SEAL

The coat of arms as blazoned in full color upon a white oval enclosed by a blue collar edged on the outside with a gold rope and bearing the inscription “USS SAN ANTONIO” at top and “LPD 17” in base all gold.

SYMBOLISM

SHIELD: The colors of the shield and star are adapted from the Texas state flag. The star also commemorates the “Lone Star” and first ship to bear the name San Antonio. Red is the color for valor and sacrifice, blue is for loyalty and white, purity of purpose. The Alamo honors the heroes who offered their lives to ensure the freedom of Texas. The bluebonnets refer to the beauty and majesty of Texas and the olive branch highlights the ship's peacekeeping mission.

CREST: The trident and cannon represent the old and new weaponry. The cannon balls and nineteenth century cannon were similar weapons used by the brave men that defended the Alamo. The trident, symbol of sea prowess, also represents the “mobility triad” that USS San Antonio is built for. The mission of the San Antonio class is to transport the U.S. Marine Corps “mobility triad” – that is, the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV), Air Cushioned Landing Craft (LCAC) and vertical flight aircraft including the MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft – to trouble spots around the world.

SUPPORTS: The crossed Navy and Marine Corps swords represent cooperation and teamwork of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps.

BLAZON

SHIELD: Per pale Argent and Gules, a sprig of Texas bluebonnet on dexter Proper and an olive branch on sinister Or, all superimposed by the Alamo Proper; on a chief Azure a mullet of the first.

CREST: Issuing from a wreath Argent and Gules a trident head of the first, overall in base a stack of cannon balls and nineteenth century cannon in silhouette Sable.

MOTTO: On a scroll Azure double Gules the words “NEVER RETREAT, NEVER SURRENDER” Argent.

SUPPORTERS: Navy and Marine Corps swords saltirewise points down proper.
 

San Antonio will be used to transport and land Marines, their equipment and supplies by embarked air cushion or conventional landing craft or Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical take off and landing aircraft.

She will support amphibious assault, special ops, or expeditionary warfare missions through the first half of the 21st Century.

Name
Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton named the lead ship of the LPD 17 class San Antonio in 1996. The ship is named in honor of the City of San Antonio, Texas.

“USS San Antonio will be the most high-tech, advanced amphibious ship ever built. It is an honor for me to name such an important new combat ship after San Antonio, site of the battle of the Alamo. It is also important that we keep alive the tradition of naming ships after American cities,” said the Secretary.

She is the first U.S. ship commissioned San Antonio.

Ship Characteristics
Length: 684 feet (208.5 meters)

Beam: 105 feet (31.9 meters)

Displacement: 24,900 long ship tons

Speed: In excess of 22 knots (24.2 mph)

Aircraft: Four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters or two MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft may be launched or recovered simultaneously. The ship's hangar can store 1-2 aircraft.

Armament: Two 30mm Close-in-Guns, for surface threat defense; two Rolling Airframe Missile launchers for air defense

Landing Craft: Two LCACs (air cushion) or one LCU (conventional)

EFVs: 14 Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles

Power plant: Four Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, two shafts, 40,000 Hp

Crew: 360 Sailors (28 officers, 332 enlisted) and 3 Marines

Troops: 699 (66 officers, 633 enlisted);

LPD 17 Class: San Antonio (LPD 17), New Orleans (LPD 18), Mesa Verde (LPD 19), Green Bay (LPD 20), New York (LPD 21), and San Diego (LPD 22), Anchorage (LPD 23), Arlington (LPD 24), and Somerset (LPD 25)

Motto: “Never Retreat ... Never Surrender”

Dates: San Antonio was christened July 19, 2003, by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas. The ship will then be delivered to the Navy and commissioned as USS San Antonio in 2006.