Which LPD were you on. I was on LPD #2 the Vancouver before desert storm. It was the oldest LPD in the fleet and had seen duty in Viet Nam.
It was a rust bucket and was the only part of my service that I did not enjoy on a daily basis (I still managed to have a good time).
I was aboard USS Juneau (LPD-10). I think that whole class has been scrapped by now.