USS Duval County (LST-758)

Duval County (LST-758) off the Virginia Capes, 27 March 1968
History
Name: USS LST-758
Builder: American Bridge Company, Ambridge, Pennsylvania
Laid down: 5 June 1944
Launched: 25 July 1944
Commissioned: 19 August 1944
Decommissioned: 13 July 1946
Recommissioned: 3 November 1950
Decommissioned: 28 October 1969
Renamed: USS Duval County (LST-758), 1 July 1955
Struck: 1 November 1976
Honours and
awards:
Fate: Sold, 18 August 1981
General characteristics
Class and type: LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement:
  • 1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light
  • 3,640 long tons (3,698 t) full
Length: 328 ft (100 m)
Beam: 50 ft (15 m)
Draft:
  • 8 ft (2.4 m) forward
  • 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) aft
Propulsion: 2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 2 LCVPs
Troops: Approximately 130 officers and enlisted men
Complement: 8-10 officers, 89-100 enlisted men
Armament:

USS Duval County (LST-758) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in Florida and Texas, she was the only U.S. naval vessel to bear the name.

LST-758 was laid down on 5 June 1944 at Ambridge, Pennsylvania by the American Bridge Company; launched on 25 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. F. D. Colburn; and commissioned on 19 August 1944.

Service history

During World War II, LST-758 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the assault and occupation of Iwo Jima in February, 1945, and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Guntō in April through June, 1945. Following the war, she performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-September 1945. LST-758 was decommissioned on 13 July 1946, and recommissioned on 3 November 1950 for service in the Korean War. She saw service in Korea until late November, 1953. I James E. Thompson went aboard the 758 in November, 1950, and was discharged from it on 1 February 1954. She was scheduled to leave Korea in July 1953. When the armistice was signed in June she was held over to return prisoners from Koje Do Island to Inchon. Pens were built on the tank deck that held 600 prisoners and she made three trips to Inchon. She sailed to Long Beach, California, in November. On 1 July 1955, the ship was redesignated USS Duval County (LST-758). Following the Korean War, she saw extensive service with the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets through 1969. Duval County was decommissioned on 28 October 1969. Laid up in the Reserve Fleet, the ship was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 November 1976. After custody was transferred to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, she was sold by MARAD on 18 August 1981; her final fate is unknown.

LST-758 earned two battle stars for World War II service and four battle stars in the Korean War.

See also

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

USS Duval County (LST-758) in drydock at San Diego, September 1960. Note the Martin P5M Marlin flying boat passing overhead.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/10/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.