LST-491-class tank landing ship
|
History
|
United States
|
Name
| USS
LST-509
|
Builder
| Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company,
Jeffersonville, Indiana
|
Laid down
| 7 October 1943
|
Launched
| 23 November 1943
|
Commissioned
| 20 January 1944
|
Decommissioned
| 8 April 1970
|
Renamed
| USS
Bulloch County
(LST-509), 1 July 1955
|
Honours and
awards
| 1
battle star
|
Fate
| Leased to the
Republic of Vietnam
, 1970
|
South Vietnam
|
Name
| Qui Nhon
(HQ-504)
|
Acquired
| 8 April 1970
|
Fate
| Transferred to the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
|
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
|
Name
| HQ-505
|
Acquired
| 1976
|
Honours and
awards
| Hero of the People's Armed Forces
|
Fate
| Sunk after 1988
|
General characteristics
|
Class and type
| LST-491
-class
tank landing ship
|
Displacement
|
- 1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light
- 3,640 long tons (3,698 t) full
|
Length
| 328 ft (100 m)
|
Beam
| 50 ft (15 m)
|
Draft
|
- Unloaded
:
- 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward
- 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft
- Loaded
:
- 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward
- 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
|
Depth
|
- 8 ft (2.4 m) forward
- 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) aft (full load)
|
Propulsion
| 2 ×
General Motors
12-567
diesel engines
, two shafts, twin rudders
|
Speed
| 12
knots
(22 km/h; 14 mph)
|
Boats & landing
craft carried
| 2
LCVPs
|
Troops
| Approximately 130 officers and enlisted men
|
Complement
| 8-10 officers, 89-100 enlisted men
|
Armament
| |
USS
Bulloch County
(LST-509)
was an
LST-491
-class
tank landing ship
built for the
United States Navy
during
World War II
. Named for
Bulloch County, Georgia
, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
LST-509 was laid down on 7 October 1943 at
Jeffersonville, Indiana
by the Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company; launched on 23 November 1943; sponsored by Lieutenant (j.g.) Dorothy L. Nims, USCG(W); and commissioned on 20 January 1944.
During World War II, LST-509 was assigned to the
European Theater
and participated in the
Invasion of Normandy
in June, 1944. Following the war, LST-509 returned to the
United States
and was redesignated
USS
Bulloch County
(LST-509)
on 1 July 1955.
She was recommissioned in 1966 and served in the
Vietnam War
until she was transferred to the
Republic of Vietnam Navy
in April 1970.
She was used primarily for provisioning forward coastal and river US Marine bases such as
Tan M? Base
(now Thuan An) and
C?a Vi?t Base
located in
I Corps
and bases further south such as
V?ng Tau
,
Cam Ranh Bay
and
Nha Trang
.
Other duties included coastal
picket
and resupply duty during
Operation Market Time
in which she resupplied and provided off-patrol berthing for
Patrol Craft Fast
crews interdicting
Viet Cong
communication and supply routes.
The starboard screw and rudder were once damaged by a floating mine in the Cua Viet River. She continued operations on one screw until another could be fitted at
Da Nang
. She suffered serious enough storm damage during a typhoon during a voyage to
Okinawa
in 1969, to require emergency repairs while beached and more complete repairs in a graving dock at
Sasebo
, Japan.
On 8 April 1970, the ship was decommissioned and leased to the
Republic of Vietnam
under the Security Assistance Program for service as
Qui Nhon
(HQ-504)
. After 1975, she served in the
Vietnam People's Navy
with new registration as HQ-505.
In 1988 she was heavily damaged in the
Johnson South Reef Skirmish
by the Chinese frigate
Yingtan
. The Vietnam People's Navy, in an effort to save her, tried to bring her to Cam Ranh Bay for repair but she sank south of Great Discovery Reef in the
Spratly Islands
area. The ship and her crew were granted the title of
Hero of the People's Armed Forces
.
LST-509 earned one
battle star
for World War II service.
See also
[
edit
]
References
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edit
]