▁rad ar . ▁At op ▁the ▁stern ▁gate , ▁the ▁vessels ▁mounted ▁a ▁hel ic opter ▁deck . ▁They ▁had ▁a ▁maximum ▁complement ▁of ▁ 2 1 3 ▁including ▁ 1 1 ▁officers . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁and ▁career ▁The ▁L ST ▁was ▁ordered ▁as ▁the ▁third ▁h ull ▁of ▁the ▁third ▁group ▁in ▁F is cal ▁Year ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁and ▁a ▁contract ▁was ▁awarded ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁July ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁on ▁ 6 ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁at ▁San ▁Diego , ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Ste el ▁and ▁Sh ip building ▁Company . ▁N amed ▁for ▁a ▁county ▁in ▁Colorado , ▁B ould er ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁spons ored ▁by ▁the ▁wife ▁of ▁Senator ▁Gordon ▁L . ▁All ott . ▁The ▁L ST ▁was ▁commission ed ▁on ▁ 4 ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁at ▁Long ▁Beach , ▁California ▁and ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁Am ph ib ious ▁Force , ▁Atlantic ▁Fle et , ▁with ▁the ▁home ▁port ▁of ▁Little ▁Creek , ▁Virginia . ▁ ▁In to ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁B ould er ▁altern ated ▁am ph ib ious ▁training ▁operations ▁along ▁the ▁east ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁Sea ▁with ▁regular , ▁extended ▁deploy ments ▁to ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁the ▁L ST ▁was ▁transferred ▁to