grove was commissioned on 8 June 1956. During its service, the ship participated in numerous operations and exercises, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and Operation Desert Storm. The ship was decommissioned on 2 October 1989.

Final Disposition

After decommissioning, the USS Spiegel Grove was sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Key Largo, Florida on 17 May 2002. Today, the shipwreck is a popular site for scuba divers and is part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

See Also

• List of United States Navy LSDs
• List of shipwrecks in the Florida Keys