How are the LPD 17 class ships named?
A2 Traditionally, the ships of the LPD 1 and LPD 4 class ships were named for cities named for explorers and historical figures e.g. Raleigh, LaSalle, Austin, etc. For the LPD 17 class, Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton started a revised tradition, naming the lead ship San Antonio in 1996 after the city in Texas. To date most of the ships have followed this naming pattern with five named for cities – San Antonio, New Orleans, Green Bay, San Diego, and Anchorage; one named for a National Park, Mesa Verde; one named for a state, New York; one named for a city and county, Arlington; and one named for a county in Pennsylvania, Somerset.
