USS Vernon County (LST-1161)
Encyclopedia
USS Vernon County (LST-1161) was a United States Navy
, in commission from 1953 to 1973. She saw extensive service in the Vietnam war
before being transferred to the Venezuelan Navy, where she became Amazonas (T-21).
, Mississippi
, by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation and launched on 25 November 1952;, sponsored by Mrs. Hugh White, the wife
of the then-governor
of Mississippi, Hugh L. White
. USS LST-1161 was commissioned
on 18 May 1953 with Lieutenant Commander
D. E. Sutherlin in command.
cruise, LST-1161 operated off the United States East Coast out of Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
at Virginia Beach
, Virginia
, and Morehead City
, North Carolina
, through mid-February 1954. She subsequently deployed twice to Caribbean
operating areas during 1954. During an exercise at Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
, between 11 April 1954 and 7 May 1954, she participated in the filming of the movie Away All Boats
.
LST-1161 entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
at Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania
, on 28 July 1954 for extensive modifications. Once those alterations and repairs were completed, she headed for Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek at Virginia Beach, arriving there on 19 December 1954.
LST-1161 was renamed USS Vernon County (LST-1161) on 1 July 1955.
Vernon County operated with the Amphibious
Forces of the United States Atlantic Fleet, alternating between Norfolk
, Virginia, and Little Creek as her home port
s. During her years of operations from those places, she deployed regularly to the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean areas.
, sailing via the Panama Canal
to her new assigned home port, San Diego
, California
. She operating from San Diego for over a year and a half, conducting regular periods of underway training and local operations off the Southern California
coast.
Vernon County changed home ports again in 1960. On 16 June 1960, she departed the United States West Coast bound for her new home port, Yokosuka, Japan
. Together with seven other tank landing ship
s, Vernon County comprised Amphibious Squadron
(PhibRon) 9. They reached Yokosuka on 6 August 1960.
Vernon County subsequently formed an integral part of the amphibious forces supporting the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
(SEATO), participating in SEATO's Operation Tulungan in May 1962. In so doing, she became one of the first American
amphibious vessels to transport U.S. Marines
to Thailand
.
Her first years in Yokosuka saw her participate in many major amphibious exercises, including those named "Pony Express" and "Sharp Edge." After an upkeep period in June 1962, Vernon County transported U.S. Marines from Subic Bay
in the Philippines
, to Iwakuni, Japan; she paid a port call at Karatsu, Japan, reportedly the first American man-of-war to visit Karatsu since the Korean War
(1950-1953).
February 1963 saw Vernon County at Kobe
, Japan. In March 1963 she visited Tspying and Kaohsiung
, Taiwan
, and she spent much of April 1963 at Subic Bay. In June 1963, she participated in Operation Flagpole, a joint United States Seventh Fleet
-Republic of Korea (ROK) naval exercise. Before returning to Yokosuka, she called at Shimonoseki, Japan; Naha, Okinawa
; and Keelung
, Taiwan.
After her return to Yokosuka and subsequent refresher training at Numazu, Japan, Vernon County took part in Operation Litgas in company with other SEATO naval units. Subsequently returning to Hong Kong
, via Yokosuka, she visited Kobe in mid-July 1964.
. She was there when an international incident occurred in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin
when U.S. Navy destroyer
s reported that they had been attacked by North Vietnam
ese torpedo boat
s. With the Seventh Fleet alerted during the Tonkin Gulf incident that flared up immediately, Vernon County embarked U.S. Marines and steamed for Vietnam
. For the next 60 days, as part of the force thrown into Southeast Asia
n waters ready for any contingency, Vernon County veritably hugged the coast of South Vietnam
.
Vernon County was then relieved on station and proceeded back to Yokosuka, but the respite offered was, in retrospect, only a short one.
C, 7th Engineer
Battalion
, to provide construction support for the MIM-23 Hawk
light surface-to-air missile
battery
then being emplaced there, thus completing the Hawk deployment.
Over the ensuing months, Vernon County conducted various operations: loading, offloading, stand-by alerts, and the landing of U.S. Marines and equipment on South Vietnamese shores, being greeted by anything from girl
s bearing flower
s to light machine gun
fire. In April 1965, Vernon County landed Marines at Danang and brought U.S. Marine Corps
cargo
and equipment from Okinawa to Danang.
landings in Korea
during the Korean War when she participated in the landings at Chu Lai
, South Vietnam. In that operation, three U.S. Marine Corps battalion landing teams and a U.S. Navy mobile construction battalion
went ashore to extend American influence in the area and initiate construction of an airfield.
Vernon County then conducted more cargo runs to ensure the steady flow of supplies and equipment to support the ever-expanding Chu Lai beachhead and the development of a landing strip there to support the operations of a Marine Air Wing
. As U.S. Marine reinforcements arrived in the Western Pacific area, Vernon County continued to load and land supplies at Chu Lai.
While Vernon County was carrying out those duties, American military intelligence
picked up evidence that a Viet Cong force was massing for an attack on the recently arrived Marines at Chu Lai. Accordingly, a joint U.S. Marine Corps-Army of the Republic of Vietnam
operation was launched on 6 August 1965 to search for the Viet Cong. In that evolution, code-named Operation Thunderbolt
, the Marines and South Vietnamese soldiers did not find the Viet Cong in strength, meeting only scattered resistance. Nevertheless, the operation was deemed to be, in retrospect, a "Successful experiment in command and control."
Subsequently, however, the interrogation of a Viet Cong deserter revealed the location of the Viet Cong 1st Regiment
. It was, as thought, moving toward Chu Lai. Accordingly, another operation, code-named Operation Starlite
, was planned expeditiously. Vernon County embarked elements of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, (Battalion Landing Team) (BLT) 3, under Lieutenant Colonel
Joseph E. Muir, USMC
, at Chu Lai, and moved south along the South Vietnamese coast to An Thuong
, where she put the Marines ashore in one phase of Starlite. The operation, involving amphibious, helicopter
-borne, and ground forces, started out as a "search and destroy
" operation but soon escalated into a battalion-sized offensive against the Viet Cong. Starlite thwarted the incipient Viet Cong move toward Chu Lai, some nine miles (14.5 kilometers) to the north, the main battle taking place in the Van Truong village
complex. The Marines discovered communication
equipment, numerous documents, munitions, rice
, and propaganda
—all leading intelligence men to estimate that the hamlet
of Van Thuong had served as a Viet Cong command post. During the operation, Marines of the 3rd Marine Amphibious Force (MAF) clearly bested the Viet Cong forces, annihilating the Viet Cong 60th Battalion and severely crippling the 40th Battalion. It was the first big battle of the Vietnam War for the Marines, who came away from Starlite confident in their ability to meet the enemy on the field of battle and defeat him.
and, with other units of the Seventh Fleet, participated in the movement of the South Korean "Tiger" Division
to South Vietnam. Subsequently, she took part in direct lifts of equipment and troops to South Vietnam before returning to Yokosuka on 25 December 1965.
After operating locally out of Yokosuka and in South Vietnamese waters, primarily at Chu Lai, Vernon County replenished and underwent a period of upkeep at Subic Bay in the Philippines. She then returned to intracoastal shipping operations off the coast of South Vietnam and even penetrated the Mekong Delta
to pay a port call at Saigon, South Vietnam. She returned to Yokosuka in early June 1966.
Vernon County trained briefly at Numazu, Japan, before going to Okinawa, and from there to Hong Kong to allow her crew liberty there. Returning to South Vietnamese waters from Hong Kong, she headed for Subic Bay, via Danang and Camranh Bay, South Vietnam, soon thereafter, for 13 days of upkeep in the Philippine Islands. Returning to Yokosuka after conducting lifts of men and materiel to Okinawa and Sasebo
, Japan, Vernon County remained in port at Yokosuka until 21 September 1966.
, the coastal interdiction of Communist supply traffic off the coast of South Vietnam, serving as "mother ship" for the fast patrol craft used for those operations. Vernon County remained on station on Market Time duties until 29 November 1966. From there, she went on to Yokosuka, commencing a regularly scheduled shipyard
overhaul on 8 December 1966.
(MRF), a joint U.S. Navy-U.S. Army
assault unit conducting riverine search and destroy missions in the Mekong Delta region. While assigned to the MRF, Vernon County was a veritable picture of versatility: she carried ammunition
for U.S. Army troops, fire support bases, and the U.S. Navy's Patrol Boat, River}river patrol boats (or PBRs); she carried boat
s, clothing
, batteries
, and C rations for troops in the field; she carried purified water
and supplied fuel
to various riverine craft; she housed, fed, and entertained over 340 additional U.S. Army and U.S. Navy combat personnel; and she logged over 780 helicopter landings on her flight deck
.
Relieved from MRF support duties on 20 August 1967, Vernon County headed for Chu Lai, and from there to Keelung, Taiwan. Reaching Keelung on 30 August 1967, she remained there until 4 September 1967 before moving on, ultimately returning to her home port, Yokosuka, on 8 September 1967.
s, and hospital
s at Tacloban on the island of Leyte
. She departed Subic Bay on 18 October 1967 and was to represent the United States at ceremonies on 20 October 1967 commemorating General
Douglas MacArthur
's famous World War II
"return" to the Philippines during the Philippines campaign in World War II
. A typhoon brewing in the vicinity, however, forced a cancellation of the ceremonies. Vernon County subsequently returned to Subic Bay, whence she sortied on 23 October 1967 for Yokosuka.
Arriving at Yokosuka on 1 November 1967, Vernon County remained in port there until 20 November 1967, at which time she got underway for Naha, Okinawa, and from there for Subic Bay.
(ARG) Bravo. Underway for South Vietnam on 18 December 1967, she arrived off the mouth of the Cua Viet River on 20 December 1967. Over the days that ensued, prior to Christmas
(25 December) 1967, she took part in Operation Fortress Ridge in company with the other units of ARG Bravo. In that operation, U.S. Marines from the group landed, unopposed, and swept through the sand
y, marsh
y regions north of the Cua Viet, encountering several pockets of enemy resistance. Helicopter gunship
s, air strikes, naval gunfire, and artillery
all assisted in subduing the enemy in what proved to be the last operation prior to the Christmas truce.
Vernon County took part in her second amphibious operation within a month when she participated in Operation Badger Tooth between 26 December 1967 and 2 January 1968. Helicopter-borne and landing craft
-borne U.S. Marines met no opposition in the initial landing, 13 miles (21 kilometers) east of Quang Tri
city but, on the 27 December 1967, encountered a stubborn and well-disciplined North Vietnamese unit in the fortified town of Thon Tham Khe. Several hours of intense fighting ensued, with the North Vietnamese eventually withdrawing from the fight.
Vernon County operated with ARG "Bravo," Task Group (TG) 76.5, until 3 February 1968, operating off the South Vietnamese coast between Danang and the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone
(DMZ). After completing her part in Operations Fortress Ridge and Badger Tooth, she remained offshore, devoting a good deal of her time to training because of the slow tempo of operations after those missions against the Viet Cong.
for mobile riverine forces. From 25 May 1968 to 21 June 1968, Vernon County operated as support ship for Task Force
(TF) 115, Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) Alfa. During that period, the group operated at Ben Tre, Dong Tarn, Vinh Long
, Sa Dec
, My Tho, and Can Tho, all in the Mekong Delta, or IV Corps
, area of South Vietnam. In the little over three-week period, Vernon County traveled some 556.5 nautical miles (1,031 kilometers) through South Vietnamese rivers.
The MRF, a joint U.S. Army-U.S. Navy operation, relied upon the support services rendered by the duty LST. Vernon County served as a floating warehouse
wherein 600 ton
s of ammunition, plus non-ordnance support material, could be stowed in the capacious tank
deck
area. From those supplies, Vernon County supported U.S. Navy river
craft, U.S. Army operations in the field, and U.S. Army fire support bases. She, in turn, was replenished by another LST that came up river from the port of Vung Tau
.
A good deal of activity took place during that period of both base and ship defense; 15 to 20 rounds of 3-inch (76.2-millimeter gunfire were fired nightly for harassment and interdiction; all gun mounts were manned continuously throughout the nocturnal hours, to be fired while the crew was proceeding to their general quarters
stations. In addition, six sentries patrolled the pontoons moored alongside, and on the main deck; boats patrolled 150 to 200 yards (137 to 183 meters) away, remaining alert for possible swimmers, naval mine
s, or traffic of a suspicious nature. Periodically, percussion grenades
were tossed into the water as anti-swimmer measures.
Vernon County also served as a landing pad for helicopters making resupply runs both to and from the ship to units in the field; whenever the ship made a transit of the waterways of the Mekong Delta, she stood at general quarters with .50-caliber
(12.7-millimeter) and .30-caliber (7.62-millimeter) machine guns mounted to provide the ship with close-range firepower when needed.
Upon relief by tank landing ship on 21 June 1968 at Can Tho, Vernon County proceeded down the Bassac River
to the South China Sea
.
repairs. En route and three days out of Vietnamese waters, her commanding officer
, Lieutenant Commander L. D. Mott, was stricken with acute appendicitis
, necessitating his emergency medical evacuation by air.
Subsequently, Vernon County reached Subic Bay on 24 June 1968. Upon arrival, however, it was found that her generators could not be repaired there, so she moved for Naha, Okinawa, with cargo on board, en route Japan. She offloaded her cargo at Naha and proceeded on, reaching Yokosuka on 13 July 1968. There, the repairs were effected. While at Yokosuka, she received the Navy Unit Commendation for her service with the Mobile Riverine Force.
on 14 August 1968. On 15 August 1968, she proceeded to Nha Be, where she relieved as support LST for Mobile Riverine Assault Force Bravo. For the next two months, she operated primarily in the Nha Be region but also at the junction of the Soirap River and Vamn Co River. Midway through that period, the base was shifted to Dong Tarn, where Vernon County remained until relieved by on 16 October 1968.
Sailing to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, with a cargo of jeep
s, and encountering Typhoon Hester en route, Vernon County visited Hong Kong for rest and recreation before returning to Yokosuka in late October 1968. She remained at Yokosuka for the rest of the year.
Lifting cargo that proved to be about the smallest in the history of the vessel—one man and two tons of LCPL
equipment -- Vernon County disembarked her passenger and unloaded the equipment upon arrival at Vung Tau. Shifting to the Mekong Delta region soon thereafter, Vernon County embarked 360 troops and support units and relieved tank landing ship as support ship for Task Force 117, a mobile riverine force, with which she deployed from 17 January 1969 to 24 March 1969. Once again, she served as a floating warehouse for ammunition, fuel, and other support materiel; a mooring point for river patrol craft; and a helipad
for the detachment of four helicopters.
The most noteworthy events of the deployment occurred in Vernon Countys direct contact with the enemy. During the latter part of February 1969 and early days of March 1969, Vernon County took two near-misses from North Vietnamese Army (NVA) mortar
batteries located on the south bank of the Song My Tho River at about 02:30 hours on 22 February 1969. One landed approximately 25 meters (27 yards) off the starboard side near an ammunition pontoon; the other landed some 25 meters (27 yards) off the port quarter. A large rocket
missed the ship, landing harmlessly 200 yards (183 meters) away. Vernon County manned her battle stations and returned the fire with 46 rounds of 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) gunfire.
On 23 February 1969, North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong automatic weapons fire came in the direction of Vernon County, most rounds concentrated on one of the pontoons alongside or at the bridge
. On 25 February 1969, lookout
s spotted a swimmer 50 yards (46 meters) from the stern
; grenades from M79 grenade launcher
s were soon directed at him, thoroughly saturating the area. A body was sighted soon thereafter, the grenades apparently having done their work.
On 26 February 1969, Vernon County came in for further attention from Viet Cong sapper
s. A deck sentry sighted a dark object floating in the water near the fantail
and fired two M16 rifle
rounds, quickly resulting in a violent thrashing about in the water below. Shortly thereafter, the target, probably a sapper, sank.
Closely related to Vernon Countys activities was a recoilless rifle
attack on the Philippine tug
Kangaroo, 500 yards (457 meters) downriver from Vernon County. Kangaroo sustained serious damage, and fires broke out on board; Vernon Countys rescue and assistance team boarded the crippled tug and promptly extinguished the fires, performing temporary repairs on Kanagroos damaged superstructure
as well. The action on the part of Vernon County, described as "quick and professional", resulted in 27 letters of commendation and a Bronze Star for the ship's sailors who participated in the salvage
operation.
Relieved on station by tank landing ship USS Windham County on 24 March 1969, Vernon County sailed for Yokosuka, via Penang
, Malaysia; Danang; Subic Bay; and Okinawa. She reached Yokosuka on 22 April 1969 and subsequently remained in port there for slightly more than a month.
-vintage PT boat
hull
on 5 June 1969 for eventual transfer to a museum
in the United States. She began her return voyage to Yokosuka on 6 June 1969.
Although Vernon County was slated to return to South Vietnamese waters, engineering casualties diverted her to Subic Bay for repairs. From Subic Bay, she was ordered, upon completion of repairs, to join AEG Bravo, operating off the I Corps zone in the northern part of South Vietnam.
Vernon County carried out training activities in the days that ensued, lifting 185 field troops from E Company, 2nd Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment
, from Chu Lai to Danang. Debarking the Marines on 10 August 1969, Vernon County loaded cargo that day for shipment to Okinawa. Although initially slated to depart on 10 August 1969, the loss of the ship's stern anchor forced a delay of one full day. She ultimately accomplished the cargo lift, however, reaching White Beach, Okinawa, on 16 August 1969.
With the end of the Taiwan stay, she put to sea again to return to Yokosuka. En route, she rescued three Taiwanese fishermen
early on the evening of 29 August 1969 northeast of Taiwan. The fishermen, who had been adrift for a week, were returned later that evening to a ship of the Nationalist Chinese Navy.
Vernon County operated between Okinawa and Japan through mid-October 1969.
, directly below the radar
platform. Diverted to Subic Bay, she effected repairs there before proceeding on and ultimately unloading her cargo at Kin Red on 17 November 1969.
Vernon County returned to South Vietnam soon thereafter, initially to Vung Tau, where she took on a load of ammunition to be delivered to tank landing ship supporting Task Force 115's riverine operations. From Vung Tau, Vernon County proceeded to the vicinity of the Ca Mau Peninsula
and there relieved on station as part of Operation Market Time, which kept Vernon County on station for eight weeks. Operating slightly to the north of Square Bay
and Point de Daniau, she remained at anchor 90 percent of the time, about 5,000 yards (4,572 meters) from shore. During that time, she acted as a floating landing pad for support helicopters; provided goods and services to small craft operating on the coastal interdiction and patrol functions of the Market Time operation; assumed the role of naval gunfire support ship; and established the central communications point for Task Group 115.7. Vernon County performed all of her duties well, servicing and rearming helicopter gunships, providing supplies to her frequent customers — PCF's ("Swift boats") and PGM
's (motor gunboats) — and hurling call fire ashore.
Relieved by Washoe County on 21 January 1970, Vernon County sailed first to Hong Kong, and from there to the Philippines, the latter in connection with the first leg of the lift known as "Keystone Bluejay." Provisioning at Subic Bay, Vernon County returned to South Vietnamese waters on 19 February, embarking men and equipment of Marine Air Group (MAG) 12, Marine Air Base Support Squadron
(MABS) 12, and Marine Air Tactical Control Unit (MAC TU) 62 shortly after her arrival.
Departing Chu Lai in company with Westchester County, Vernon County sailed to Iwakuni, Japan, reaching Iwakuni ahead of schedule on 27 February 1970. The two ships then sailed for Yokosuka, arriving soon thereafer.
— a joint Republic of Korea
-United States Navy operation — before returning to Japanese waters and the port of Sasebo. She operated between Japan and Okinawa into the summer of 1970. During one of her in-port periods, the ship received a visit from Admiral
Elmo Zumwalt, Jr., the Chief of Naval Operations
, on 16 May 1970.
Her responsibilities and activities generally similar to those of previous Market Time deployments, Vernon County remained on station supporting Task Force 115 until 5 November 1970. Then, after a period of time at Hong Kong, she returned to Japan, reaching Yokosuka on 21 December 1970.
number one at Yokosuka, Japan, at the naval ship repair facility. During the first few weeks of 1971, Vernon County took on a decidedly different appearance, because, instead of the standard U.S. Navy haze gray, Vernon County had been painted white overall in preparation for her next — and perhaps most interesting — deployment. During the week of 7 February 1971, the final preparations were made for Vernon County to become, by necessity, totally self-sufficient, far from the U.S. Navy's logistic
, maintenance, and support areas. After taking on part of the necessary stores and equipment, she sailed for Okinawa to pick up the rest before proceeding on her way, bound for remote Diego Garcia
, in the Chagos Archipelago
in the British Indian Ocean Territory
, with an interim stop at Singapore
.
Vernon County ultimately reached Diego Garcia shortly after 17:00 hours on 9 March 1971 and, on 10 March 1971, began underwater reconnaissance
and beach
surveys. On ll March 1971, the first formal construction of a United States Navy communication station on Diego Garcia began, which was to forge another link in the globe-gridling system of transmitting and receiving stations. On 12 March 1971, Vernon County became the first LST in history to beach on largely unexplored Diego Garcia, offloading much of her heavy equipment to prepare a staging site for the reception of the many tons of supplies and equipment needed to build the station.
As the days passed, the atoll
began to change; the ship rode higher in the water as equipment was unloaded. Temperatures on deck averaged 122 degrees Fahrenheit
(50 degrees Celsius
) between 10:00 and 15:00 hours each day; "tropical" duty hours of 0400 to 1400 soon commenced aboard the ship. The men of Underwater Demolition Team
12 and a platoon
of Seabees removed underwater obstacles, installed buoy
s, marked anchorages, cleared land, set up a tent
city, and began laying down an airfield. By the time dock landing ship
and amphibious cargo ship
arrived, the base camp was fully ready, as was a harbor
. Later, having established a self-sustaining shore party, Vernon County made two additional voyages to and from Diego Garcia, picking up more men and supplies at Singapore, Cocos Island
, and Mauritius
.
During the last few days of her deployment to Diego Garcia, Vernon County was repainted her standard haze gray, a sure sign that the time had come for the ship to sail away from the atoll upon which she had established a base camp and the beginnings of a communication station.
and transferred military vehicles from the Sangley Point Naval Air Station (which was being turned over to the Philippine government) to Okinawa in early June 1971. She ultimately returned to her home port, Yokosuka, on the afternoon of 19 June 1971.
, Thailand, for rest and recreation.
s and squid
in grateful appreciation of the services they rendered. Happy possessors of a picture of Vernon County and cigarette
s given in return by Vernon County, the fishing craft sailed off. "We might have been forgiven for being proud of our role as Good Samaritans," the ship's cruise book recorded. "In any case, the crabs were delicious."
, returning twice more to South Vietnamese waters and serving once more as Operation Market Time support LST. She visited the familiar ports of Subic Bay, Hong Kong; Vung Tau; Kuching
, Malaysia; and Singapore, among others. She also served another tour with the Amphibious Ready Force in the Gulf of Tonkin in early October 1972.
(for her actions between 28 February 1969 to 25 March 1969), three Meritorious Unit Commendation
s, three Navy Unit Commendation
s, and 13 campaign stars for her Vietnam War service.
on 14 June 1973 at Yokosuka, Japan, Vernon County was transferred to the Venezuelan Navy on 29 June 1973 on loan. Assigned the name Amazonas (T-21) in Venezuela
n service, she was permanently transferred, via cash sale, to Venezuela on 1 December 1977. She was simultaneously struck from the Navy List
.
Amazonas ran aground on 6 August 1980, but was repaired and returned to Venezuelan Navy service.
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...
, in commission from 1953 to 1973. She saw extensive service in the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
before being transferred to the Venezuelan Navy, where she became Amazonas (T-21).
Construction and commissioning
Vernon County was laid down as USS LST-1161 on 14 April 1952 at PascagoulaPascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation and launched on 25 November 1952;, sponsored by Mrs. Hugh White, the wife
Wife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
of the then-governor
Governor (United States)
In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
of Mississippi, Hugh L. White
Hugh L. White
Hugh Lawson White was an American politician from Mississippi and a member of the Democratic Party. He served two non-consecutive terms as Governor of Mississippi .-Biography:...
. USS LST-1161 was 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 18 May 1953 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...
D. E. Sutherlin in command.
Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean operations, 1953-1958
After conducting her shakedownShakedown (testing)
A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...
cruise, LST-1161 operated off the United States East Coast out of 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...
, and 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...
, through mid-February 1954. She subsequently deployed twice to 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...
operating areas during 1954. During an exercise 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...
, between 11 April 1954 and 7 May 1954, she participated in the filming of the movie Away All Boats
Away All Boats
Away All Boats is a 1956 American war film produced by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Joseph Pevney and produced by Howard Christie from a screenplay by Ted Sherdeman based on the 1953 novel by Kenneth M. Dodson....
.
LST-1161 entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
The Philadelphia Naval Business Center, formerly known as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Navy Yard, was the first naval shipyard of the United States. The U.S. Navy reduced its activities there in the 1990s, and ended most of them on September 30, 1995...
at Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, on 28 July 1954 for extensive modifications. Once those alterations and repairs were completed, she headed for Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek at Virginia Beach, arriving there on 19 December 1954.
LST-1161 was renamed USS Vernon County (LST-1161) on 1 July 1955.
Vernon County operated with the Amphibious
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...
Forces of the United States Atlantic Fleet, alternating between 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, and Little Creek as her home port
Home port
A vessel's home port is the port at which it is based, which may not be the same as its port of registry shown on its registration documents and lettered on the stern of the ship's hull...
s. During her years of operations from those places, she deployed regularly to the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean areas.
Pacific operations, 1958-1964
In 1958, Vernon County was transferred to the United States Pacific FleetUnited States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
, sailing via the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
to her new assigned 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...
. She operating from San Diego for over a year and a half, conducting regular periods of underway training and local operations off the Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
coast.
Vernon County changed home ports again in 1960. On 16 June 1960, she departed the United States West Coast bound for her new home port, 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...
. Together with seven other tank landing ship
Tank landing ship
Landing Ship, Tank was the military designation for naval vessels created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying significant quantities of vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto an unimproved shore....
s, Vernon County comprised Amphibious Squadron
Squadron (naval)
A squadron, or naval squadron, is a unit of 3-4 major warships, transport ships, submarines, or sometimes small craft that may be part of a larger task force or a fleet...
(PhibRon) 9. They reached Yokosuka on 6 August 1960.
Vernon County subsequently formed an integral part of the amphibious forces supporting the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization was an international organization for collective defense in Southeast Asia created by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, or Manila Pact, signed in September 1954 in Manila, Philippines. The formal institution of SEATO was established on 19 February...
(SEATO), participating in SEATO's Operation Tulungan in May 1962. In so doing, she became one of the first American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
amphibious vessels to transport U.S. Marines
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...
to 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...
.
Her first years in Yokosuka saw her participate in many major amphibious exercises, including those named "Pony Express" and "Sharp Edge." After an upkeep period in June 1962, Vernon County transported U.S. Marines from 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...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, to Iwakuni, Japan; she paid a port call at Karatsu, Japan, reportedly the first American man-of-war to visit Karatsu 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).
February 1963 saw Vernon County at Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Japan. In March 1963 she visited Tspying and 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
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...
, and she spent much of April 1963 at Subic Bay. In June 1963, she participated in Operation Flagpole, a joint 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...
-Republic of Korea (ROK) naval exercise. Before returning to Yokosuka, she called at Shimonoseki, Japan; Naha, 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...
; 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.
After her return to Yokosuka and subsequent refresher training at Numazu, Japan, Vernon County took part in Operation Litgas in company with other SEATO naval units. Subsequently returning to 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...
, via Yokosuka, she visited Kobe in mid-July 1964.
Tonkin Gulf Incident
For a few days, Vernon County trained in nearby Sagami BaySagami Bay
Sagami Bay , also known as the Sagami Gulf or Sagami Sea, lies south of Kanagawa Prefecture in Honshū, central Japan, contained within the scope of the Miura Peninsula, in Kanagawa, to the east, the Izu Peninsula, in Shizuoka Prefecture, to the west, and the Shōnan coastline to the north, while the...
. She was there when an international incident occurred in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is an arm of the South China Sea, lying off the coast of northeastern Vietnam.-Etymology:The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
when U.S. Navy 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 reported that they had been attacked by 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...
ese 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. With the Seventh Fleet alerted during the Tonkin Gulf incident that flared up immediately, Vernon County embarked U.S. Marines and steamed for 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 –...
. For the next 60 days, as part of the force thrown into 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...
n waters ready for any contingency, Vernon County veritably hugged the coast of South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
.
Vernon County was then relieved on station and proceeded back to Yokosuka, but the respite offered was, in retrospect, only a short one.
Operations off South Vietnam, January-April 1965
In January 1965, trouble again flared in Vietnam, and Vernon County again headed for South Vietnamese waters to provide amphibious support. Departing Yokosuka on 8 February 1965, Vernon County proceeded to Iwakuni, Japan, and Naha, Okinawa, before pushing on to Danang, South Vietnam, where she arrived on 18 February 1965. Upon arrival, she disembarked CompanyCompany (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...
C, 7th Engineer
Military engineer
In military science, engineering refers to the practice of designing, building, maintaining and dismantling military works, including offensive, defensive and logistical structures, to shape the physical operating environment in war...
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...
, to provide construction support for the MIM-23 Hawk
MIM-23 Hawk
The Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk is a U.S. medium range surface-to-air missile. The Hawk was initially designed to destroy aircraft and was later adapted to destroy other missiles in flight. The missile entered service in 1960, and a program of extensive upgrades has kept it from becoming obsolete. It was...
light surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
battery
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...
then being emplaced there, thus completing the Hawk deployment.
Over the ensuing months, Vernon County conducted various operations: loading, offloading, stand-by alerts, and the landing of U.S. Marines and equipment on South Vietnamese shores, being greeted by anything from girl
Girl
A girl is any female human from birth through childhood and adolescence to attainment of adulthood. The term may also be used to mean a young woman.-Etymology:...
s bearing flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s to light machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
fire. In April 1965, Vernon County landed Marines at Danang and brought U.S. 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...
cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
and equipment from Okinawa to Danang.
Operations at Chu Lai, 1965
Once the Danang landing was completed, Vernon County moved north and took part in one of the largest amphibious undertakings since the 1950 InchonBattle of Inchon
The Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations . The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two...
landings in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
during the Korean War when she participated in the landings at 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:...
, South Vietnam. In that operation, three U.S. Marine Corps battalion landing teams and a U.S. Navy mobile 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...
went ashore to extend American influence in the area and initiate construction of an airfield.
Vernon County then conducted more cargo runs to ensure the steady flow of supplies and equipment to support the ever-expanding Chu Lai beachhead and the development of a landing strip there to support the operations of a Marine Air Wing
United States Marine Corps Aviation
United States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
. As U.S. Marine reinforcements arrived in the Western Pacific area, Vernon County continued to load and land supplies at Chu Lai.
While Vernon County was carrying out those duties, American military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
picked up evidence that a Viet Cong force was massing for an attack on the recently arrived Marines at Chu Lai. Accordingly, a joint U.S. Marine Corps-Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
The Army of the Republic of Viet Nam , sometimes parsimoniously referred to as the South Vietnamese Army , was the land-based military forces of the Republic of Vietnam , which existed from October 26, 1955 until the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975...
operation was launched on 6 August 1965 to search for the Viet Cong. In that evolution, code-named Operation Thunderbolt
Operation Thunderbolt
Operation Thunderbolt is a one- or two-player shooter arcade game by Taito made in 1988.-Description:Operation Thunderbolt is the sequel to Operation Wolf. Roy Adams and Hardy Jones, two green berets, must save American hostages from a hijacked airliner which was forced to land in the fictional...
, the Marines and South Vietnamese soldiers did not find the Viet Cong in strength, meeting only scattered resistance. Nevertheless, the operation was deemed to be, in retrospect, a "Successful experiment in command and control."
Subsequently, however, the interrogation of a Viet Cong deserter revealed the location of the Viet Cong 1st Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
. It was, as thought, moving toward Chu Lai. Accordingly, another operation, code-named Operation Starlite
Operation Starlite
Operation Starlite was the first offensive military action conducted by a purely U.S. military unit during the Vietnam War. The operation was launched based on intelligence provided by Major General Nguyen Chanh Thi, the commander of the South Vietnamese forces in northern I Corps area. Lieutenant...
, was planned expeditiously. Vernon County embarked elements of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, (Battalion Landing Team) (BLT) 3, under Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Joseph E. Muir, USMC
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...
, at Chu Lai, and moved south along the South Vietnamese coast to An Thuong
An Thượng
An Thuong is a commune in the district of Hoài Đức, Hanoi, Vietnam. The chairman of this commune is Lê Văn Vinh. The commune has an area of 6 km², population in 2008 was 6,600 with a density of 1,100/km².The overwhelming ethnic group is the Kinh people...
, where she put the Marines ashore in one phase of Starlite. The operation, involving amphibious, 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...
-borne, and ground forces, started out as a "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...
" operation but soon escalated into a battalion-sized offensive against the Viet Cong. Starlite thwarted the incipient Viet Cong move toward Chu Lai, some nine miles (14.5 kilometers) to the north, the main battle taking place in the Van Truong village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
complex. The Marines discovered communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
equipment, numerous documents, munitions, rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, and propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
—all leading intelligence men to estimate that the hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
of Van Thuong had served as a Viet Cong command post. During the operation, Marines of the 3rd Marine Amphibious Force (MAF) clearly bested the Viet Cong forces, annihilating the Viet Cong 60th Battalion and severely crippling the 40th Battalion. It was the first big battle of the Vietnam War for the Marines, who came away from Starlite confident in their ability to meet the enemy on the field of battle and defeat him.
Transportation operations, 1965-1966
Late in October 1965, Vernon County sailed for South KoreaSouth 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...
and, with other units of the Seventh Fleet, participated in the movement of the South Korean "Tiger" Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
to South Vietnam. Subsequently, she took part in direct lifts of equipment and troops to South Vietnam before returning to Yokosuka on 25 December 1965.
After operating locally out of Yokosuka and in South Vietnamese waters, primarily at Chu Lai, Vernon County replenished and underwent a period of upkeep at Subic Bay in the Philippines. She then returned to intracoastal shipping operations off the coast of South Vietnam and even penetrated 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...
to pay a port call at Saigon, South Vietnam. She returned to Yokosuka in early June 1966.
Vernon County trained briefly at Numazu, Japan, before going to Okinawa, and from there to Hong Kong to allow her crew liberty there. Returning to South Vietnamese waters from Hong Kong, she headed for Subic Bay, via Danang and Camranh Bay, South Vietnam, soon thereafter, for 13 days of upkeep in the Philippine Islands. Returning to Yokosuka after conducting lifts of men and materiel to Okinawa and Sasebo
United States Fleet Activities Sasebo
U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo is a United States Navy naval base, in Sasebo, Japan, on the island of Kyūshū. It provides facilities for the logistic support of forward-deployed units and visiting operating forces of the United States Pacific Fleet and designated tenant activities.- History :Sasebo...
, Japan, Vernon County remained in port at Yokosuka until 21 September 1966.
Operation Market Time, 1966
Ordered back to South Vietnam, Vernon County operated in support of Operation Market TimeOperation 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...
, the coastal interdiction of Communist supply traffic off the coast of South Vietnam, serving as "mother ship" for the fast patrol craft used for those operations. Vernon County remained on station on Market Time duties until 29 November 1966. From there, she went on to Yokosuka, commencing a regularly scheduled shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
overhaul on 8 December 1966.
Upkeep and training in Japan, 1966-1967
Completing those repairs and alterations on 15 March 1967, Vernon County ran sea trials and conducted refresher training before visiting Kobe in April 1967. Subsequently, the tank landing ship returned to Yokosuka, where she conducted more training during May1967.Riverine operations, 1967
Leaving Yokosuka on 6 June 1967, Vernon County was heading for Sasebo when she received orders directing her to return to South Vietnam. Upon arrival, Vernon County became a part of the Mobile Riverine ForceMobile Riverine Force
In the Vietnam War, the Mobile Riverine Force , initially designated Mekong Delta Mobile Afloat Force, and later euphemistically the Riverines, were a joint US Army and US Navy force that comprised a substantial part of the Brown Water Navy...
(MRF), a joint U.S. Navy-U.S. 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...
assault unit conducting riverine search and destroy missions in the Mekong Delta region. While assigned to the MRF, Vernon County was a veritable picture of versatility: she carried 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...
for U.S. Army troops, fire support bases, and the U.S. Navy's Patrol Boat, River}river patrol boats (or PBRs); she carried boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
, batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
, and C rations for troops in the field; she carried purified water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
and supplied fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
to various riverine craft; she housed, fed, and entertained over 340 additional U.S. Army and U.S. Navy combat personnel; and she logged over 780 helicopter landings on her flight deck
Flight deck
The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. On smaller naval ships which do not have aviation as a primary mission, the landing area for helicopters and other VTOL aircraft is also referred to as the...
.
Relieved from MRF support duties on 20 August 1967, Vernon County headed for Chu Lai, and from there to Keelung, Taiwan. Reaching Keelung on 30 August 1967, she remained there until 4 September 1967 before moving on, ultimately returning to her home port, Yokosuka, on 8 September 1967.
Operations in Japan, Okinawa, and the Philippines, 1967
Vernon County remained in port at Yokosuka until 5 October 1967, when she headed south for Ora Bay, Okinawa, to conduct two days of training with U.S. Marine Corps amphibious forces. Upon completion of training, she shifted to Subic Bay, where she loaded various items for churches, schoolSchool
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s, and hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s at Tacloban on the island of Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
. She departed Subic Bay on 18 October 1967 and was to represent the United States at ceremonies on 20 October 1967 commemorating General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
's famous 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...
"return" to the Philippines during the Philippines campaign in 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...
. A typhoon brewing in the vicinity, however, forced a cancellation of the ceremonies. Vernon County subsequently returned to Subic Bay, whence she sortied on 23 October 1967 for Yokosuka.
Arriving at Yokosuka on 1 November 1967, Vernon County remained in port there until 20 November 1967, at which time she got underway for Naha, Okinawa, and from there for Subic Bay.
Amphbious Ready Group Bravo, 1967-1968
Upon reaching Subic Bay, Vernon County was assigned to Amphibious Ready GroupAmphibious 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) Bravo. Underway for South Vietnam on 18 December 1967, she arrived off the mouth of the Cua Viet River on 20 December 1967. Over the days that ensued, prior to Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
(25 December) 1967, she took part in Operation Fortress Ridge in company with the other units of ARG Bravo. In that operation, U.S. Marines from the group landed, unopposed, and swept through the sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
y, marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
y regions north of the Cua Viet, encountering several pockets of enemy resistance. Helicopter gunship
Gunship
The term "gunship" is used in several contexts, all sharing the general idea of a light craft armed with heavy guns.-In Navy:In the Navy, the term originally appeared in the mid-19th century as a less-common synonym for gunboat.-In military aviation:...
s, air strikes, naval gunfire, and 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...
all assisted in subduing the enemy in what proved to be the last operation prior to the Christmas truce.
Vernon County took part in her second amphibious operation within a month when she participated in Operation Badger Tooth between 26 December 1967 and 2 January 1968. Helicopter-borne and landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
-borne U.S. Marines met no opposition in the initial landing, 13 miles (21 kilometers) east of Quang Tri
Quang Tri
Quảng Trị is a town district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. Significantly, it was the only South Vietnamese provincial capital to be captured by the North Vietnamese forces for a limited period in the 1972 offensive....
city but, on the 27 December 1967, encountered a stubborn and well-disciplined North Vietnamese unit in the fortified town of Thon Tham Khe. Several hours of intense fighting ensued, with the North Vietnamese eventually withdrawing from the fight.
Vernon County operated with ARG "Bravo," Task Group (TG) 76.5, until 3 February 1968, operating off the South Vietnamese coast between Danang and the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone
Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone
The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone was established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam as a result of the First Indochina War.During the Second Indochina War , it became important as the battleground demarcation separating North Vietnamese territory from South Vietnamese territory.-...
(DMZ). After completing her part in Operations Fortress Ridge and Badger Tooth, she remained offshore, devoting a good deal of her time to training because of the slow tempo of operations after those missions against the Viet Cong.
Operations in Japan and South Korea, 1968
Vernon County, when relieved of duty with TG 76.5, headed for Japan and returned to her home port of Yokosuka for a scheduled two-month overhaul, after which time she sailed for Korean waters. She conducted joint training with ROK naval units, including a United States detachment from Amphibious Construction Battalion 1 embarked with four pontoon causeways and associated equipment. After a complete slate of exercises, the tank landing ship returned to Japan for upkeep. She then sailed for Okinawa, there loading cargo before proceeding back to Vietnam.Riverine operations, May-June 1968
Offloading her cargo at Wunder Beach, Danang, Vernon County shifted operations to the Mekong River Delta region, where she assumed the dutiy of support LSTLST
LST is a three-character initialism that may refer to:* Landing Ship, Tank, a U.S. Navy ship class, of type Amphibious Warfare* Laplace-Stieltjes transform, a transform similar to the Laplace transform* Launceston Airport* Least slack time scheduling...
for mobile riverine forces. From 25 May 1968 to 21 June 1968, Vernon County operated as support ship for Task Force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
(TF) 115, Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) Alfa. During that period, the group operated at Ben Tre, Dong Tarn, Vinh Long
Vinh Long
Vĩnh Long is the capital of the Vinh Long province in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The name was spelled 永隆 in the former Hán Tự writing system....
, Sa Dec
Sa Dec
Sa Đéc is a city in Đồng Tháp Province in the Mekong Delta of southern Vietnam. It is a river port and agricultural and industrial trading center. During the Vietnam War in 1966 and 1967, it was the site of an American PBR Patrol Boat, River base...
, My Tho, and Can Tho, all in the Mekong Delta, or IV Corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
, area of South Vietnam. In the little over three-week period, Vernon County traveled some 556.5 nautical miles (1,031 kilometers) through South Vietnamese rivers.
The MRF, a joint U.S. Army-U.S. Navy operation, relied upon the support services rendered by the duty LST. Vernon County served as a floating warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
wherein 600 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s of ammunition, plus non-ordnance support material, could be stowed in the capacious tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
deck
Deck (ship)
A deck is a permanent covering over a compartment or a hull of a ship. On a boat or ship, the primary deck is the horizontal structure which forms the 'roof' for the hull, which both strengthens the hull and serves as the primary working surface...
area. From those supplies, Vernon County supported U.S. Navy river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
craft, U.S. Army operations in the field, and U.S. Army fire support bases. She, in turn, was replenished by another LST that came up river from the port of Vung Tau
Vung 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...
.
A good deal of activity took place during that period of both base and ship defense; 15 to 20 rounds of 3-inch (76.2-millimeter gunfire were fired nightly for harassment and interdiction; all gun mounts were manned continuously throughout the nocturnal hours, to be fired while the crew was proceeding to their general quarters
General 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....
stations. In addition, six sentries patrolled the pontoons moored alongside, and on the main deck; boats patrolled 150 to 200 yards (137 to 183 meters) away, remaining alert for possible swimmers, naval 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...
s, or traffic of a suspicious nature. Periodically, percussion grenades
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
were tossed into the water as anti-swimmer measures.
Vernon County also served as a landing pad for helicopters making resupply runs both to and from the ship to units in the field; whenever the ship made a transit of the waterways of the Mekong Delta, she stood at general quarters with .50-caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
(12.7-millimeter) and .30-caliber (7.62-millimeter) machine guns mounted to provide the ship with close-range firepower when needed.
Upon relief by tank landing ship on 21 June 1968 at Can Tho, Vernon County proceeded down 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....
to the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
.
Repairs, 1968
Upon reaching the South China Sea, Vernon County headed to Subic Bay for generatorElectrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
repairs. En route and three days out of Vietnamese waters, her commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
, Lieutenant Commander L. D. Mott, was stricken with acute appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
, necessitating his emergency medical evacuation by air.
Subsequently, Vernon County reached Subic Bay on 24 June 1968. Upon arrival, however, it was found that her generators could not be repaired there, so she moved for Naha, Okinawa, with cargo on board, en route Japan. She offloaded her cargo at Naha and proceeded on, reaching Yokosuka on 13 July 1968. There, the repairs were effected. While at Yokosuka, she received the Navy Unit Commendation for her service with the Mobile Riverine Force.
Riverine operations, August-October 1968
Vernon County subsequently returned to South Vietnamese waters, lifting cargo to Vung Tau and offloading it while at anchorAnchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ancora, which itself comes from the Greek ἄγκυρα .Anchors can either be temporary or permanent...
on 14 August 1968. On 15 August 1968, she proceeded to Nha Be, where she relieved as support LST for Mobile Riverine Assault Force Bravo. For the next two months, she operated primarily in the Nha Be region but also at the junction of the Soirap River and Vamn Co River. Midway through that period, the base was shifted to Dong Tarn, where Vernon County remained until relieved by on 16 October 1968.
Sailing to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, with a cargo of jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
s, and encountering Typhoon Hester en route, Vernon County visited Hong Kong for rest and recreation before returning to Yokosuka in late October 1968. She remained at Yokosuka for the rest of the year.
Riverine operations, 1969
Underway again for South Vietnam on 6 January 1969, Vernon County encountered engineering difficulties en route to her initial destination, Naha. Reaching Okinawa on the 10 January 1969, she offloaded her cargo—54 tons of cargo and 303 tons of vehicles—before departing for Subic Bay for four days of upkeep and repair work on her engineering spaces. By 17 January 1969, the problem was corrected, thus permitting her to get underway and proceed for her ultimate destination, South Vietnam.Lifting cargo that proved to be about the smallest in the history of the vessel—one man and two tons of LCPL
LCPL
The Landing Craft Personnel was a landing craft used extensively in the Second World War. Its primary purpose was to ferry troops from transport ships to attack enemy-held shores. The craft derived from a prototype designed by the Eureka Tug-Boat Company of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
equipment -- Vernon County disembarked her passenger and unloaded the equipment upon arrival at Vung Tau. Shifting to the Mekong Delta region soon thereafter, Vernon County embarked 360 troops and support units and relieved tank landing ship as support ship for Task Force 117, a mobile riverine force, with which she deployed from 17 January 1969 to 24 March 1969. Once again, she served as a floating warehouse for ammunition, fuel, and other support materiel; a mooring point for river patrol craft; and a helipad
Helipad
Helipad is a common abbreviation for helicopter landing pad, a landing area for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can safely...
for the detachment of four helicopters.
The most noteworthy events of the deployment occurred in Vernon Countys direct contact with the enemy. During the latter part of February 1969 and early days of March 1969, Vernon County took two near-misses from North Vietnamese Army (NVA) mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
batteries located on the south bank of the Song My Tho River at about 02:30 hours on 22 February 1969. One landed approximately 25 meters (27 yards) off the starboard side near an ammunition pontoon; the other landed some 25 meters (27 yards) off the port quarter. A large 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...
missed the ship, landing harmlessly 200 yards (183 meters) away. Vernon County manned her battle stations and returned the fire with 46 rounds of 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) gunfire.
On 23 February 1969, North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong automatic weapons fire came in the direction of Vernon County, most rounds concentrated on one of the pontoons alongside or at the bridge
Bridge (ship)
The bridge of a ship is the room or platform from which the ship can be commanded. When a ship is underway the bridge is manned by an OOW aided usually by an AB acting as lookout...
. On 25 February 1969, lookout
Lookout
A lookout or look-out is a person on a ship in charge of the observation of the sea for hazards, other ships, land, etc. Lookouts report anything they see and or hear. When reporting contacts, lookouts give information such as, bearing of the object, which way the object is headed, target angles...
s spotted a swimmer 50 yards (46 meters) from the stern
Stern
The stern is the rear or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite of the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Originally, the term only referred to the aft port section...
; grenades from M79 grenade launcher
M79 grenade launcher
The M79 grenade launcher is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break-action grenade launcher that fires a 40x46mm grenade which used what the US Army called the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low, and first appeared during the Vietnam War...
s were soon directed at him, thoroughly saturating the area. A body was sighted soon thereafter, the grenades apparently having done their work.
On 26 February 1969, Vernon County came in for further attention from 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. A deck sentry sighted a dark object floating in the water near the fantail
Fantail
Fantails are small insectivorous birds of southern Asia and Australasia belonging to the genus Rhipidura in the family Rhipiduridae...
and fired two M16 rifle
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
rounds, quickly resulting in a violent thrashing about in the water below. Shortly thereafter, the target, probably a sapper, sank.
Closely related to Vernon Countys activities was a 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...
attack on the Philippine tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
Kangaroo, 500 yards (457 meters) downriver from Vernon County. Kangaroo sustained serious damage, and fires broke out on board; Vernon Countys rescue and assistance team boarded the crippled tug and promptly extinguished the fires, performing temporary repairs on Kanagroos damaged superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
as well. The action on the part of Vernon County, described as "quick and professional", resulted in 27 letters of commendation and a Bronze Star for the ship's sailors who participated in the salvage
Marine salvage
Marine salvage is the process of rescuing a ship, its cargo, or other property from peril. Salvage encompasses rescue towing, refloating a sunken or grounded vessel, or patching or repairing a ship...
operation.
Relieved on station by tank landing ship USS Windham County on 24 March 1969, Vernon County sailed for Yokosuka, via Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, Malaysia; Danang; Subic Bay; and Okinawa. She reached Yokosuka on 22 April 1969 and subsequently remained in port there for slightly more than a month.
Operations in Japan and South Korea, 1969
After conducting refresher trials in company with tank landing ship , Vernon County sailed to South Korea, where she loaded a World War IIWorld 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...
-vintage PT boat
PT boat
PT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
on 5 June 1969 for eventual transfer to a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in the United States. She began her return voyage to Yokosuka on 6 June 1969.
Transportation operations in South Vietnam, 1969
Vernon County began her next line tour in South Vietnam on 5 July 1969, this time transiting to South Vietnam in company with tank landing ship . Arriving on 13 July 1969, Vernon County loaded A Company, 3rd Motor Transport Battalion, 3rd Marine Division — 264 Marines, five naval enlisted men, 10 officers, 49 vehicles, and 44 tons of miscellaneous equipment — and departed Danang on the evening of 13 July 1969. On 18 July 1969, Vernon County and Westchester County arrived at Kin Red, Okinawa, and discharged their cargoes and disembarked their passengers.Although Vernon County was slated to return to South Vietnamese waters, engineering casualties diverted her to Subic Bay for repairs. From Subic Bay, she was ordered, upon completion of repairs, to join AEG Bravo, operating off the I Corps zone in the northern part of South Vietnam.
Vernon County carried out training activities in the days that ensued, lifting 185 field troops from E Company, 2nd Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment
26th Marine Regiment (United States)
The 26th Marine Regiment is a deactiveated infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. They fought during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II and were activated again during the Vietnam War.-Subordinate units:...
, from Chu Lai to Danang. Debarking the Marines on 10 August 1969, Vernon County loaded cargo that day for shipment to Okinawa. Although initially slated to depart on 10 August 1969, the loss of the ship's stern anchor forced a delay of one full day. She ultimately accomplished the cargo lift, however, reaching White Beach, Okinawa, on 16 August 1969.
Operations at Okinawa, Taiwan, and Japan, 1969
Vernon County participated in exercises over the succeeding days before proceeding to sea at 23:00 hours on 19 August 1969 to evade Typhoon Cora. Subsequently, she proceeded to Taiwan for rest and recreation at the port of Keelung.With the end of the Taiwan stay, she put to sea again to return to Yokosuka. En route, she rescued three Taiwanese fishermen
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
early on the evening of 29 August 1969 northeast of Taiwan. The fishermen, who had been adrift for a week, were returned later that evening to a ship of the Nationalist Chinese Navy.
Vernon County operated between Okinawa and Japan through mid-October 1969.
Transportation and Operation Market Time operations, 1969-1970
In mid-October 1969, Vernion County returned to South Vietnamese waters, sailing to Danang in company with tank landing ships , Westchester County, and Tom Green County. Reaching Danang on 4 November 1969, Vernon County embarked 147 Marines of the Headquarters and Service Company, 9th Motor Transport Battalion, 53 vehicles, and 58 tons of equipment. The lift, designated "Keystone Cardinal," was scheduled to terminate at Kin Red, Okinawa. En route, however, heavy seas held progress to a virtual standstill while three days out of Danang. Vernon County suffered storm damage — two perpendicular cracks began to develop on opposite sides of her mastMast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
, directly below the radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
platform. Diverted to Subic Bay, she effected repairs there before proceeding on and ultimately unloading her cargo at Kin Red on 17 November 1969.
Vernon County returned to South Vietnam soon thereafter, initially to Vung Tau, where she took on a load of ammunition to be delivered to tank landing ship supporting Task Force 115's riverine operations. From Vung Tau, Vernon County proceeded to the vicinity of the Ca Mau Peninsula
Ca Mau Peninsula
peninsula makes up the southern tip of Vietnam. It is in Ca Mau province, and lies between the Gulf of Thailand to the west and the South China Sea to the east....
and there relieved on station as part of Operation Market Time, which kept Vernon County on station for eight weeks. Operating slightly to the north of Square Bay
Square Bay
Square Bay is a bay, roughly square in outline and 10 nautical miles wide, indenting the west coast of Graham Land between Nicholl Head and Camp Point. Most of the entrance to the bay is occupied by Horseshoe Island, which limits access to a narrow southern strait opening onto Marguerite Bay and...
and Point de Daniau, she remained at anchor 90 percent of the time, about 5,000 yards (4,572 meters) from shore. During that time, she acted as a floating landing pad for support helicopters; provided goods and services to small craft operating on the coastal interdiction and patrol functions of the Market Time operation; assumed the role of naval gunfire support ship; and established the central communications point for Task Group 115.7. Vernon County performed all of her duties well, servicing and rearming helicopter gunships, providing supplies to her frequent customers — PCF's ("Swift boats") and PGM
PGM
- Science :* Phosphoglycerate mutase, an enzyme that catalyses step 8 of glycolysis* Platinum group metals, six metallic elements grouped together on the periodic table of the elements- Computing :* Portable graymap, a graphics file format...
's (motor gunboats) — and hurling call fire ashore.
Relieved by Washoe County on 21 January 1970, Vernon County sailed first to Hong Kong, and from there to the Philippines, the latter in connection with the first leg of the lift known as "Keystone Bluejay." Provisioning at Subic Bay, Vernon County returned to South Vietnamese waters on 19 February, embarking men and equipment of Marine Air Group (MAG) 12, Marine Air Base Support Squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
(MABS) 12, and Marine Air Tactical Control Unit (MAC TU) 62 shortly after her arrival.
Departing Chu Lai in company with Westchester County, Vernon County sailed to Iwakuni, Japan, reaching Iwakuni ahead of schedule on 27 February 1970. The two ships then sailed for Yokosuka, arriving soon thereafer.
Operations in Japan and South Korea, 1970
Vernon Couny subsequently sailed to South Korean waters, participating in Operation Golden DragonOperation Golden Dragon
Operation Golden Dragon was a combined United States-South Korea military naval training exercise in February 1973.-See also:*USS Caliente...
— a joint Republic of Korea
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...
-United States Navy operation — before returning to Japanese waters and the port of Sasebo. She operated between Japan and Okinawa into the summer of 1970. During one of her in-port periods, the ship received a visit from Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Elmo Zumwalt, Jr., the Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
, on 16 May 1970.
Operation Market Time, 1970
Following an availability and refresher training, Vernon County departed Yokosuka in company with gunboat . She was diverted to Subic Bay to meet an additional two gunboats to escort to Vietnamese waters. Necessary upkeep items, however, could only be completed by Vernon County and gunboat , which then proceeded to sea as scheduled to resume the transit to Camranh Bay. Once within South Vietnamese waters on 29 September 1970, Welch proceeded independently, leaving Vernon County to proceed to Vung Tau to relieve Westchester County as Operation Market Time support LST.Her responsibilities and activities generally similar to those of previous Market Time deployments, Vernon County remained on station supporting Task Force 115 until 5 November 1970. Then, after a period of time at Hong Kong, she returned to Japan, reaching Yokosuka on 21 December 1970.
Operations at Diego Garcia, 1971
Vernon County began 1971 in dry dockDry dock
A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform...
number one at Yokosuka, Japan, at the naval ship repair facility. During the first few weeks of 1971, Vernon County took on a decidedly different appearance, because, instead of the standard U.S. Navy haze gray, Vernon County had been painted white overall in preparation for her next — and perhaps most interesting — deployment. During the week of 7 February 1971, the final preparations were made for Vernon County to become, by necessity, totally self-sufficient, far from the U.S. Navy's logistic
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...
, maintenance, and support areas. After taking on part of the necessary stores and equipment, she sailed for Okinawa to pick up the rest before proceeding on her way, bound for remote Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
, in the Chagos Archipelago
Chagos Archipelago
The Chagos Archipelago , is a group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 individual tropical islands in the Indian Ocean; situated some due south of the Maldives archipelago. This chain of islands are the southernmost archipelago of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge a long submarine mountain range...
in the British Indian Ocean Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
The British Indian Ocean Territory or Chagos Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean, halfway between Africa and Indonesia...
, with an interim stop at 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...
.
Vernon County ultimately reached Diego Garcia shortly after 17:00 hours on 9 March 1971 and, on 10 March 1971, began underwater 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....
and beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
surveys. On ll March 1971, the first formal construction of a United States Navy communication station on Diego Garcia began, which was to forge another link in the globe-gridling system of transmitting and receiving stations. On 12 March 1971, Vernon County became the first LST in history to beach on largely unexplored Diego Garcia, offloading much of her heavy equipment to prepare a staging site for the reception of the many tons of supplies and equipment needed to build the station.
As the days passed, the atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
began to change; the ship rode higher in the water as equipment was unloaded. Temperatures on deck averaged 122 degrees Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit is the temperature scale proposed in 1724 by, and named after, the German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit . Within this scale, the freezing of water into ice is defined at 32 degrees, while the boiling point of water is defined to be 212 degrees...
(50 degrees Celsius
Celsius
Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
) between 10:00 and 15:00 hours each day; "tropical" duty hours of 0400 to 1400 soon commenced aboard the ship. The men of Underwater Demolition Team
Underwater Demolition Team
The Underwater Demolition Teams were an elite special-purpose force established by the United States Navy during World War II. They also served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War...
12 and a platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
of Seabees removed underwater obstacles, installed buoy
Buoy
A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
s, marked anchorages, cleared land, set up a tent
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
city, and began laying down an airfield. By the time dock landing ship
Dock landing ship
A Dock landing ship or Landing ship is a form of amphibious warship designed to support amphibious operations. These amphibious assault ships transport and launch amphibious craft and vehicles with their crews and embarked personnel...
and amphibious cargo ship
Amphibious cargo ship
Amphibious cargo ships were U.S. Navy ships designed specifically to carry troops, heavy equipment and supplies in support of amphibious assaults, and to provide naval gunfire support during those assaults. A total of 108 of these ships were built between 1943 and 1945—which worked out to an...
arrived, the base camp was fully ready, as was a harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
. Later, having established a self-sustaining shore party, Vernon County made two additional voyages to and from Diego Garcia, picking up more men and supplies at Singapore, Cocos Island
Cocos Island
Cocos Island is an uninhabited island located off the shore of Costa Rica . It constitutes the 11th district of Puntarenas Canton of the province of Puntarenas. It is one of the National Parks of Costa Rica...
, and Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
.
During the last few days of her deployment to Diego Garcia, Vernon County was repainted her standard haze gray, a sure sign that the time had come for the ship to sail away from the atoll upon which she had established a base camp and the beginnings of a communication station.
Transportation operations, 1971
Vernon County returned to the Philippines via AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and transferred military vehicles from the Sangley Point Naval Air Station (which was being turned over to the Philippine government) to Okinawa in early June 1971. She ultimately returned to her home port, Yokosuka, on the afternoon of 19 June 1971.
Operation Market Time, 1971
Vernon County conducted another tour of duty in South Vietnamese waters in the summer of 1971, again performing the duties of Operation Market Time support ship, a job that entailed her staying close to shore and serving as a landing platform for helicopters, a haven for patrol boats, and a supplier of food, fuel, water, lodging, and ammunition for both helicopters and patrol craft. Turning over those duties to landing ship tank Windham County on 6 September 1971, Vernon County remained on patrol off the coast of South Vietnam on another phase of Market Time support, turning over those duties to tank landing ship Washtenaw County on 19 October 1971 before proceeding to BangkokBangkok
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, for rest and recreation.
Thailand, 1971
Departing Bangkok on 27 October 1971 for Hong Kong, Vernon County spotted a Thai fishing boat in distress on 28 October 1971. Several of Vernon Countys engineers boarded the boat and diagnosed the problem as an electrical failure in the engine. After completing repairs to the fishing craft's engine, Vernon Countys men received a present of four boxes of fresh crabCrab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
s and squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
in grateful appreciation of the services they rendered. Happy possessors of a picture of Vernon County and cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
s given in return by Vernon County, the fishing craft sailed off. "We might have been forgiven for being proud of our role as Good Samaritans," the ship's cruise book recorded. "In any case, the crabs were delicious."
Vietnam and Far Eastern operations, 1971-1972
Vernon County ultimately spent the remainder of her active naval career in the Far EastFar 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,...
, returning twice more to South Vietnamese waters and serving once more as Operation Market Time support LST. She visited the familiar ports of Subic Bay, Hong Kong; Vung Tau; Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
, Malaysia; and Singapore, among others. She also served another tour with the Amphibious Ready Force in the Gulf of Tonkin in early October 1972.
Awards
Vernon County earned a Presidential Unit CitationPresidential 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 actions between 28 February 1969 to 25 March 1969), 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, 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, and 13 campaign stars for her Vietnam War service.
Decommissioning and transfer to Venezuela
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 14 June 1973 at Yokosuka, Japan, Vernon County was transferred to the Venezuelan Navy on 29 June 1973 on loan. Assigned the name Amazonas (T-21) in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n service, she was permanently transferred, via cash sale, to Venezuela on 1 December 1977. She was simultaneously struck 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....
.
Amazonas ran aground on 6 August 1980, but was repaired and returned to Venezuelan Navy service.