USS Talbot County (LST-1153) was a tank landing ship (LST) built for the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 just after World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. The lead ship

Lead ship

The lead ship or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable military ships and larger civilian craft.-Overview:...

 of her class

Talbot County class tank landing ship

The Talbot County class of tank landing ships was a two-ship class of ships of the United States Navy...

 of only two vessels, she was named after counties in Maryland

Talbot County, Maryland

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*81.4% White*12.8% Black*0.2% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.6% Two or more races*2.7% Other races*5.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

 and Georgia

Talbot County, Georgia

Talbot County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The 2000 Census showed a population of 6,498. The 2009 Census Estimate showed a population of 6,355. The county seat is Talbotton.-History:...

, and was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Design and construction

The two Talbot County class tank landing ships

Talbot County class tank landing ship

The Talbot County class of tank landing ships was a two-ship class of ships of the United States Navy...

 had a displacement of 6000 long tons (6,096 t), a length of 382 feet (116.4 m), a beam of 54 feet (16.5 m), and a draft of 14 in 5 in (4.39 m). They were fitted with two 450 psi (3,102,640.8 Pa) Babcock and Wilcox boilers connected to two geared turbines; a Westinghouse in the forward engine room, and a General Electric in the after engine room. These were intended to provide a top speed of 14 knots (7.6 m/s), although 12 knots (6.5 m/s) was a more realistic flank speed.

The landing ships were capable of transporting 197 troops, and were equipped with three LCVP

LCVP

The Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel or Higgins boat was a landing craft used extensively in amphibious landings in World War II. The craft was designed by Andrew Higgins of Louisiana, United States, based on boats made for operating in swamps and marshes...

s and one LCPL

LCPL

The Landing Craft Personnel was a landing craft used extensively in the Second World War. Its primary purpose was to ferry troops from transport ships to attack enemy-held shores. The craft derived from a prototype designed by the Eureka Tug-Boat Company of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...

. The ship's company was 190-strong, and consisted of about six or seven line officers, a supply officer, the Captain and Executive Officer, and about 115-125 enlisted men. Talbot County was initially armed with two single 5"/38 caliber guns, two twin 40 mm Bofors guns, and two single 20 mm Oerlikon guns

Oerlikon 20 mm cannon

The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...

. The 20 & 40 mm guns were removed prior to 1958.

The ship was laid down as LST-1153 on 19 July 1945 at the Boston Navy Yard

Boston Navy Yard

The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...

. She was launched on 24 April 1947 with Mrs. Lena Mickelson as sponsor, and commissioned on 3 September 1947. She was not named until 1955.

The Talbot County and her sister-ship, , were the only steam-driven LST's ever commissioned into the United States Navy, and were considered experimental due to their propulsion and armament. Apparently the experiment was not a success because no other steam driven LST's were ever built and no others had 5-inch guns.

1947–1970

LST-1153 reported to the Fleet Training Group at Norfolk to begin her shakedown cruise on 21 September. She returned to Boston on 24 October for a post-shakedown yard period and put to sea again on 15 November. Eleven days later, she arrived at her home port, Little Creek, Virginia.

For the next nine years, as a unit of the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet, the tank landing ship operated along the east coast of the United States from New England to Florida and in the Caribbean. On 1 July 1955, LST-1153 was named USS Talbot County (LST-1153).

Talbot County deployed to the Mediterranean on 31 August 1959, using her bulk fuel tanks to carry more than 240,000 gallons of aviation gasoline

Avgas

Avgas is an aviation fuel used to power piston-engine aircraft. Avgas is distinguished from mogas , which is the everyday gasoline used in cars and some non-commercial light aircraft...

 to refuel the helicopters of the amphibious squadron attached to the Sixth Fleet. After making port calls in France, Italy, Greece, Malta, Gibraltar, Algeria, and Morocco, she returned to the United States on 13 February 1958. The ship was deployed with the Sixth Fleet again from April to August 1959 and from October 1960 to May 1961. The remainder of her time, until 1970, was spent in operations along the Atlantic seaboard, ranging from Key West, Florida, to Nova Scotia and various ports in the Caribbean.

Decommissioning and sale

Talbot County was decommissioned on 3 April 1970 and assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Orange, Texas

Orange, Texas

Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...

. Struck from the Naval Vessel Register

Naval Vessel Register

The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...

 on 1 May 1973, Talbot County was sold for scrapping by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service

Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service

DLA Disposition Services is part of the United States Defense Logistics Agency...

 one year later, on 1 May 1974.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs