USS Tallahatchie County (LST-1154) was the second of only two Talbot County-class

USS Talbot County (LST-1153)

USS Talbot County was a tank landing ship built for the United States Navy just after World War II. The lead ship of her class of only two vessels, she was named after counties in Maryland and Georgia, and was the only U.S...

 tank landing ships (LSTs) built for the United States Navy

United States Navy

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

 just after World War II

World War II

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

. Named after Tallahatchie County, Mississippi

Tallahatchie County, Mississippi

-National protected areas:*Coldwater River National Wildlife Refuge *Tallahatchie National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,903 people, 5,263 households, and 3,826 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile...

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

Construction

LST-1154 was laid down on 4 August 1945 at the Boston Navy Yard

Boston Navy Yard

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

; launched on 19 July 1946; sponsored by Mrs. Wilder D. Baker; and commissioned on 24 May 1949 with Commander Courtland T. Babcock in command.

History

From her commissioning until 1962, LST-1154 alternated assignments for the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet along the east coast of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 with assignment to the 6th Fleet during periodic deployments to the Mediterranean. She was redesignated USS Tallahatchie County (LST-1154) on 1 July 1955. She was decommissioned at Charleston (SC) Naval Shipyard in 1959 in preparation for conversion to AVB-2.

On 3 February 1962 her conversion was completed to an Advance Aviation Base Ship (one of two ships of the steam-powered LST-1153-class) and redesignated USS Tallahatchie County (AVB-2.) Her aft superstructure was extended forward and her forecastle

Forecastle

Forecastle refers to the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters...

 built up; electronic antennas and a heavy king post

King post

A king post is a central vertical supporting post used in architectural, bridge, or aircraft design applications.-Architecture:...

 were mounted amidships. As an AVB, Tallahatchie County was designed to provide command and logistic facilities to a squadron of antisubmarine patrol planes operating from an improvised land base in Souda Bay, Crete. Squadron equipment was carried in mobile vans, transported in Tallahatchie County's tank deck, and landed over her bow ramp.

For the remainder of her career, Tallahatchie County provided support to aviation units in the Mediterranean. She was decommissioned on 3 January 1970 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register

Naval Vessel Register

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

 on 15 July 1970. Tallahatchie County was sold for scrapping to Contieri Navali Santa Maria of Genoa, Italy in July, 1970.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs