USS Whitfield County (LST-1169)
Encyclopedia
USS Whitfield County (LST-1169), previously USS LST-1169, was a United States Navy
landing ship tank (LST) in commission from 1954 to 1973 which saw service in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific and saw action in the Vietnam War.
, Wisconsin
, by the Christy Corporation. She was launched on 22 August 1953, sponsored by Mrs. John L. Clarkson of Lake Forest
, Illinois
, and commissioned
on 14 September 1954 with Lieutenant Commander
Frank S. Handler in command.
After shakedown training in the Gulf of Mexico
, LST-1169 departed New Orleans
, Louisiana
, on 13 October 1954, bound for her home port, Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
at Virginia Beach
, Virginia
Upon arrival in the Tidewater
, Virginia, area, she entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
in Portsmouth
, Virginia, for an availability that lasted from 25 October 1954 to 4 November 1954. She then joined Landing Ship Tank Division 44, Squadron 4, Flotilla 2, Amphibious Force, United States Atlantic Fleet. For the remainder of 1954, LST-1169 operated locally in the Chesapeake Bay
.
Following a short availability at Norfolk Navy Yard between 5 January 1955 and 22 January 1955, LST-1169 made a run to Havana
, Cuba
, and, upon her return, reentered the shipyard for further work. She cleared Norfolk
, Virginia, on 11 April 1955, bound for the Caribbean
, and took part in amphibious warfare
exercises at Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
, with a reconnaissance
team embarked. During that deployment, LST-1169 visited Charlotte Amalie
on St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands
before heading home on 29 April 1955 with units of the 3rd Battalion
of the United States Marine Corps
's 10th Marine Regiment embarked. After debarking the Marines at Morehead City
, North Carolina
, LST-1169 pressed northward, reaching Norfolk on 6 May 1955. Except for a brief cruise to Boston, Massachusetts
, between 14 June 1955 and 23 June 1955, LST-1169 remained at Little Creek well into the summer of 1955.
Renamed USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) on 1 July 1955, she remained engaged in local operations into 1956, a year in which she underwent an overhaul at Norfolk Navy Yard between 21 January 1956 and 23 May 1956. She then operated in the Chesapeake Bay and off the Virginia Capes
until 13 August 1956, when she got underway for the United States West Coast. After skirting a Caribbean hurricane, she transited the Panama Canal
on 20 August 1956. Shortly after leaving Rodman Naval Station, Panama Canal Zone
, Whitfield County suffered an explosion and fire. The repairs necessitated by that accident delayed her arrival at her new home port, San Diego
, California
, until 5 September 1956.
Upon arrival at San Diego, Whitfield County became flagship
for Landing Ship Tank Division 12, an assignment that soon changed when she was transferred to Landing Ship Tank Division 11. She soon commenced a regular slate of divisional and squadron exercises out of San Diego that stretched into August 1957.
Whitfield County departed San Diego on 13 August 1957 to begin her first deployment to the Western Pacific (WestPac). She called at Pearl Harbor
, Hawaii
, between 24 August 1957 and 4 September 1957 and reached Yokosuka, Japan
, on 16 September 1957. A little over a week later, she proceeded to Camp McGill to load vehicles and embark troops for the first of several amphibious exercises. After maneuvers at Okinawa
, Whitfield County returned her passengers and cargo to Fukuoka
, Japan, before she visited Sasebo
, Japan, en route to Yokosuka, where she arrived on 11 October 1957.
On 14 October 1957, Whitfield County sailed to Iwakuni, Japan, to pick up troops for additional landing exercises at Okinawa, returning to Yokosuka on 31 October 1957. She departed Japanese waters on 3 November 1957 and reached Son Gap To, South Korea
, soon thereafter, beaching on 7 November 1957 and 8 November 1957 to load cargo that she returned to Yokosuka on 12 November 1957. On 18 November 1957, after again loading troops and vehicles, Whitfield County sailed for Okinawa, offloading her cargo upon arrival and taking on board units of the 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.
Whitfield County arrived at Dingalan Bay, Luzon
, the Philippines
, on 30 November 1957 and served as the base for a reconnaissance team during amphibious exercises that lasted until 10 December 1957. She then joined elements of the United States Seventh Fleet
at sea for exercises which kept her busy until she arrived at Subic Bay
, the Philippines, on 26 December 1957.
Whitfield County remained there into 1958 before steaming to Naha, Okinawa, on 4 February 1958, for the first of two voyages lifting Marines and their vehicles. She arrived back at Dingalan Bay on 26 February 1958 for exercises in which she acted as receiving ship for simulated battle casualties. On 8 March 1958, Whitfield County headed for the U.S. West Coast and reached San Diego on 31 March 1958.
Between 14 April 1958 and 3 May 1958, Whitfield County underwent an overhaul at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Corporation, San Diego. She then operated off the southern California coast into the summer. Her routine was broken late in July 1958 during the crisis in Lebanon
, when American armed forces went on alert for a global posture of readiness. During that time, she cruised to Pearl Harbor between 25 July 1958 and 20 August 1958, after which time she resumed her regular routine out of San Diego.
Shifting to San Francisco
, California, and later to Mare Island Navy Yard at Vallejo
, California, and Alameda
, California, Whitfield County underwent an overhaul at the Todd Shipyards Corporation in preparation for the ship's second Western Pacific deployment. She sailed for the Far East
on 23 April 1959, called at Pearl Harbor en route, and reached Yokosuka on 22 May 1959. She then visited Hong Kong
between 9 June 1959 and 16 June 1959 and returned to Sasebo on 21 June 1959, via Naha, Okinawa. She then lifted landing vehicles tracked (LVT
s) to Chinhae, South Korea
, between 22 June 1959 and 28 June 1959 before returning to Sasebo.
Subsequently loading elements of the 3rd Marine Division at Naha on 6 July 1959, Whitfield County transported the Marines to Numazu, Japan, arriving there a week later. Shifting to Yokosuka shortly thereafter, Whitfield County remained there into August 1959, undergoing needed upkeep and conducting local operations.
Underway for Inchon, South Korea, on 5 August 1959, Whitfield County rendezvoused with other units of Landing Ship Squadron 1 and took part in Operation Seahorse, a full-scale joint amphibious exercise with embarked units of the United States Army
's 7th Cavalry Regiment. En route to the maneuver site, Whitfield County evaded Typhoon Ellen. Embarking the elements of the 7th Cavalry at Inchon soon after her arrival on 12 August 1959, Whitfield County sortied for Pohang Dong, on the coast of South Korea, to take part in Operation Seahorse. Whitfield County proved to be the only landing ship tank involved, because the other units of Landing Ship Squadron 1 had been unable to reach the area due to typhoon evasion maneuvers.
Visiting Otaru and Hakodate, Japan, at the end of August 1959 as part of President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
's People-to-People Program, Whitfield County was en route to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, for routine training evolutions with amphibious tractor units of the 3rd Marine Division when she was diverted for contingency loading at Naha, Okinawa. She received those orders in light of a developing crisis in the landlocked kingdom of Laos
.
Whitfield County remained in a high state of readiness in the Okinawa area from 7 September 1959 to 12 October 1959. She steamed between Naha and Buckner Bay during that time and also conducted routine training evolutions, making one transit of the Taiwan Strait
and evading five typhoons. During that period, the ship earned a well-done from Commander, Amphibious Squadron 1, for her contributions to relief efforts for Japanese victims of Typhoon Vera.
Ordered to Sasebo on 12 October 1959, Whitfield County underwent voyage repairs there. She cleared that port on 2 November 1959, bound for the U.S. West Coast, and reached San Diego on 24 November 1959. She then remained at her home port in leave and upkeep status for the remainder of 1959.
Following local operations out of her home port into the summer of 1960, including participation in Operation Swandive, held off Camp Pendleton on 8 February 1960 and 9 February 1960, and Operation Bigtop, held between 2 May 1960 and 10 May 1960, Whitfield County got underway for her third Western Pacific tour. After stopping briefly at Pearl Harbor between 22 June 1960 and 26 June 1960, she joined Landing Ship Squadron 9 in Japan on 1 July 1960.
Home-ported then at Yokosuka, Japan, Whitfield County would remain in the Far East until 1973. Her operating schedule reflected the growing American involvement in the affairs of Southeast Asia
, particularly in Vietnam
.
Whitfield County spent the better part of August 1960 conducting independent ship exercises and transporting Marines between Naha and Numazu and back. She also engaged in the usual typhoon evasions common to operations in that area of the world. In September 1960, she departed Yokosuka for a six-week cruise that was slated to take her to Okinawa, Hong Kong, and Subic Bay, but, soon after leaving Okinawa, she received word to report to Subic Bay. There, she rendezvoused with landing ship tank and set out for Singapore
in the Federated Malay States
, on 26 September 1960.
Reaching Singapore on the 30 September 1960, the two landing ships tank embarked 600 Malayan
troops and their gear, part of a United Nations
(UN) force assigned peacekeeping duties in the turbulent Belgian Congo
.
Departing Singapore on 3 October 1960, Whitfield County and Windham County tarried briefly at Port Swettenham, Federation of Malaya
, to complete the loading and embarkation process begun at Singapore. On 4 October 1960, the two amphibious ships departed Port Swettenham, bound for the port of Matadi
, located on the Congo River
.
The ships steamed for 27 consecutive days, crossing the Indian Ocean
, rounding the Cape of Good Hope
on 22 October 1960, and reaching the mouth of the Congo River on 31 October 1960. They then ascended the river some 82 nautical miles (152 kilometers) to Matadi. After disembarking the 600 troops and their equipment, the two ships departed Matadi on 2 November 1960. They arrived at Cape Town
, South Africa
, on 11 November 1960. They then visited Singapore and Hong Kong before returning to Yokosuka on 20 December 1960. Whitfield County spent the remainder of 1960 in port there.
From 1961 through mid-1964, Whitfield County continued her operations out of Sasebo and ranged from Okinawa to Japan, with port visits at Japanese ports, and to Hong Kong. She also operated upon occasion at Subic Bay.
and ready for contingencies. During that time, the Tonkin Gulf Incident occurred early in August 1964 and further escalated tensions between the United States and communist
North Vietnam
.
Whitfield County, her services not needed in Vietnam at that time, returned to Yokosuka early in October 1964 for much-needed leave and upkeep. She next conducted type training, made a troop lift from Numazu to Okinawa, and underwent more upkeep in November and December 1964, before rounding out the year in readiness to operate in South Vietnamese waters once more if the situation demanded it.
With a logistical
support load on board, Whitfield County departed Okinawa, bound for South Vietnam. She arrived at Danang on 5 January 1965 and offloaded part of the cargo before shifting to Chu Lai
to discharge the remainder. She sailed for Subic Bay on 6 January 1965, as part of the Subic-Republic of Vietnam shuttle force. Arriving at Subic Bay on 9 January, she took on a load of cargo earmarked for Vietnamese ports and sailed for Danang, South Vietnam, on 16 January with another logistical support load on board.
After unloading that cargo at Danang, Whitfield County shifted to Camranh Bay, South Vietnam, to load cargo for transport to Phan Rang and Saigon, South Vietnam. Ultimately reaching Saigon on 28 January and unloading the remaining cargo, she took on board cargo to be lifted to Qui Nhon
, South Vietnam. Subsequently routed onward to Okinawa after loading cargo at Danang, she reached Okinawa on 10 February.
Taking on board elements of the U.S. Army's 4th Cavalry Regiment, Whitfield County proceeded to Saigon, reaching that port on 20 February. After returning to Okinawa, via Danang, Vietnam, and Keelung
, Taiwan
, Whitfield County subsequently steamed back to Vietnamese waters with elements of the 1st Marine Division embarked and put the Marines ashore at Chu Lai. She continued her busy pace of operations, carrying return cargo from Danang to Okinawa, arriving at Okinawa on 2 April, before she embarked U.S. Marine Corps elements for maneuvers at Numazu. Reaching her destination on 6 April, she immediately disembarked the Marines and returned to Yokosuka for overhaul.
Following that yard work and the ensuing refresher training, Whitfield County remained at Yokosuka through much of the summer before sailing for Iwakuni, Japan, and arriving there on 27 August to load equipment and embark men of Marine Air Group (MAG) 13 for transfer to South Vietnam. Underway on 29 August, Whitfield County reached Chu Lai on 6 September. She then returned to Japan and made a second trip from Iwakuni to Chu Lai, bringing in the second element of MAG-13.
Whitfield County proceeded thence to Danang to embark elements of Marine Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/9 for passage to Okinawa. She then proceeded to Naha, where she took on board the men and equipment of the Army's 526th Engineering Detachment. Offloading at Qui Nhon, the ship shifted to Chu Lai and Danang, where she loaded return equipment and sailed for Okinawa. Upon delivering her equipment to Okinawa, she pushed on for Japan and reached Yokosuka on 24 October.
Whitfield Countys upkeep period in Japan lasted into November, when she headed for Hong Kong and six days of rest and recreation. Departing the British Crown Colony on 23 November, Whitfield County proceeded to Kaohsiung
, Taiwan, where she loaded 600 tons of cement
slated for transport to South Vietnam. Reaching Phan Rang on 30 November, she offloaded her cargo and departed on 1 December, bound for Danang. The normally short trip became a four-day voyage after she ran into heavy weather soon after leaving Phan Rang, but she finally reached Danang on 5 December, and took on board equipment for lift to Okinawa. After first offloading the retrograde cargo at Naha, Whitfield County reached her home port of Yokosuka on 15 December, and remained there into late December.
and her first deployment with riverine forces. Slated to join River Assault Flotilla 1, Whitfield County arrived at Cape Saint Jacques on 7 January 1967, embarked a river pilot and one River Assault Flotilla liaison officer and proceeded up the muddy Long Tau River to Saigon. She subsequently beached at Newport South Ramp that evening and remained there until 10 January 1967, embarking men and equipment of River Assault Flotilla I.
Departing Saigon on 10 January 1967, Whitfield County arrived at Vung Tau late that same evening. The next day she began providing messing, berthing, and logistical support for the men of the river assault force and the 1,800 troops from the U.S. Army's 9th Division, who were training with the riverine forces. On 26 February 1967, Whitfield County weighed anchor and headed for Yokosuka, arriving there on 9 March 1967. On 5 April 1967, she got underway for Okinawa to load cargo for South Vietnam. A port visit slated for 11 April 1967 at Keelung, Taiwan, was cancelled due to the urgent need for landing ships tank for the impending Operation Oregon. Whitfield County sped to Chu Lai, reached that port on 15 April 1967, and discharged her cargo upon arrival. She then took on board 92 tons of vehicles, 200 officers and men, and the cargo of a Marine Corps headquarters battalion; and proceeded to Danang, where she arrived on 16 April 1967.
Offloading upon her arrival, Whitfield County came under the operational control of Naval Support Activities (NavSuppAct) Danang to support Operation Oregon and remained in that status until the 23 April 1967. During that time, she conducted two beachings at Chu Lai and transported a total of 1,300 tons of general cargo, bomb
s, and vehicles.
Released from Operation Oregon on 23 April 1967, Whitfield County departed Chu Lai and headed toward the Philippines for type training and a visit to Manila
. En route, however, dhr was ordered to proceed at "all best speed" to Subic Bay. Upon arrival there on the 25 April 1967, she loaded cargo from attack cargo ship . Then, after picking up additional ammunition, Whitfield County got underway on 27 April 1967, bound for South Vietnam.
On the morning of 30 April 1967, Whitfield County rendezvoused with Amphibious Ready Group
(ARG) Alfa, consisting of amphibious assault ship
, attack transport
, and landing ship dock , which was then conducting Operation Beaver Cage
. The operation, an over-the-beach landing in quest of one battalion
and three companies
of local Viet Cong guerrillas and at least one North Vietnamese Army (NVA) battalion, had begun on 28 April 1967.
Assigned an operational area after transferring men and mail
brought out from Subic Bay, Whitfield County steamed in the amphibious objective area until 10 May 1967, when she embarked 100 patients and 100 empty oxygen bottles from hospital ship
for transportation to Danang. Reaching Danang on 11 May 1967, Whitfield County returned to Amphibious Ready Group "Alfa" on the morning of 13 May 1967, again landed passengers and delivered mail, refilled oxygen bottles, ice cream
, and other dairy products to Sanctuary. Upon the termination of Operation Beaver Cage that afternoon, the enemy having fled, Whitfield County proceeded to a holding area at sea northeast of Danang and rendezvoused with the other ships of the amphibious ready group that evening.
On 16 May 1967, in a commanders' conference on board Okinawa, the commander of Amphibious Squadron 9 revealed the next operation, Operation Beau Charger. On the morning of 17 May 1967, the task group rendezvoused with stores ship for replenishment and, during the early evening hours, began its approach to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
The largest concentration of naval gunfire support ships since the Korean War
(1950-1953) softened the DMZ prior to Amphibious Ready Group Alpha's assault, which was aimed at destroying enemy forces and supplies and evacuating non-combatants. At 08:00 hours, Operation Beau Charger commenced as destroyer
s quickly moved in and blasted the enemy guns. Resistance at the beach was confined to sniper
fire and shells from quickly silenced North Vietnamese shore batteries
. Pronounced resistance came at helicopter
landing zones, but despite that, the helicopter-landed Marines linked up with tank
units and initiated search and destroy
operations that lasted through the next week. Whitfield County operated in support of Operation Beau Charger until 25 May 1967, conducting replenishment via landing craft and boats of supplies needed ashore with craft from USS Point Defiance.
Proceeding to Danang on 25 May 1967, Whitfield County reached her Danang on 26 May 1967 and, after offloading, was detached from Amphibious Ready Group Alfa. She subsequently transported a load of bombs from Danang to Chu Lai, loading vehicles there for transportation to Naha, before she returned to Danang to load equipment and embark men of Amphibious Construction Battalion
1, Detachment "B." She departed Vietnamese waters on the morning of 3 June 1967 and reached Naha on the 9 June 1967. Offloading the vehicles and backloading deadlined generator
s, Whitfield County arrived at Yokosuka on 14 June 1967.
Whitfield County returned to Vietnamese waters in the summer of 1967 to resume her support operations for riverine activities in the Mekong Delta
region of South Vietnam, basing again at Vung Tau. She departed Yokosuka on 28 July 1967 and reached Vung Tau, after a stop at Hong Kong, on 17 August 1967. Relieving landing ship tank of Task Force 117 support duties on 18 August 1967, Whitfield County got underway on 20 August 1967 for the confluence of the Vam Co River and Soirap River to rendezvous with the Mobile Riverine Base (MRB).
From 20 August 1967 to 5 September 1967, Whitfield County provided "housekeeping" services and support for River Division III, "C" Company, 2nd Brigade
, 9th Infantry Division, and "A" Company, 9th Battalion. She supplied ammunition
, water, and rations to the troops in the field, was the focal point of helicopter support operations, served as combat store warehouse, and provided mortuary services for the killed in action
(KIA) periodically brought to the ship.
Toward the end of that period, on 3 September 1967, the Mobile Riverine Base shifted its base of operations from the Soirap-Vam Co area back to Vung Tau to support projected riverine strikes into the Rung Sat special zone. On 11 September 1967, the Mobile Riverine Base proceeded to the Mekong River entrance, escorted by various units of the Riverine Division, who provided minesweeping, close fire support, and reconnaissance when needed. Subsequently, while located in the Dong Tarn area, Whitfield County assisted search and destroy operations in the Cam Son
secret zone, Dinh Tuong province, Kien Hoa province, and in the Giong Troms district.
On 28 September 1967, the Mobile Riverine Base shifted again, this time to the confluence of the Cua Tien River and the Cua Dai River, to facilitate strike operations into Kien Hoa province. Whitfield County worked in that locale until 1 October 1967, when the Mobile Riverine Base was shifted back to Dong Tarn to support projected strikes into the Western Ben Zong secret zone, Dinh Troung province, to destroy North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces in that area.
Whitfield County subsequently supported mobile riverine operations at Vung Tau and back at the junction of the Soirap and Vam Co Rivers into late October 1967. While in the latter locale, elements of the riverine forces provided the necessary security during the lower house elections for the Republic of Vietnam's parliament
. Returning to Vung Tau on 24 October 1967, Whitfield County was there relieved by landing ship tank and returned to Japan.
Whitfield County underwent a period of upkeep back at Yokosuka before she returned to Vietnamese waters at the end of November 1967. She operated between Danang and Chu Lai through early December 1967, transporting vehicles and other cargo, before she steamed back to Yokosuka. She arrived at Yokosuka on 22 December 1967 and remained in port until late in January 1968.
causeway
sections, the vehicles and men of BMU-1, and a CH-46
helicopter, with its accompanying Sea Van — an experimental housing seeing its first operational test and evaluation aboard Whitfield County — the ship headed for Vietnam. Touching at Naha en route, Whitfield County reached Danang on 31 January 1968, transferred the Sea Van to USS Vernon County, and relieved Vernon County as support landing ship tank for Amphibious Ready Group Bravo. With the relief and transfer of the Marines and equipment completed, Whitfield County took on board the men and mail to be transported to Amphibious Ready Group Bravo and got underway on 2 February 1968
Over the ensuing month and a half, Whitfield County operated with Amphibious Ready Group Bravo within various operating areas off the DMZ, occasionally returning to Danang for mail, fleet freight, and passengers for delivery to the other units of the ready group. Whitfield County also sailed to Subic Bay as part of the task force for upkeep between 21 February 1968 and 28 February 1968 before she returned to Vietnamese waters. Landing ship tank relieved Whitfield County as support landing ship tank at Danang on 14 March 1968.
After a subsequent port call at Hong Kong and a quick run to Yokosuka for restricted availability, Whitfield County returned to Vietnamese waters for a resumption of operations with the Mobile Riverine Force in mid-July 1968 at Dong Tarn, again relieving Vernon County. During her deployment with Task Force 117 in ensuing months, Whitfield County operated on a nearly non-stop, 24-hour-a-day basis, supporting the U.S. Army's 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment), 9th Division, and three helicopters of a U.S. Army aviation detachment, as well as the boats and men of River Assault Division 92. By the time landing ship tank Westchester County relieved Whitfield County on 23 September 1968, Whitfield County had travelled over 900 nautical miles (1,667 kilomters) within the Mekong Delta, processed over 25,000 hot rations, and handled roughly 4,000 tons of cargo.
Subsequently visiting Bangkok
, Thailand
, for rest and recreation and R, Whitfield County then headed for Danang, where she side-loaded tow causeway sections for transportation to Okinawa. She then returned to Yokosuka for repairs before again heading for Vietnam toward the end of November 1968. Touching at Subic Bay en route, she reputedly became the first landing ship tank to use water-filled causeway sections to serve as armor along the thinly-armored sides of the ship. The causeway sections were intended provide a water-filled barrier against recoilless rifle
projectiles and rocket
s.
After relieving landing ship tank at Dong Tarn on 30 November 1968, Whitfield County spent the rest of 1968 as support landing ship tank for Mobile Riverine Group Alfa, Task Group 117.1, one of the two task groups that made up Mobile Riverine Flotilla 1. Other ships of Mobile Riverine Group Alfa were the barracks ship
s and , the landing craft repair ship , and the barracks craft USS APL-26 and USS APL-80 . Embarked in Whitfield County were elements of the Army's 9th Infantry Regiment and a Cyclops
aviation detachment, equipped with Hughes
CH-6 Cayuse helicopters. The ship herself performed a fivefold role: (1) maintaining a round-the-clock, air- and water-mobile resupply readiness to provide field units with ammunition, rations, fresh water, and fuel; (2) serving as a mobile base for helicopter operations; (3) providing harassment and on-call gunfire support when necessary; (4) supplying boat service among the ships of the Mobile Riverine Group; and (5) providing subsistence, berthing, and services for embarked personnel.
and participated in counterbattery fire, hurling 16 rounds of 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) projectiles in the direction of the hostile fire. Although securing at midnight
, Whitfield County manned her guns a half-hour later, at 00:30 hours. lobbing three rounds of call fire.
Whitfield County subsequently shifted from Ben Tre to the Song Ham Loung anchorage and returned to Dong Tarn at 11:00 hours on 20 January 1969 to commence turnover to [Vernon County, her relief in Task Group 117.1. That night, communist forces attacked the Mobile Riverine Group and the base at Dong Tarn with rockets and mortars; Whitfield County went to general quarters at 21:59 hours and, between 22:50 and 23:00 hours, expended 12 rounds against the enemy artillerymen. Between 1 January 1969 and 22 January 1969, Whitfield Countys gunners loosed a total of 78 rounds of call-fire, and the ship held flight quarters for the recovery of Cayuse and UH-lb Huey helicopters 306 times, without mishap. At 23:00 hours on 23 January 1969, Whitfied Countys turnover to Vernon County was complete.
However, there was more work for Whitfield County before she could clear the muddy Vietnamese waters. At 23:21 hours she headed for Vung Tau. There, she took over from landing ship tank , which had recently been damaged in a Viet Cong rocket attack while beached at the Vung Tau ramps, in supporting and resupplying Task Group 117.2, Mobile Riverine Group Bravo.
Late on 24 January 1969, after loading a tank deck cargo of palletized ammunition and C rations and a main-deck load of crated supplies, spare parts, stores, and fresh provisions, Whitfield County got underway for the mouth of the Bassac River
(Cua Tranh De). On the morning of 26 January 1969, Whitfield County, escorted by two river patrol boat
s (PBRs), transited the Bassac River without incident and over the ensuing days resupplied and provisioned the ships of Task Group 117.2, landing craft repair ship and barracks ships and . Whitfield county then returned to Vung Tau, where she was relieved as support landing ship tank for Task Group 117.2 by USS Iredell County (LST-839)
on 30 January 1969. At noon
that day, Whitfield County headed for Hong Kong.
Whitfield County spent six days at Hong Kong before she sailed for Okinawa to pick up cargo earmarked for shipment to Yokosuka. After loading vehicles and nine men from Beachmaster Unit 1, Western Pacific Detachment, at Red Beach 1, Chin Wan, Okinawa, Whitfield County proceeded on to Yokosuka, reaching that port on the morning of 17 February 1969.
After upkeep at Yokosuka in late February 1969, Whitfield County acted as observer at the Republic of Korea Navy
amphibious exercise Phiblex 1-69 at Chinhae, South Korea, between 28 March 1969 and 2 April 1969. During that time, she also trained South Korean naval personnel. Whitfield County subsequently returned to Yokosuka for more upkeep before she sailed, via Subic Bay, for Vietnamese waters where she loaded side-protection causeway sections.
Arriving at Dong Tarn on 8 May 1969, she there relieved Windham County as support landing ship tank for River Assault Flotilla 1, Task Force 117. As before, she operated alternately at Dong Tarn, Song Ham Loung (Ben Tre), and My Tho. At 02:05 hours on 6 June 1969, while Whitfield County was at Dong Tarn, four rounds of hostile fire landed between 50 and 300 yards (46 and 274 meters) from the ships of the Mobile Riverine Force. Whitfield County immediately set general quarters; and, in the next 35 minutes, her guns hurled some 140 rounds of 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) counterbattery fire at the enemy artillery
. The riverine force again came under enemy fire that morning; Whitfield County again blasted the enemy positions with 170 more 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) projectiles.
Whitfield County subsequently shifted to Ben Tre but returned to Dong Tarn by 13 June 1969. While she lay anchored there, Storekeeper
3rd Class L. E. Smith, assigned as roving sentry on the port side of the ship, spotted a swimmer in the water at 01:00 hours on the 15 June 1969. Since Viet Cong sapper
s were known to have been active in that area, Storekeeper Smith promptly opened fire. Within a short time, the water around the ship was thoroughly grenaded. Later that morning, a Vietnamese body that had been shot was found floating nearby. For his prompt action, Storekeeper Smith received the recommendation for the Navy Commendation Medal for "effectively thwarting an attempt to mine
the ship."
Three days later, rocket fire landed within 50 yards (46 meters) of the ship at 14:05 hours on 18 June 1969. Unable to return the fire because of the presence of friendly forces in the area, Whitfield County shifted her anchorage to avoid being hit. Later that afternoon, the riverine force shifted its anchorage back to My Tho.
Whitfield County was relieved by landing ship tank USS Tom Green County on 4 July 1969. Between 8 May 1969 and 4 July 1969, Whitfield County had expended some 2,982 rounds of 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) projectiles on call-fire and counterbattery fire, conducted some 850 helicopter landings, and travelled 394 nautical miles (730 kilometers) within the Mekong Delta. She had also witnessed the gradual turnover of all River Assault Flotilla 1 assets to the Republic of Vietnam Navy
, the beginning of the redeployment of the 9th Infantry Division from the Mekong Delta, and the gradual disbanding of Task Force 117. When she sailed on 5 July 1969, she left the Mekong Delta region for the last time.
Returning to Yokosuka via Keelung, Taiwan, Whitfield County soon commenced a badly needed overhaul, one that lasted into the autumn of 1969. For the remainder of the 1969, she operated locally in Japanese waters.
During 1971, Whitfield County served two tours as support landing ship tank for Operation Market Time
interdiction
operations out of Vung Tau. A highlight of her 1971 operations were her support activities for stores ship USS Regulus (AF-57)
, which had been forced aground on the rocks in the western harbor of Hong Kong when Typhoon Rose struck China on 16 August 971; Whitfield County provided berthing and messing facilities for Reguluss crew.
Whitfield County served one tour with Amphibious Ready Group Alfa and one with Operation Market Time forces in 1972.
, services that were important but, due to their nature, largely unsung in the public eye. Nonetheless, she was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
for her operations with Task Force 117 from 8 May 1969 to 5 July 1969, three Navy Unit Commendation
s, three Meritorious Unit Commendation
s, and 11 battle stars. The battle stars were for:
on 15 March 1973. She was stricken from the Navy List
on 15 August 1976.
Whitfield County was sold to Greece
on 1 March 1977 under the Security Assistance Program. Commissioned into the Hellenic Navy
, she was renamed Kos (L116). Kos had a long career, not being decommissioned until 1 June 2000.
Kos was sunk as a target on 24 June 2004 during the Hellenic Navy exercise Thiela III by Penguin missile
s fired by the Greek fast attack craft missile (FACMs) Ypoploiarchos Degiannis (P-26) and Simeoforos Starakis (P-29) and torpedo
es from the Greek torpedo boat
s Lailaps (P-54) and Typhon (P-56).
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 1954 to 1973 which saw service in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific and saw action in the Vietnam War.
Early career
USS LST-1169 was laid down on 26 November 1952 at Sturgeon BaySturgeon 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...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, by the Christy Corporation. She was launched on 22 August 1953, sponsored by Mrs. John L. Clarkson of Lake Forest
Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, 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 14 September 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...
Frank S. Handler in command.
After shakedown training in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, LST-1169 departed New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, on 13 October 1954, bound for her home port, 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...
at Virginia Beach
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...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
Upon arrival in the Tidewater
Tidewater
Tidewater may refer to:*Tidewater , a geographic area of southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina*Tidewater , a company providing marine services to the offshore petroleum industry...
, Virginia, area, she entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
in Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
, Virginia, for an availability that lasted from 25 October 1954 to 4 November 1954. She then joined Landing Ship Tank Division 44, Squadron 4, Flotilla 2, Amphibious Force, United States Atlantic Fleet. For the remainder of 1954, LST-1169 operated locally in the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
.
Following a short availability at Norfolk Navy Yard between 5 January 1955 and 22 January 1955, LST-1169 made a run to Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, and, upon her return, reentered the shipyard for further work. She cleared Norfolk
Norfolk, 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....
, Virginia, on 11 April 1955, bound for the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, and took part in amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
exercises at 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...
, with a reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
team embarked. During that deployment, LST-1169 visited Charlotte Amalie
Charlotte Amalie, United States Virgin Islands
-Education:St. Thomas-St. John School District serves the community. and Charlotte Amalie High School serve the area.-Gallery:-See also:* Anna's Retreat* Cruz Bay* Saint Thomas* Water Island-External links:* *...
on St. Thomas in the 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...
before heading home on 29 April 1955 with units of the 3rd Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the 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...
's 10th Marine Regiment embarked. After debarking the Marines at Morehead City
Morehead City, North Carolina
Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, LST-1169 pressed northward, reaching Norfolk on 6 May 1955. Except for a brief cruise to Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, between 14 June 1955 and 23 June 1955, LST-1169 remained at Little Creek well into the summer of 1955.
Renamed USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) on 1 July 1955, she remained engaged in local operations into 1956, a year in which she underwent an overhaul at Norfolk Navy Yard between 21 January 1956 and 23 May 1956. She then operated in the Chesapeake Bay and off the Virginia Capes
Virginia Capes
The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America....
until 13 August 1956, when she got underway for the United States West Coast. After skirting a Caribbean hurricane, she transited 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...
on 20 August 1956. Shortly after leaving Rodman Naval Station, Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, Whitfield County suffered an explosion and fire. The repairs necessitated by that accident delayed her arrival at her new home port, 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
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, until 5 September 1956.
Upon arrival at San Diego, Whitfield County became flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
for Landing Ship Tank Division 12, an assignment that soon changed when she was transferred to Landing Ship Tank Division 11. She soon commenced a regular slate of divisional and squadron exercises out of San Diego that stretched into August 1957.
Whitfield County departed San Diego on 13 August 1957 to begin her first deployment to the Western Pacific (WestPac). She called at 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...
, between 24 August 1957 and 4 September 1957 and reached Yokosuka, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, on 16 September 1957. A little over a week later, she proceeded to Camp McGill to load vehicles and embark troops for the first of several amphibious exercises. After maneuvers at Okinawa
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
, Whitfield County returned her passengers and cargo to Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
, Japan, before she visited 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, en route to Yokosuka, where she arrived on 11 October 1957.
On 14 October 1957, Whitfield County sailed to Iwakuni, Japan, to pick up troops for additional landing exercises at Okinawa, returning to Yokosuka on 31 October 1957. She departed Japanese waters on 3 November 1957 and reached Son Gap To, 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...
, soon thereafter, beaching on 7 November 1957 and 8 November 1957 to load cargo that she returned to Yokosuka on 12 November 1957. On 18 November 1957, after again loading troops and vehicles, Whitfield County sailed for Okinawa, offloading her cargo upon arrival and taking on board units of the 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.
Whitfield County arrived at Dingalan Bay, Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, 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...
, on 30 November 1957 and served as the base for a reconnaissance team during amphibious exercises that lasted until 10 December 1957. She then joined elements of the United States Seventh Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
at sea for exercises which kept her busy until she arrived at 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, on 26 December 1957.
Whitfield County remained there into 1958 before steaming to Naha, Okinawa, on 4 February 1958, for the first of two voyages lifting Marines and their vehicles. She arrived back at Dingalan Bay on 26 February 1958 for exercises in which she acted as receiving ship for simulated battle casualties. On 8 March 1958, Whitfield County headed for the U.S. West Coast and reached San Diego on 31 March 1958.
Between 14 April 1958 and 3 May 1958, Whitfield County underwent an overhaul at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Corporation, San Diego. She then operated off the southern California coast into the summer. Her routine was broken late in July 1958 during the crisis in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, when American armed forces went on alert for a global posture of readiness. During that time, she cruised to Pearl Harbor between 25 July 1958 and 20 August 1958, after which time she resumed her regular routine out of San Diego.
Shifting to 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, and later to Mare Island Navy Yard at Vallejo
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
, California, and Alameda
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
, California, Whitfield County underwent an overhaul at the Todd Shipyards Corporation in preparation for the ship's second Western Pacific deployment. She sailed for the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
on 23 April 1959, called at Pearl Harbor en route, and reached Yokosuka on 22 May 1959. She then visited 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...
between 9 June 1959 and 16 June 1959 and returned to Sasebo on 21 June 1959, via Naha, Okinawa. She then lifted landing vehicles tracked (LVT
LVT
LVT can refer to:* Land value tax* LVT, American indie rock band based out of Baltimore, MD* Landing Vehicle Tracked, an amphibious military vehicle.* Leasehold valuation tribunal, a form of legal hearing in England and Wales....
s) to Chinhae, 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...
, between 22 June 1959 and 28 June 1959 before returning to Sasebo.
Subsequently loading elements of the 3rd Marine Division at Naha on 6 July 1959, Whitfield County transported the Marines to Numazu, Japan, arriving there a week later. Shifting to Yokosuka shortly thereafter, Whitfield County remained there into August 1959, undergoing needed upkeep and conducting local operations.
Underway for Inchon, South Korea, on 5 August 1959, Whitfield County rendezvoused with other units of Landing Ship Squadron 1 and took part in Operation Seahorse, a full-scale joint amphibious exercise with embarked units of 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...
's 7th Cavalry Regiment. En route to the maneuver site, Whitfield County evaded Typhoon Ellen. Embarking the elements of the 7th Cavalry at Inchon soon after her arrival on 12 August 1959, Whitfield County sortied for Pohang Dong, on the coast of South Korea, to take part in Operation Seahorse. Whitfield County proved to be the only landing ship tank involved, because the other units of Landing Ship Squadron 1 had been unable to reach the area due to typhoon evasion maneuvers.
Visiting Otaru and Hakodate, Japan, at the end of August 1959 as part of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
's People-to-People Program, Whitfield County was en route to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, for routine training evolutions with amphibious tractor units of the 3rd Marine Division when she was diverted for contingency loading at Naha, Okinawa. She received those orders in light of a developing crisis in the landlocked kingdom of Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
.
Whitfield County remained in a high state of readiness in the Okinawa area from 7 September 1959 to 12 October 1959. She steamed between Naha and Buckner Bay during that time and also conducted routine training evolutions, making one transit of the Taiwan Strait
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
and evading five typhoons. During that period, the ship earned a well-done from Commander, Amphibious Squadron 1, for her contributions to relief efforts for Japanese victims of Typhoon Vera.
Ordered to Sasebo on 12 October 1959, Whitfield County underwent voyage repairs there. She cleared that port on 2 November 1959, bound for the U.S. West Coast, and reached San Diego on 24 November 1959. She then remained at her home port in leave and upkeep status for the remainder of 1959.
Following local operations out of her home port into the summer of 1960, including participation in Operation Swandive, held off Camp Pendleton on 8 February 1960 and 9 February 1960, and Operation Bigtop, held between 2 May 1960 and 10 May 1960, Whitfield County got underway for her third Western Pacific tour. After stopping briefly at Pearl Harbor between 22 June 1960 and 26 June 1960, she joined Landing Ship Squadron 9 in Japan on 1 July 1960.
Home-ported then at Yokosuka, Japan, Whitfield County would remain in the Far East until 1973. Her operating schedule reflected the growing American involvement in the affairs of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, particularly in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
Whitfield County spent the better part of August 1960 conducting independent ship exercises and transporting Marines between Naha and Numazu and back. She also engaged in the usual typhoon evasions common to operations in that area of the world. In September 1960, she departed Yokosuka for a six-week cruise that was slated to take her to Okinawa, Hong Kong, and Subic Bay, but, soon after leaving Okinawa, she received word to report to Subic Bay. There, she rendezvoused with landing ship tank and set out for Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in the Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...
, on 26 September 1960.
Reaching Singapore on the 30 September 1960, the two landing ships tank embarked 600 Malayan
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
troops and their gear, part of a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
(UN) force assigned peacekeeping duties in the turbulent Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
.
Departing Singapore on 3 October 1960, Whitfield County and Windham County tarried briefly at Port Swettenham, Federation of Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
, to complete the loading and embarkation process begun at Singapore. On 4 October 1960, the two amphibious ships departed Port Swettenham, bound for the port of Matadi
Matadi
Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Bas-Congo province. It has a population of 245,862 . Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River from the mouth and below the last navigable point before rapids make the river impassable for a...
, located on the Congo River
Congo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
.
The ships steamed for 27 consecutive days, crossing the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, rounding the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
on 22 October 1960, and reaching the mouth of the Congo River on 31 October 1960. They then ascended the river some 82 nautical miles (152 kilometers) to Matadi. After disembarking the 600 troops and their equipment, the two ships departed Matadi on 2 November 1960. They arrived at Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, on 11 November 1960. They then visited Singapore and Hong Kong before returning to Yokosuka on 20 December 1960. Whitfield County spent the remainder of 1960 in port there.
From 1961 through mid-1964, Whitfield County continued her operations out of Sasebo and ranged from Okinawa to Japan, with port visits at Japanese ports, and to Hong Kong. She also operated upon occasion at Subic Bay.
Vietnam War
In mid-1964, the tempo of operations for the tank landing ship began to change, reflecting the increased role that the United States was playing in Vietnam. On 22 July 1964, Whitfield County departed Yokosuka for a routine trip to Okinawa, but was called away for duty off the coast of Vietnam. She remained at sea for 41 days with Marines embarked, on station off the coast of South VietnamSouth 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...
and ready for contingencies. During that time, the Tonkin Gulf Incident occurred early in August 1964 and further escalated tensions between the United States and communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
.
Whitfield County, her services not needed in Vietnam at that time, returned to Yokosuka early in October 1964 for much-needed leave and upkeep. She next conducted type training, made a troop lift from Numazu to Okinawa, and underwent more upkeep in November and December 1964, before rounding out the year in readiness to operate in South Vietnamese waters once more if the situation demanded it.
With a logistical
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
support load on board, Whitfield County departed Okinawa, bound for South Vietnam. She arrived at Danang on 5 January 1965 and offloaded part of the cargo before shifting to 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:...
to discharge the remainder. She sailed for Subic Bay on 6 January 1965, as part of the Subic-Republic of Vietnam shuttle force. Arriving at Subic Bay on 9 January, she took on a load of cargo earmarked for Vietnamese ports and sailed for Danang, South Vietnam, on 16 January with another logistical support load on board.
After unloading that cargo at Danang, Whitfield County shifted to Camranh Bay, South Vietnam, to load cargo for transport to Phan Rang and Saigon, South Vietnam. Ultimately reaching Saigon on 28 January and unloading the remaining cargo, she took on board cargo to be lifted to 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. Subsequently routed onward to Okinawa after loading cargo at Danang, she reached Okinawa on 10 February.
Taking on board elements of the U.S. Army's 4th Cavalry Regiment, Whitfield County proceeded to Saigon, reaching that port on 20 February. After returning to Okinawa, via Danang, Vietnam, and Keelung
Keelung
Keelung City is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It borders New Taipei and forms the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with the Taipei and New Taipei. Nicknamed the Rainy Port for its frequent rain and maritime role, the city is Taiwan's second largest seaport...
, 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...
, Whitfield County subsequently steamed back to Vietnamese waters with elements of the 1st Marine Division embarked and put the Marines ashore at Chu Lai. She continued her busy pace of operations, carrying return cargo from Danang to Okinawa, arriving at Okinawa on 2 April, before she embarked U.S. Marine Corps elements for maneuvers at Numazu. Reaching her destination on 6 April, she immediately disembarked the Marines and returned to Yokosuka for overhaul.
Following that yard work and the ensuing refresher training, Whitfield County remained at Yokosuka through much of the summer before sailing for Iwakuni, Japan, and arriving there on 27 August to load equipment and embark men of Marine Air Group (MAG) 13 for transfer to South Vietnam. Underway on 29 August, Whitfield County reached Chu Lai on 6 September. She then returned to Japan and made a second trip from Iwakuni to Chu Lai, bringing in the second element of MAG-13.
Whitfield County proceeded thence to Danang to embark elements of Marine Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/9 for passage to Okinawa. She then proceeded to Naha, where she took on board the men and equipment of the Army's 526th Engineering Detachment. Offloading at Qui Nhon, the ship shifted to Chu Lai and Danang, where she loaded return equipment and sailed for Okinawa. Upon delivering her equipment to Okinawa, she pushed on for Japan and reached Yokosuka on 24 October.
Whitfield Countys upkeep period in Japan lasted into November, when she headed for Hong Kong and six days of rest and recreation. Departing the British Crown Colony on 23 November, Whitfield County proceeded to Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
, Taiwan, where she loaded 600 tons of cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
slated for transport to South Vietnam. Reaching Phan Rang on 30 November, she offloaded her cargo and departed on 1 December, bound for Danang. The normally short trip became a four-day voyage after she ran into heavy weather soon after leaving Phan Rang, but she finally reached Danang on 5 December, and took on board equipment for lift to Okinawa. After first offloading the retrograde cargo at Naha, Whitfield County reached her home port of Yokosuka on 15 December, and remained there into late December.
1967
Whitfield County sailed for Vietnamese waters on 29 December, bound for Vung TauVung Tàu
Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...
and her first deployment with riverine forces. Slated to join River Assault Flotilla 1, Whitfield County arrived at Cape Saint Jacques on 7 January 1967, embarked a river pilot and one River Assault Flotilla liaison officer and proceeded up the muddy Long Tau River to Saigon. She subsequently beached at Newport South Ramp that evening and remained there until 10 January 1967, embarking men and equipment of River Assault Flotilla I.
Departing Saigon on 10 January 1967, Whitfield County arrived at Vung Tau late that same evening. The next day she began providing messing, berthing, and logistical support for the men of the river assault force and the 1,800 troops from the U.S. Army's 9th Division, who were training with the riverine forces. On 26 February 1967, Whitfield County weighed anchor and headed for Yokosuka, arriving there on 9 March 1967. On 5 April 1967, she got underway for Okinawa to load cargo for South Vietnam. A port visit slated for 11 April 1967 at Keelung, Taiwan, was cancelled due to the urgent need for landing ships tank for the impending Operation Oregon. Whitfield County sped to Chu Lai, reached that port on 15 April 1967, and discharged her cargo upon arrival. She then took on board 92 tons of vehicles, 200 officers and men, and the cargo of a Marine Corps headquarters battalion; and proceeded to Danang, where she arrived on 16 April 1967.
Offloading upon her arrival, Whitfield County came under the operational control of Naval Support Activities (NavSuppAct) Danang to support Operation Oregon and remained in that status until the 23 April 1967. During that time, she conducted two beachings at Chu Lai and transported a total of 1,300 tons of general cargo, bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
s, and vehicles.
Released from Operation Oregon on 23 April 1967, Whitfield County departed Chu Lai and headed toward the Philippines for type training and a visit to Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. En route, however, dhr was ordered to proceed at "all best speed" to Subic Bay. Upon arrival there on the 25 April 1967, she loaded cargo from attack cargo ship . Then, after picking up additional ammunition, Whitfield County got underway on 27 April 1967, bound for South Vietnam.
On the morning of 30 April 1967, Whitfield County rendezvoused with Amphibious Ready Group
Amphibious Ready Group
An Amphibious Readiness Group of the United States Navy consists of a Navy element—a group of warships known as an amphibious task force —and a landing force of United States Marines , in total about 5,000 people. Together, these elements and supporting units are trained, organized, and equipped...
(ARG) Alfa, consisting of amphibious assault ship
Amphibious assault ship
An amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious assault...
, attack transport
Attack transport
Attack Transport is a United States Navy ship classification.-History:In the early 1940s, as the United States Navy expanded in response to the threat of involvement in World War II, a number of civilian passenger ships and some freighters were acquired, converted to transports and given hull...
, and landing ship dock , which was then conducting Operation Beaver Cage
Operation Beaver Cage
Operation Beaver Cage was a U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy Joint Operation in North Vietnam along the coastline of the Ben Hai River in the Quang Nam province. The Operation took place 23 August, 1966, through 5 September, 1966.-Intent:...
. The operation, an over-the-beach landing in quest of one battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
and three companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
of local Viet Cong guerrillas and at least one North Vietnamese Army (NVA) battalion, had begun on 28 April 1967.
Assigned an operational area after transferring men and mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
brought out from Subic Bay, Whitfield County steamed in the amphibious objective area until 10 May 1967, when she embarked 100 patients and 100 empty oxygen bottles from hospital ship
Hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital; most are operated by the military forces of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones....
for transportation to Danang. Reaching Danang on 11 May 1967, Whitfield County returned to Amphibious Ready Group "Alfa" on the morning of 13 May 1967, again landed passengers and delivered mail, refilled oxygen bottles, ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
, and other dairy products to Sanctuary. Upon the termination of Operation Beaver Cage that afternoon, the enemy having fled, Whitfield County proceeded to a holding area at sea northeast of Danang and rendezvoused with the other ships of the amphibious ready group that evening.
On 16 May 1967, in a commanders' conference on board Okinawa, the commander of Amphibious Squadron 9 revealed the next operation, Operation Beau Charger. On the morning of 17 May 1967, the task group rendezvoused with stores ship for replenishment and, during the early evening hours, began its approach to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
The largest concentration of naval gunfire support ships since the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
(1950-1953) softened the DMZ prior to Amphibious Ready Group Alpha's assault, which was aimed at destroying enemy forces and supplies and evacuating non-combatants. At 08:00 hours, Operation Beau Charger commenced as destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s quickly moved in and blasted the enemy guns. Resistance at the beach was confined to sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
fire and shells from quickly silenced North Vietnamese shore batteries
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
. Pronounced resistance came at helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
landing zones, but despite that, the helicopter-landed Marines linked up with tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
units and initiated search and destroy
Search and destroy
Search and Destroy, Seek and Destroy, or even simply S&D, refers to a military strategy that became a notorious component of the Vietnam War. The idea was to insert ground forces into hostile territory, search out the enemy, destroy them, and withdraw immediately afterward...
operations that lasted through the next week. Whitfield County operated in support of Operation Beau Charger until 25 May 1967, conducting replenishment via landing craft and boats of supplies needed ashore with craft from USS Point Defiance.
Proceeding to Danang on 25 May 1967, Whitfield County reached her Danang on 26 May 1967 and, after offloading, was detached from Amphibious Ready Group Alfa. She subsequently transported a load of bombs from Danang to Chu Lai, loading vehicles there for transportation to Naha, before she returned to Danang to load equipment and embark men of Amphibious 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...
1, Detachment "B." She departed Vietnamese waters on the morning of 3 June 1967 and reached Naha on the 9 June 1967. Offloading the vehicles and backloading deadlined generator
Engine-generator
An engine-generator is the combination of an electrical generator and an engine mounted together to form a single piece of equipment. This combination is also called an engine-generator set or a gen-set...
s, Whitfield County arrived at Yokosuka on 14 June 1967.
Whitfield County returned to Vietnamese waters in the summer of 1967 to resume her support operations for riverine activities in the Mekong Delta
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southwestern Vietnam of . The size of the area covered by water depends on the season.The...
region of South Vietnam, basing again at Vung Tau. She departed Yokosuka on 28 July 1967 and reached Vung Tau, after a stop at Hong Kong, on 17 August 1967. Relieving landing ship tank of Task Force 117 support duties on 18 August 1967, Whitfield County got underway on 20 August 1967 for the confluence of the Vam Co River and Soirap River to rendezvous with the Mobile Riverine Base (MRB).
From 20 August 1967 to 5 September 1967, Whitfield County provided "housekeeping" services and support for River Division III, "C" Company, 2nd Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
, 9th Infantry Division, and "A" Company, 9th Battalion. She supplied ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
, water, and rations to the troops in the field, was the focal point of helicopter support operations, served as combat store warehouse, and provided mortuary services for the killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
(KIA) periodically brought to the ship.
Toward the end of that period, on 3 September 1967, the Mobile Riverine Base shifted its base of operations from the Soirap-Vam Co area back to Vung Tau to support projected riverine strikes into the Rung Sat special zone. On 11 September 1967, the Mobile Riverine Base proceeded to the Mekong River entrance, escorted by various units of the Riverine Division, who provided minesweeping, close fire support, and reconnaissance when needed. Subsequently, while located in the Dong Tarn area, Whitfield County assisted search and destroy operations in the Cam Son
Cấm Sơn
Cấm Sơn is a commune and village in Lục Ngạn District, Bac Giang Province, in northeastern Vietnam.-References:...
secret zone, Dinh Tuong province, Kien Hoa province, and in the Giong Troms district.
On 28 September 1967, the Mobile Riverine Base shifted again, this time to the confluence of the Cua Tien River and the Cua Dai River, to facilitate strike operations into Kien Hoa province. Whitfield County worked in that locale until 1 October 1967, when the Mobile Riverine Base was shifted back to Dong Tarn to support projected strikes into the Western Ben Zong secret zone, Dinh Troung province, to destroy North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces in that area.
Whitfield County subsequently supported mobile riverine operations at Vung Tau and back at the junction of the Soirap and Vam Co Rivers into late October 1967. While in the latter locale, elements of the riverine forces provided the necessary security during the lower house elections for the Republic of Vietnam's parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
. Returning to Vung Tau on 24 October 1967, Whitfield County was there relieved by landing ship tank and returned to Japan.
Whitfield County underwent a period of upkeep back at Yokosuka before she returned to Vietnamese waters at the end of November 1967. She operated between Danang and Chu Lai through early December 1967, transporting vehicles and other cargo, before she steamed back to Yokosuka. She arrived at Yokosuka on 22 December 1967 and remained in port until late in January 1968.
1968
Underway on 22 January 1968 with a cargo of two pontoonPontoon (boat)
A pontoon is a flotation device with buoyancy sufficient to float itself as well as a heavy load. A pontoon boat is a flattish boat that relies on pontoons to float. Pontoons may be used on boats, rafts, barges, docks, floatplanes or seaplanes. Pontoons may support a platform, creating a raft. A...
causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
sections, the vehicles and men of BMU-1, and a CH-46
CH-46 Sea Knight
The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is a medium-lift tandem rotor transport helicopter, used by the United States Marine Corps to provide all-weather, day-or-night assault transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment. Assault Support is its primary function, and the movement of supplies and...
helicopter, with its accompanying Sea Van — an experimental housing seeing its first operational test and evaluation aboard Whitfield County — the ship headed for Vietnam. Touching at Naha en route, Whitfield County reached Danang on 31 January 1968, transferred the Sea Van to USS Vernon County, and relieved Vernon County as support landing ship tank for Amphibious Ready Group Bravo. With the relief and transfer of the Marines and equipment completed, Whitfield County took on board the men and mail to be transported to Amphibious Ready Group Bravo and got underway on 2 February 1968
Over the ensuing month and a half, Whitfield County operated with Amphibious Ready Group Bravo within various operating areas off the DMZ, occasionally returning to Danang for mail, fleet freight, and passengers for delivery to the other units of the ready group. Whitfield County also sailed to Subic Bay as part of the task force for upkeep between 21 February 1968 and 28 February 1968 before she returned to Vietnamese waters. Landing ship tank relieved Whitfield County as support landing ship tank at Danang on 14 March 1968.
After a subsequent port call at Hong Kong and a quick run to Yokosuka for restricted availability, Whitfield County returned to Vietnamese waters for a resumption of operations with the Mobile Riverine Force in mid-July 1968 at Dong Tarn, again relieving Vernon County. During her deployment with Task Force 117 in ensuing months, Whitfield County operated on a nearly non-stop, 24-hour-a-day basis, supporting the U.S. Army's 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment), 9th Division, and three helicopters of a U.S. Army aviation detachment, as well as the boats and men of River Assault Division 92. By the time landing ship tank Westchester County relieved Whitfield County on 23 September 1968, Whitfield County had travelled over 900 nautical miles (1,667 kilomters) within the Mekong Delta, processed over 25,000 hot rations, and handled roughly 4,000 tons of cargo.
Subsequently visiting Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, for rest and recreation and R, Whitfield County then headed for Danang, where she side-loaded tow causeway sections for transportation to Okinawa. She then returned to Yokosuka for repairs before again heading for Vietnam toward the end of November 1968. Touching at Subic Bay en route, she reputedly became the first landing ship tank to use water-filled causeway sections to serve as armor along the thinly-armored sides of the ship. The causeway sections were intended provide a water-filled barrier against recoilless rifle
Recoilless rifle
A recoilless rifle or recoilless gun is a lightweight weapon that fires a heavier projectile than would be practical to fire from a recoiling weapon of comparable size. Technically, only devices that use a rifled barrel are recoilless rifles. Smoothbore variants are recoilless guns...
projectiles and rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
s.
After relieving landing ship tank at Dong Tarn on 30 November 1968, Whitfield County spent the rest of 1968 as support landing ship tank for Mobile Riverine Group Alfa, Task Group 117.1, one of the two task groups that made up Mobile Riverine Flotilla 1. Other ships of Mobile Riverine Group Alfa were the barracks ship
Barracks ship
Barracks ship or barracks barge are terms used to indicate a ship or a non-self-propelled barge containing a superstructure of a type suitable for use as a temporary barracks for sailors. A barracks ship may also be used as a "Receiving Unit" for sailors who need temporary residence prior to being...
s and , the landing craft repair ship , and the barracks craft USS APL-26 and USS APL-80 . Embarked in Whitfield County were elements of the Army's 9th Infantry Regiment and a Cyclops
Cyclops
A cyclops , in Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, was a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his forehead...
aviation detachment, equipped with Hughes
Hughes
Hughes may refer to:*Hughes *Hughes Medal*David E. Hughes inventorPlaces:* Hughes Range In Australia:* Division of Hughes, electoral district* Hughes, Australian Capital Territory, suburb of Canberra...
CH-6 Cayuse helicopters. The ship herself performed a fivefold role: (1) maintaining a round-the-clock, air- and water-mobile resupply readiness to provide field units with ammunition, rations, fresh water, and fuel; (2) serving as a mobile base for helicopter operations; (3) providing harassment and on-call gunfire support when necessary; (4) supplying boat service among the ships of the Mobile Riverine Group; and (5) providing subsistence, berthing, and services for embarked personnel.
1969
At 23:30 hours on 9 January 1969, the Mobile Riverine Group base at Dong Tarn came under enemy rocket and mortar attack. Whitfield County went to general quartersGeneral quarters
General Quarters or Battle Stations is an announcement made aboard a naval warship to signal the crew to prepare for battle or imminent damage....
and participated in counterbattery fire, hurling 16 rounds of 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) projectiles in the direction of the hostile fire. Although securing at midnight
Midnight
Midnight is the transition time period from one day to the next: the moment when the date changes. In the Roman time system, midnight was halfway between sunset and sunrise, varying according to the seasons....
, Whitfield County manned her guns a half-hour later, at 00:30 hours. lobbing three rounds of call fire.
Whitfield County subsequently shifted from Ben Tre to the Song Ham Loung anchorage and returned to Dong Tarn at 11:00 hours on 20 January 1969 to commence turnover to [Vernon County, her relief in Task Group 117.1. That night, communist forces attacked the Mobile Riverine Group and the base at Dong Tarn with rockets and mortars; Whitfield County went to general quarters at 21:59 hours and, between 22:50 and 23:00 hours, expended 12 rounds against the enemy artillerymen. Between 1 January 1969 and 22 January 1969, Whitfield Countys gunners loosed a total of 78 rounds of call-fire, and the ship held flight quarters for the recovery of Cayuse and UH-lb Huey helicopters 306 times, without mishap. At 23:00 hours on 23 January 1969, Whitfied Countys turnover to Vernon County was complete.
However, there was more work for Whitfield County before she could clear the muddy Vietnamese waters. At 23:21 hours she headed for Vung Tau. There, she took over from landing ship tank , which had recently been damaged in a Viet Cong rocket attack while beached at the Vung Tau ramps, in supporting and resupplying Task Group 117.2, Mobile Riverine Group Bravo.
Late on 24 January 1969, after loading a tank deck cargo of palletized ammunition and C rations and a main-deck load of crated supplies, spare parts, stores, and fresh provisions, Whitfield County got underway for the mouth of the Bassac River
Bassac River
The Bassac River is a distributary of the Tonle Sap and Mekong River. The river starts in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and flows southerly, crossing the border into Vietnam near Châu Đốc....
(Cua Tranh De). On the morning of 26 January 1969, Whitfield County, escorted by two river patrol boat
Patrol Boat, River
Patrol Boat, River , or PBR, is the United States Navy designation for a small rigid-hulled patrol boat used in the Vietnam War from March 1966 until the end of 1971...
s (PBRs), transited the Bassac River without incident and over the ensuing days resupplied and provisioned the ships of Task Group 117.2, landing craft repair ship and barracks ships and . Whitfield county then returned to Vung Tau, where she was relieved as support landing ship tank for Task Group 117.2 by USS Iredell County (LST-839)
USS Iredell County (LST-839)
USS Iredell County was an built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Iredell County, North Carolina, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name....
on 30 January 1969. At noon
Noon
Noon is usually defined as 12 o'clock in the daytime. The word noon is also used informally to mean midday regarding the location of the sun not the middle of a persons day. Although this is a time around the middle of the day when people in many countries take a lunch break...
that day, Whitfield County headed for Hong Kong.
Whitfield County spent six days at Hong Kong before she sailed for Okinawa to pick up cargo earmarked for shipment to Yokosuka. After loading vehicles and nine men from Beachmaster Unit 1, Western Pacific Detachment, at Red Beach 1, Chin Wan, Okinawa, Whitfield County proceeded on to Yokosuka, reaching that port on the morning of 17 February 1969.
After upkeep at Yokosuka in late February 1969, Whitfield County acted as observer at the Republic of Korea Navy
Republic of Korea Navy
The Republic of Korea Navy or the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization...
amphibious exercise Phiblex 1-69 at Chinhae, South Korea, between 28 March 1969 and 2 April 1969. During that time, she also trained South Korean naval personnel. Whitfield County subsequently returned to Yokosuka for more upkeep before she sailed, via Subic Bay, for Vietnamese waters where she loaded side-protection causeway sections.
Arriving at Dong Tarn on 8 May 1969, she there relieved Windham County as support landing ship tank for River Assault Flotilla 1, Task Force 117. As before, she operated alternately at Dong Tarn, Song Ham Loung (Ben Tre), and My Tho. At 02:05 hours on 6 June 1969, while Whitfield County was at Dong Tarn, four rounds of hostile fire landed between 50 and 300 yards (46 and 274 meters) from the ships of the Mobile Riverine Force. Whitfield County immediately set general quarters; and, in the next 35 minutes, her guns hurled some 140 rounds of 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) counterbattery fire at the enemy artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
. The riverine force again came under enemy fire that morning; Whitfield County again blasted the enemy positions with 170 more 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) projectiles.
Whitfield County subsequently shifted to Ben Tre but returned to Dong Tarn by 13 June 1969. While she lay anchored there, Storekeeper
Storekeeper
Storekeeper is an enlisted rating in the United States Coast Guard; until 2009 it was also a United States Navy rating, the most common supply rate in US Navy vs. CS and SH and very much equivalent to the MOS 92 of the US Army...
3rd Class L. E. Smith, assigned as roving sentry on the port side of the ship, spotted a swimmer in the water at 01:00 hours on the 15 June 1969. Since Viet Cong sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
s were known to have been active in that area, Storekeeper Smith promptly opened fire. Within a short time, the water around the ship was thoroughly grenaded. Later that morning, a Vietnamese body that had been shot was found floating nearby. For his prompt action, Storekeeper Smith received the recommendation for the Navy Commendation Medal for "effectively thwarting an attempt to mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
the ship."
Three days later, rocket fire landed within 50 yards (46 meters) of the ship at 14:05 hours on 18 June 1969. Unable to return the fire because of the presence of friendly forces in the area, Whitfield County shifted her anchorage to avoid being hit. Later that afternoon, the riverine force shifted its anchorage back to My Tho.
Whitfield County was relieved by landing ship tank USS Tom Green County on 4 July 1969. Between 8 May 1969 and 4 July 1969, Whitfield County had expended some 2,982 rounds of 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) projectiles on call-fire and counterbattery fire, conducted some 850 helicopter landings, and travelled 394 nautical miles (730 kilometers) within the Mekong Delta. She had also witnessed the gradual turnover of all River Assault Flotilla 1 assets to the Republic of Vietnam Navy
Republic of Vietnam Navy
The Republic of Vietnam Navy was the naval force of the former Republic of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. The early fleet consisted of boats from France. After 1955 and the transfer of the armed forces to Vietnamese control, the fleet was supplied from the United States...
, the beginning of the redeployment of the 9th Infantry Division from the Mekong Delta, and the gradual disbanding of Task Force 117. When she sailed on 5 July 1969, she left the Mekong Delta region for the last time.
Returning to Yokosuka via Keelung, Taiwan, Whitfield County soon commenced a badly needed overhaul, one that lasted into the autumn of 1969. For the remainder of the 1969, she operated locally in Japanese waters.
1970–1972
Until 1972, Whitfield County worked out of Yokosuka, touching occasionally at Okinawa in the course of amphibious maneuvers and exercises and at Subic Bay in the Philippines. She served three tours with Amphibious Ready Group Bravo in 1970.During 1971, Whitfield County served two tours as support landing ship tank for Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time was the United States Navy’s effort to stop troops and supplies from flowing by sea from North Vietnam to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War...
interdiction
Interdiction
Interdiction is a military term that refers to the act of delaying, disrupting, or destroying enemy forces or supplies en route to the battle area. A distinction is often made between strategic and tactical interdiction...
operations out of Vung Tau. A highlight of her 1971 operations were her support activities for stores ship USS Regulus (AF-57)
USS Regulus (AF-57)
USS Regulus was an Denebola-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas....
, which had been forced aground on the rocks in the western harbor of Hong Kong when Typhoon Rose struck China on 16 August 971; Whitfield County provided berthing and messing facilities for Reguluss crew.
Whitfield County served one tour with Amphibious Ready Group Alfa and one with Operation Market Time forces in 1972.
Awards
Whitfield County performed services of signal importance during the Vietnam WarVietnam 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...
, services that were important but, due to their nature, largely unsung in the public eye. Nonetheless, she was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation
The Presidential Unit Citation is a senior unit award granted to military units which have performed an extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy...
for her operations with Task Force 117 from 8 May 1969 to 5 July 1969, three Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
s, three 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....
s, and 11 battle stars. The battle stars were for:
- Vietnam Defense 4 July 1965, 6 July 1965-14 July 1965, 14 August 1965-19 August 1965, 3 September 1965-12 September 1965, 12 November 1965-16 November 1965, and 2 December 1965-10 December 1965
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive 4 January 1966-6 January 1966, 18 January 1966-4 February 1966, 20 February 1966-7 March 1966, and 25 March 1966-27 March 1966
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II 5 September 1966-7 September 1966, 24 September 1966-28 September 1966, 11 October 1966-14 October 1966, 29 November 1966-6 December 1966 7 January 1967-27 February 1967, 15 April 1967-24 April 1967 and 29 April 1967-31 May 1967
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III 1 June 1967-3 June 1967, 17 August 1967-29 October 1967, and 28 November 1967-13 December 1967
- Tet Counteroffensive 30 January 1968-17 February 1968 and 1 March 1968-13 March 1968
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV 11 May 1968-13 May 1968
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V 15 July 1968-23 September 1968 and 5 October 1968-9 October 1968
- Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 30 November 1968-4 February 1969, 6 May 1969-6 July 1969, and 8 February 1970-10 February 1970
- Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VII 28 December 1970-2 January 1971 and 7 May 1971-25 June 1971
- Consolidation II 1 January 1972-29 January 1972
- Vietnam Ceasefire 8 July 1972-1 August 1972 and 8 August 1972-17 September 1972
Decommissioning and Greek service
Whitfield County arrived at Yokosuka on 23 December 1972 after exercising with U.S. Marine Corps units at Okinawa. She remained there until 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 15 March 1973. She was stricken from the Navy List
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
on 15 August 1976.
Whitfield County was sold to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
on 1 March 1977 under the Security Assistance Program. Commissioned into the Hellenic Navy
Hellenic Navy
The Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence...
, she was renamed Kos (L116). Kos had a long career, not being decommissioned until 1 June 2000.
Kos was sunk as a target on 24 June 2004 during the Hellenic Navy exercise Thiela III by Penguin missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s fired by the Greek fast attack craft missile (FACMs) Ypoploiarchos Degiannis (P-26) and Simeoforos Starakis (P-29) and torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es from the Greek torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s Lailaps (P-54) and Typhon (P-56).