.gif)
USS Wexford County (LST-1168)
Encyclopedia
USS Wexford County (LST-1168), previously USS LST-1168, was a United States Navy
landing ship tank (LST) in commission from 1953 to 1971, which saw service in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific and served in the Vietnam War..
. She was launched on 28 November 1953, sponsored by Mrs. Philip K. Wrigley, and commissioned
on 15 June 1954 with Lieutenant Commander
Victor Vansant in command.
. She spent the remainder of 1954 in training, shakedown, upkeep, and independent ship exercises.
On 14 February 1955, LST-1168 departed Norfolk for a three-month tour of duty in the Caribbean, operating from the Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
. While in the Caribbean, the ship visited San Juan
and Ponce
, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands
. Upon returning to Norfolk in May, she engaged in exercises and spent the summer of 1955 on United States Naval Reserve cruises and midshipmen training exercises. Her name was changed from USS LST—1168 to USS Wexford County (LST-1168) on 1 July 1955.
In late 1955, Wexford County entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, for overhaul and remained there into April 1956. She completed overhaul and arrived at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
, Virginia Beach, Virginia
, on 4 April 1956. The ship then participated in United States East Coast operations until July 1956, when she deployed to the Caribbean. After stops at Vieques Island and Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, she returned briefly to Little Creek, then set out for the United States West Coast via the Panama Canal
.
, on 2 September 1956 and spent the rest of 1956 conducting routine operations off the California coast.
In January 1957, Wexford County reported to Long Beach for overhaul and remained there until April 1957. She departed for San Francisco
, California, on 4 April 1957 and entered an upkeep period which lasted until 20 June 1957. She arrived at San Diego
, California, on 22 July 1957, where she continued operations along the California coast.
Wexford County departed for Pearl Harbor
, Hawaii
, and her first deployment to the Western Pacific on 23 January 1958 en route to Yokosuka, Japan. From Yokosuka, the ship made stops in Hong Kong
; Sasebo
, Japan; and Inchon, South Korea
. On 24 June 1958, she left for San Diego and arrived there on 18 August 1958. After several months of activity, she went into upkeep on 5 December 1958 at Long Beach.
On 29 January 1959, Wexford County departed for Yokosuka again via Hong Kong and Okinawa. She arrived at Yokosuka on 24 March 1959. The ship made several shuttles between Yokosuka and Sasebo, Japan, and Naha, Okinawa. She left Yokosuka for San Diego, arriving there on 7 June 1959. The remainder of 1959 was spent in exercises off the coast and routine upkeep.
During the next several years, Wexford County was involved in numerous routine operations along the California coast. A highlight of these years was a deployment to Guam
, for which she departed San Diego on 2 January 1962. After steaming 5,480 nautical miles (10,149 kilometers), she arrived on 23 January 1962. She conducted operations for reconnaissance and installation of weather stations in the eastern Caroline Islands
. The ship returned to San Diego on 1 September 1962. On 10 July 1963, she commenced overhaul at Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Long Beach, California, which lasted through late November 1963.
January and February 1964 found Wexford County engaged in training. She was in a restricted availability status during March and April 1964. In May, she participated in Exercise Pine Tree, in which she served as a secondary control ship. During July 1964, she was in landing ship tank training. This was followed by Exercise Sea Bar, held near Fort Lewis
, Washington, in conjunction with the United States Army
. In this exercise, Wexford County acted as primary control ship. Returning to San Diego in mid-September, Wexford County entered upkeep for several weeks. She then took part in amphibious exercises with United States Marine Corps
forces. Upon completion of various training exercises, the ship entered a Christmas
holiday upkeep period.
In early 1965, Wexford County took part in Operation Bubble Ops and Operation Silver Lance, which were at that time the largest peacetime amphibious operations ever conducted in the Pacific Ocean. Shortly after, she departed for Okinawa and Yokosuka, Japan. Following a brief stay, she sailed in early May 1965 for San Diego. During June and July 1965, she carried out local operations.
, South Vietnam
. Subsequent stops were made in Chu Lai
and Qui Nhon
, South Vietnam, and at Hong Kong. In December 1965, Wexford County returned to San Diego for the duration of the year.
Wexford County was involved in local operations from January through April 1966 and provided services for the Amphibious School, Coronado
, California. In late April, she steamed to Newport, Oregon
, to participate in Newport's Loyalty Day
celebration. On 1 May 1966, Wexford County returned to San Diego. On 12 July 1966, she arrived at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard
in Long Beach, California, for overhaul. She returned to San Diego on 9 November 1966 and began underway and refresher training on 27 November 1966. This training period ended on 16 December 1966.
Amphibious training for Wexford County commenced on 16 January 1967 and continued through 27 January 1967. She briefly returned to Long Beach for further repair, then continued on to Hawaii to participate in landing exercises on Moloka'i and to lift U.S. Marine Corps forces to San Diego. In June 1967, Wexford County sailed to San Francisco, California; Portland
, Oregon; and Seattle
, Washington, to embark U.S. Marine Corps troops bound for training at Camp Pendleton, California. She participated in various operations during July 1967, and, in late August, she repeated her stops along the United States West Coast to return Marine Corps units to their respective home ports.
After returning to San Diego in September 1967, Wexford County began a tender availability period. Amphibious exercises and deployment preparations lasted through October 1967. In early November 1967, she sailed for South Vietnam
by way of Pearl Harbor and Yokosuka. In December 1967, Wexford County reached South Vietnam and assumed her duties.
On 4 January 1968, Wexford County arrived in Subic Bay
, the Philippines
, to off-load cargo and departed on 14 January 1968 to return to South Vietnam. She remained on station until 13 March 1968, at which time she left for Subic Bay, arriving there on 16 March 1968. She returned to Vietnam, via Hong Kong, on 5 April 1968 to rejoin forces off Vietnam.
Wexford County left Vietnam in early May 1968 and returned to San Diego via Taiwan
, Yokosuka, and Pearl Harbor. She arrived in San Diego on 26 June 1968, after approximately seven and one-half months overseas. For the next two months, she was in a restricted availability status.
On 28 August 1968, she got underway for South Bend
, Washington, to help celebrate the city's Labor Day
festival. She returned to San Diego on 6 September 1968. Throughout September and October 1968, Wexford County carried out operations along the California coast. On 15 November 1968, she entered drydock at San Diego.
Wexford County got underway on 12 January 1969 with a task group headed for Mazatlán
, Mexico, arriving on 18 January 1969. She spent two weeks there involved in various training exercises. In February and March 1969, Wexford County was again in San Diego for routine maintenance. She departed for exercises at Treasure Island, California, on 14 April 1969. She sustained heavy damage to a main engine and spent May 1969 undergoing repairs at San Diego.
A midshipmen cruise occupied the months of June and July 1969. August and September 1969 were devoted to exercises, and Wexford County spent the rest of 1969 in overhaul at San Diego.
The yard
period ended on 20 February 1970. Inspections, training, and preparations for deployment occurred from March through May 1970; and, on 2 June 1970, the ship left for Pearl Harbor and Guam
. Wexford County reached Guam on 25 June 1970, and, after taking on new cargo
, she left for Subic Bay, Philippines, and then to Vietnam. After unloading a construction battalion
and their equipment, she departed for Hong Kong, arriving there on 30 July 1970.
From 2 September 1970 through early November 1970, Wexford County was involved in numerous troop lifts, cargo transports, and exercises between Okinawa and Yokosuka and Numazu, Japan. On 2 November 1970, she detached and began the voyage back to San Diego via Subic Bay, Guam, Ponape
, the Caroline Islands, and Pearl Harbor. She arrived at San Diego on 22 December 1970.
Wexford County received a Meritorious Unit Commendation
and five battle stars for her Vietnam War
service.
on 29 October 1971 and transferred to the Spanish Navy
through the Security Assistance Program that same day, although she was not stricken from the Navy List
until 1 November 1976.
In the Spanish Navy, she served as Martin Alvarez (L 12) from 1971 until 1995, when she was decommissioned and sold for scrapping.
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...
landing ship tank (LST) in commission from 1953 to 1971, which saw service in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific and served in the Vietnam War..
Construction and commissioning
USS LST-1168 was laid down on 27 February 1952 by the Christy Corporation, Sturgeon Bay, WisconsinSturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay is a city in and the county seat of Door County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,437 at the 2000 census. It is located at the natural end of Sturgeon Bay, although the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal was built across the remainder of the Door Peninsula.-Geography:Sturgeon Bay is...
. She was launched on 28 November 1953, sponsored by Mrs. Philip K. Wrigley, and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 15 June 1954 with Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Victor Vansant in command.
Atlantic and Caribbean service
Following commissioning, LST-1168 was assigned to the United States Atlantic Fleet with a home port at Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. She spent the remainder of 1954 in training, shakedown, upkeep, and independent ship exercises.
On 14 February 1955, LST-1168 departed Norfolk for a three-month tour of duty in the Caribbean, operating from the Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. While in the Caribbean, the ship visited San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
and Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
. Upon returning to Norfolk in May, she engaged in exercises and spent the summer of 1955 on United States Naval Reserve cruises and midshipmen training exercises. Her name was changed from USS LST—1168 to USS Wexford County (LST-1168) on 1 July 1955.
In late 1955, Wexford County entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
The Philadelphia Naval Business Center, formerly known as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Navy Yard, was the first naval shipyard of the United States. The U.S. Navy reduced its activities there in the 1990s, and ended most of them on September 30, 1995...
at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, for overhaul and remained there into April 1956. She completed overhaul and arrived at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
The Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek is the major operating base for the Amphibious Forces in the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet. The base comprises four locations in three states, including almost 12,000 acres of real estate. Its Little Creek location in Virginia Beach, Virginia totals...
, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
, on 4 April 1956. The ship then participated in United States East Coast operations until July 1956, when she deployed to the Caribbean. After stops at Vieques Island and Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, she returned briefly to Little Creek, then set out for the United States West Coast via the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
.
Pacific service
Wexford County arrived at Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, on 2 September 1956 and spent the rest of 1956 conducting routine operations off the California coast.
In January 1957, Wexford County reported to Long Beach for overhaul and remained there until April 1957. She departed for San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California, on 4 April 1957 and entered an upkeep period which lasted until 20 June 1957. She arrived at San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, California, on 22 July 1957, where she continued operations along the California coast.
Wexford County departed for Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and her first deployment to the Western Pacific on 23 January 1958 en route to Yokosuka, Japan. From Yokosuka, the ship made stops in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
; Sasebo
Sasebo
Sasebo or may refer to:* Sasebo, Nagasaki, a city in Japan and a base of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the city, later of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force* United States Fleet Activities Sasebo, a post-WWII United States Navy Base in the city...
, Japan; and Inchon, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. On 24 June 1958, she left for San Diego and arrived there on 18 August 1958. After several months of activity, she went into upkeep on 5 December 1958 at Long Beach.
On 29 January 1959, Wexford County departed for Yokosuka again via Hong Kong and Okinawa. She arrived at Yokosuka on 24 March 1959. The ship made several shuttles between Yokosuka and Sasebo, Japan, and Naha, Okinawa. She left Yokosuka for San Diego, arriving there on 7 June 1959. The remainder of 1959 was spent in exercises off the coast and routine upkeep.
During the next several years, Wexford County was involved in numerous routine operations along the California coast. A highlight of these years was a deployment to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, for which she departed San Diego on 2 January 1962. After steaming 5,480 nautical miles (10,149 kilometers), she arrived on 23 January 1962. She conducted operations for reconnaissance and installation of weather stations in the eastern Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
. The ship returned to San Diego on 1 September 1962. On 10 July 1963, she commenced overhaul at Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Long Beach, California, which lasted through late November 1963.
January and February 1964 found Wexford County engaged in training. She was in a restricted availability status during March and April 1964. In May, she participated in Exercise Pine Tree, in which she served as a secondary control ship. During July 1964, she was in landing ship tank training. This was followed by Exercise Sea Bar, held near Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington, in conjunction with the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. In this exercise, Wexford County acted as primary control ship. Returning to San Diego in mid-September, Wexford County entered upkeep for several weeks. She then took part in amphibious exercises with United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
forces. Upon completion of various training exercises, the ship entered a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
holiday upkeep period.
In early 1965, Wexford County took part in Operation Bubble Ops and Operation Silver Lance, which were at that time the largest peacetime amphibious operations ever conducted in the Pacific Ocean. Shortly after, she departed for Okinawa and Yokosuka, Japan. Following a brief stay, she sailed in early May 1965 for San Diego. During June and July 1965, she carried out local operations.
Vietnam War service
In August 1965, Wexford County again deployed for the Western Pacific and spent September 1965 in Da NangDa Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. Subsequent stops were made in Chu Lai
Chu Lai
Chu Lai is a sea port, urban and industrial area in Dung Quat Bay, Núi Thành district, Quang Nam province of Vietnam. The city is served by Chu Lai Airport.-Vietnam War:...
and Qui Nhon
Qui Nhon
Qui Nhơn , also Quy Nhơn, is a coastal city in Binh Dinh province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of 286 km². Quy Nhon is the capital of Bình Định province. As of 2009 its population was 280,900. Historically, the commercial activities of the city...
, South Vietnam, and at Hong Kong. In December 1965, Wexford County returned to San Diego for the duration of the year.
Wexford County was involved in local operations from January through April 1966 and provided services for the Amphibious School, Coronado
Coronado, California
Coronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, 5.2 miles from downtown San Diego. Its population was 24,697 at the 2010 census, up from 24,100 at the 2000 census. U.S. News and World Report lists Coronado as one of the most expensive...
, California. In late April, she steamed to Newport, Oregon
Newport, Oregon
Newport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It was incorporated in 1882, though the name dates back to the establishment of a post office in 1868...
, to participate in Newport's Loyalty Day
Loyalty Day
Loyalty Day is observed on May 1 in the United States. It is a day set aside for the reaffirmation of loyalty to the United States and for the recognition of the heritage of American freedom.- History :...
celebration. On 1 May 1966, Wexford County returned to San Diego. On 12 July 1966, she arrived at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard
Long Beach Naval Shipyard
thumb|right|300px|Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 1993The Long Beach Naval Shipyard, which closed in 1997, was located at Terminal Island between the city of Long Beach and the San Pedro district of Los Angeles and approximately 23 miles south of the Los Angeles International Airport.The Long Beach...
in Long Beach, California, for overhaul. She returned to San Diego on 9 November 1966 and began underway and refresher training on 27 November 1966. This training period ended on 16 December 1966.
Amphibious training for Wexford County commenced on 16 January 1967 and continued through 27 January 1967. She briefly returned to Long Beach for further repair, then continued on to Hawaii to participate in landing exercises on Moloka'i and to lift U.S. Marine Corps forces to San Diego. In June 1967, Wexford County sailed to San Francisco, California; Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon; and Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Washington, to embark U.S. Marine Corps troops bound for training at Camp Pendleton, California. She participated in various operations during July 1967, and, in late August, she repeated her stops along the United States West Coast to return Marine Corps units to their respective home ports.
After returning to San Diego in September 1967, Wexford County began a tender availability period. Amphibious exercises and deployment preparations lasted through October 1967. In early November 1967, she sailed for South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
by way of Pearl Harbor and Yokosuka. In December 1967, Wexford County reached South Vietnam and assumed her duties.
On 4 January 1968, Wexford County arrived in Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, to off-load cargo and departed on 14 January 1968 to return to South Vietnam. She remained on station until 13 March 1968, at which time she left for Subic Bay, arriving there on 16 March 1968. She returned to Vietnam, via Hong Kong, on 5 April 1968 to rejoin forces off Vietnam.
Wexford County left Vietnam in early May 1968 and returned to San Diego via Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Yokosuka, and Pearl Harbor. She arrived in San Diego on 26 June 1968, after approximately seven and one-half months overseas. For the next two months, she was in a restricted availability status.
On 28 August 1968, she got underway for South Bend
South Bend, Washington
South Bend is a city in Pacific County, Washington, United States. It is the county seat of Pacific County. The population was 1,637 as of the 2010 census, a decrease of 9.4% from the 2000 census figures. The town is widely known for its oysters and scenery....
, Washington, to help celebrate the city's Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
festival. She returned to San Diego on 6 September 1968. Throughout September and October 1968, Wexford County carried out operations along the California coast. On 15 November 1968, she entered drydock at San Diego.
Wexford County got underway on 12 January 1969 with a task group headed for Mazatlán
Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa; the surrounding municipio for which the city serves as the municipal seat is Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning...
, Mexico, arriving on 18 January 1969. She spent two weeks there involved in various training exercises. In February and March 1969, Wexford County was again in San Diego for routine maintenance. She departed for exercises at Treasure Island, California, on 14 April 1969. She sustained heavy damage to a main engine and spent May 1969 undergoing repairs at San Diego.
A midshipmen cruise occupied the months of June and July 1969. August and September 1969 were devoted to exercises, and Wexford County spent the rest of 1969 in overhaul at San Diego.
The yard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
period ended on 20 February 1970. Inspections, training, and preparations for deployment occurred from March through May 1970; and, on 2 June 1970, the ship left for Pearl Harbor and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. Wexford County reached Guam on 25 June 1970, and, after taking on new cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
, she left for Subic Bay, Philippines, and then to Vietnam. After unloading a construction battalion
Seabee
Seabees are members of the United States Navy construction battalions. The word Seabee is a proper noun that comes from the initials of Construction Battalion, of the United States Navy...
and their equipment, she departed for Hong Kong, arriving there on 30 July 1970.
From 2 September 1970 through early November 1970, Wexford County was involved in numerous troop lifts, cargo transports, and exercises between Okinawa and Yokosuka and Numazu, Japan. On 2 November 1970, she detached and began the voyage back to San Diego via Subic Bay, Guam, Ponape
Pohnpei
Not to be confused with Pompeii, the ancient city destroyed by Vesuvius in AD 79.Pohnpei "upon a stone altar " is the name of one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia , situated among the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group...
, the Caroline Islands, and Pearl Harbor. She arrived at San Diego on 22 December 1970.
Wexford County received a Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
and five battle stars for her Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
service.
Decommissioning and transfer to Spain
Wexford County spent 1971 in preparation for transfer to Spain. She was decommissionedShip decommissioning
To decommission a ship is to terminate her career in service in the armed forces of her nation. A somber occasion, it has little of the elaborate ceremony of ship commissioning, but carries significant tradition....
on 29 October 1971 and transferred to the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
through the Security Assistance Program that same day, although she was not stricken from the Navy List
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...
until 1 November 1976.
In the Spanish Navy, she served as Martin Alvarez (L 12) from 1971 until 1995, when she was decommissioned and sold for scrapping.