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N7KTP > NAVNET 13.01.06 00:06l 112 Lines 6377 Bytes #999 (0) @ ALLUS
BID : 49169_N7FSP
Read: GUEST
Subj: USS TIOGA COUNTY (LST-1158)
Path: ON0AR<ON0AR<N9ZZK<K7EK<N7FSP
Sent: 060112/1556z @:N7FSP.#SEA.#WWA.WA.USA.NOAM West Seattle, WA. on 145.010
Scrappy LST prowled the rivers of South Vietnam
By Fred Miles Watson - Managing Editor – Northwest Navigator
LST-1158 was built at Bath, Maine, by Bath Iron Works.
Commissioned April 11, 1953 with Lt. Cmdr. Charles Patton in command.
Displacing 6,225-tons, LST-1158 was 384 feet in length and carried a
draft of 16 feet, one-inch. There were 151 men assigned in this, LST-
1158 class ship.
Top speed was 14 knots and defensive firepower originated from
six, three-inch gunmounts.
Following shakedown operations out of Little Creek, Va., LST-1158
shifted to the West Coast in January 1954 and operated out of San
Diego. During the next few years, the tank landing ship worked along
the West Coast and in the Hawaiian Islands. On July 2, 1955, the ship
was named Tioga County after the counties in southern New York and
northern Pennsylvania.
Tioga County conducted two western Pacific deployments between
January 1957 and mid-1960, interspersed with local operations and
cruises to the Hawaiian Islands. While en route from the Philippines to
Yokosuka, Japan, Tioga County went to the aid of a stricken Taiwanese
fishing craft on Feb. 2, 1960. Bucking gale-force winds and 17-foot
seas, the LST passed lines to the stricken craft and drew her
alongside. The ship's crew passed lifejackets down to the fishermen and
brought them up via a Jacob's ladder, including one of the nine who had
injured his leg.
Following its return to the West Coast from the second WestPac
deployment, the ship resumed local operations out of San Diego. In
August 1961, the ship sailed north for Alaskan waters and operated in
the Aleutians for three months. On one occasion off Attu, the ship
battled high seas and gales up to 80 knots. She returned to San Diego
on Dec. 1, 1961.
Sailing for Hawaii following a leave and upkeep period, Tioga
County participated in joint Army-Navy exercises in the islands before
returning to the California coast. She conducted local operations and
training out of San Diego, on occasion between the West Coast and the
Hawaiian Islands, into 1965. On May 31 of that year, the ship was
selected as the test bed for the "Sea Sparrow" missile; and she
participated in these tests until June, when the ship and its crew were
commended by the Raytheon Corporation for the development of the
missile system.
In July 1965, Tioga County departed San Diego, bound for Hawaii.
During her five-month deployment, she operated out of Pearl Harbor and
worked with the Army 25th Infantry Division on exercises. Although the
ship was scheduled to spend Christmas in San Diego, a change of plans
sent her to the Far East for her third WestPac deployment.
Arriving at Subic Bay en route to Vietnamese waters, she loaded
barbed wire and aviation fuel tanks and got underway for Danang in mid-
January 1966. After delivering cargo and troops the LST embarked troops
and served as a "combat taxi" for the Army 101st Airborne Division,
making troop and vehicle lifts between Phan Rang and Tuy Hoa, carrying
up to 1,000 troops each time.
After shifting briefly to Subic Bay for a drydocking for repair of
her screws, Tioga County soon returned to Vietnamese waters to take
part in Operation "Double Eagle," off Quang Ngai province making
numerous beachings to load troops and cargo and earning its first
engagement star for this action.
Following this logistics support evolution, the LST returned to
the West Coast via Hong Kong; Yokosuka, Japan; and Pearl Harbor-and
reached San Diego on May 14, 1966.
Tioga County conducted local operations along the West Coast until
March 2 1967, when she got underway for her fourth WestPac deployment.
Proceeding via Pearl Harbor, Guam, and Subic Bay, the LST arrived at
Danang on April 28, with 43 vehicles and other cargo.
Following a run to Okinawa, Tioga County returned to Vietnam and
became the first LST of her class to participate in duty with the
Mobile Riverine Assault Force.
Arriving at Vung Tau on June 6, the ship loaded 30,000 cases of
"C" rations; 700 tons of Army ammunition, and 350 tons of miscellaneous
cargo. Tioga County transited the Song Cua Thieu river to the 9th
Infantry's advanced base at Dong Tarn and took on board 369 men of "B"
and "c" companies of the 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry.
Under the safeguard of Commander, River Flotilla 1, Tioga County
served in the Rung Sat special zone of the Mekong Delta region, sup-
porting "search-and-destroy" missions against Viet Cong (VC) troops.
She acted as a "Mekong Hilton" to the men who were based on board and
served as a mobile ammunition and supply depot. In addition, she
accompanied the rest of the riverine force up the Song Soirap to Nha Be
for close support of both artillery and infantry combat operations.
But then problems with the ship's generators forced the LST to
return to Subic Bay for repairs before returning to Vietnamese waters
in late July, joining Amphibious Ready Group Alfa off the coast of Viet
Nam near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Here the ship participated in
Operations "Beacon Gate," "Beacon Guide," and "Beacon Point." During
this period, in addition to logistics support operations, Tioga County
conducted her first combat landing as her LCVP's put a Marine landing
team ashore on the coastal region of Quang Ngai province-a known VC
stronghold near the DMZ-with the initial landing wave.
In September Tioga County was ordered to the United States,
steaming via Yokosuka and Pearl Harbor, and arrived back at San Diego
on Oct. 27. The LST conducted local operations and training out of San
Diego into 1970, before sailing for its fifth and final WestPac
deployment from Jan. 5 to July 7.
Tioga County was decommissioned on Dec. 23, 1970 and was placed in
reserve at San Diego with the inactive fleet. Activated in mid-1972 for
service with the Military Sealift Command, Tioga County was designated
T-LST-1158 and operated as such until being transferred to the Maritime
Administration in 1973 to be laid up in the National Defense Reserve
Fleet. Struck from the Navy list on Nov. 1, 1973, the former tank
landing ship is in the Maritime Administration custody at Suisun Bay
through 2001.
USS Tioga County was awarded three battle stars for its Vietnam
service.
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