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USS Walworth County (LST-1164)
Encyclopedia
USS Walworth County (LST-1164), previously USS LST-1164, was a United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
landing ship tank (LST) in commission from 1953 to 1971, and which then saw non-commissioned Military Sealift Command
Military Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
service as USNS Walworth County (T-LST-1164) from 1972 to 1973.
Construction and commissioning
Walworth County was laid down as USS LST-1164 on 22 September 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 the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation. She was launched on 15 May 1953, sponsored by Mrs. John A. Furr, and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 26 October 1953, Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
F. Kay in command.
Operations in U.S. waters 1953-1956
LST-1164 departed Pascagoula on 20 November 1953, bound for NorfolkNorfolk, 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
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...
. She conducted shakedown in the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
and became a unit of Landing Ship Tank Division 23. The ship arrived at her home port 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...
, 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, on 3 December 1953. On 6 April 1954, LST-1164 departed the amphibious base for a brief stop at the United States Naval Reserve training center at Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. On 19 April 1954, the ship took part in simulated nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
strikes and returned to Little Creek on 25 May 1954.
LST-1164 spent June 1954 participating in 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...
exercises at Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. LST-1164 returned to Little Creek on 11 July 1954 for voyage repairs in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
in Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
, Virginia, and towing exercises off Little Creek beach.
From 3 November 1954 through 24 March 1955, the ship participated in various exercises with the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
and the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in the areas of Camp Pendleton
Camp Pendleton (Virginia)
Camp Pendleton is a state military reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia, named after Brigadier General William N. Pendleton, who served as Robert E. Lee's chief of artillery during the Civil War. It lies on the Atlantic coast adjoining Naval Air Station Oceana.-History:The facility was created...
, Virginia; Onslow Beach, 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...
; and Vieques Island, Puerto Rico.
On 30 March 1955, LST-1164 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...
in 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...
, for a four-month overhaul. During that period, she was named USS Walworth County (LST-1164) on 1 July 1955. She returned to Little Creek on 5 August 1955 and conducted exercises in the Chesapeake Bay. The ship put to sea on 21 September 1955 for nuclear attack drills along the United States East Coast; gunnery practice in operating areas out of Jacksonville, Florida, and assault beaching runs with men of the 3rd Marine Regiment and their vehicles and combat equipment on the coast of North Carolina. Walworth County returned to Little Creek on 8 November 1955 and spent the following months in local waters with trips to Guantanamo Bay and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
First Mediterranean deployment 1956
Walworth County left Norfolk with a load of ammunition on 7 May 1956 and, two weeks later, arrived at the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
naval base at Port Lyautey, French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
. On 9 May 1956, she sailed for Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and arrived at Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
on 30 May 1956 for operations with an amphibious task force of the United States Sixth Fleet which took her to principal ports of the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. Walworth County returned home to Little Creek on 26 September 1956. She spent the remainder of 1956 in local operating areas.
In January 1956, as part of LANTRAEX-56, she left Morehead City, NC for Vieques, Puerto Rico carrying tanks in her well deck, trucks and construction equipment topside along with Marines from the 2nd Shore Party Bn. 2nd Marine Division.
Panama deployment 1957
On 5 March 1957, Walworth County arrived at the Naval Base Coco Solo at Coco SoloCoco Solo
Coco Solo was a United States Navy submarine base established in 1918 on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón, Panama....
, Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
. From there, she took survey parties to beaching sites in the Chagres River
Chagres River
The Chagres River is a river in central Panama. The central part of the river is dammed by the Gatun Dam and forms Gatun Lake, an artificial lake that constitutes part of the Panama Canal. Upstream lies the Madden Dam, creating the Alajuala Lake that is also part of the Canal water system...
and other places in preparation for Operation Caribex which tested the mobility of American forces in defending 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...
.
Operations in U.S. waters and Caribbean exercise 1957-1958
Walworth County returned to Little Creek from her Panama cruise on 16 March 1957 and put to sea on 10 April 1957 to participate in a three-phase operation involving the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Army, and the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. The exercise—conducted on Vieques Island, Fort Lorenzo, Canal Zone, and Rio Hata — terminated on 28 April 1957; and Walworth County underwent extended upkeep in the New York Naval Shipyard in Brooklyn, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, from 14 May 1957 through 11 July 1957. She returned to Little Creek the following day and began local operations which lasted until 14 November 1957. At that time, Walworth County undertook exercises with amphibious warfare forces that included practice assaults with Marines on Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
.
Second Mediterranean deployment 1958
Walworth County returned to Little Creek on 25 March 1958 but a month later headed for Morehead CityMorehead 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. There, she loaded Marines and combat 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:...
in preparation for an amphibious training operation to be held in the Mediterranean with forces of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She transited the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
on 14 May 1958 and visited the ports of Izmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
; Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
; and Suda Bay, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. However, the operation was cancelled because of Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
tensions, and Walworth County had the distinction of acting as a primary control ship in the initial landing of Marines at Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, on 15 July 1958. Her operations in this area continued until 1 October 1958 when she departed Beirut and sailed for the United States. She reached Morehead City on 19 October 1958 and became a unit of Amphibious Squadron 6.
Third Mediterranean deployment 1959-1960
From 12 December 1958 to 24 February 1959, Walworth County underwent an overhaul in the Charleston Naval ShipyardCharleston Naval Shipyard
Charleston Naval Shipyard was a U.S. Navy ship building and repair facility located along the west bank of the Cooper River, in North Charleston, South Carolina and part of Naval Base Charleston...
at Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. The ship conducted local operations and visited Guantanamo Bay before sailing for Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. She arrived at Rota
Naval Station Rota, Spain
Naval Station Rota is a Spanish naval base commanded by a Spanish Vice Admiral and fully funded by the United States of America. Located in Rota, Spain, and near the Spanish town of El Puerto de Santa María, NavSta Rota is the largest American military community in Spain and houses US Navy...
, Spain, on 30 July 1959 and commenced her third Mediterranean tour which lasted until 9 February 1960.
Operations in U.S. waters 1960
Walworth County returned to Morehead City and spent the following months conducting practice landings at Onslow Beach, making cruises to Halifax, Nova ScotiaNova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, and to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, and completing another tour of duty in the Caribbean Sea that included amphibious warfare practice in the waters of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Fourth Mediterreanean deployment 1960-1961
On 28 October 1960, Walworth County sailed from Little Creek with Amphibious Squadron 6 for a fourth Mediterranean deployment. The ship gave effective support to assault practice with Marine battalionBattalion
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...
landing teams at Augusta Bay
Augusta Bay, Sicily
coordinates: 37°13'N 15°14'E The Augusta Bay is located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, about 270 nm south-southeast of Naples.It is the location of the Auguate Bay Port Facility which supports the Sixth Fleet of the US Navy. The facility is distributed among Porto Megarese, Porto Xifonio and...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
; with Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
raider teams at Nauplion, Greece; and with both Amphibious Squadrons 6 and 4 and two Marine battalion landing teams at Portoscuso
Portoscuso
Portoscuso is a comune in the Province of Carbonia-Iglesias in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 75 km west of Cagliari and about 14 km northwest of Carbonia. The language used here is Italian....
, Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
.
Operations in U.S. waters 1961-1962
Walworth County returned to Little Creek on 19 May 1961 and underwent overhaul in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard through September 1961. She spent the remainder of 1961 in amphibious assault training on Onslow Beach and at Camp Pendleton, Virginia, where she took part in Army landing assault training.Walworth County departed Little Creek on 17 January 1962, embarked Marines at Morehead City, and headed for
Guantanamo Bay to participate in Operation Springboard 62. The ship made calls at several Caribbean ports and then disembarked the Marines at Morehead City on 1 March 1962. On 5 March 1962, she returned to Norfolk where she was placed on restricted availability status until 15 May 1962.
Fifth Mediterranean deployment 1962
In May 1962, Walworth County embarked Marines of "Foxtrot" Company, Battalion Landing Team 2/6 and, on 1 June 1962, proceeded to tour the entire length of the Mediterranean from AlicanteAlicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, Spain, to Marmaris
Marmaris
Marmaris is a port city and a tourist resort on the Mediterranean coast, located in southwest Turkey, in Muğla Province.Marmaris' main source of income is tourism. Little is left of the sleepy fishing village that Marmaris was just a few decades ago after a construction boom in the 1980s...
, Turkey, where she operated with combined Turkish and Greek forces. After extensive exercises, including seven amphibious training assaults on various beaches, she sailed for her home port and arrived at Norfolk on 20 October 1962.
The Cuban Missile Crisis and operations in U.S. waters 1962-1964
On 21 October 1962, the day after she arrived at Norfolk, Walworth County was called upon to participate in the blockadeBlockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
and operated in the Caribbean with the ready amphibious group until 4 December 1962, when she returned to the United States and debarked Marines at Morehead City. Walworth County arrived at Norfolk the following day and spent the remainder of 1962 in leave and upkeep.
During the early part of 1963, Walworth County conducted local operations in the Little Creek area. After entering Gibbs Shipyard at Jacksonville, Florida, on 3 April 1963, she completed her scheduled yard period and sea trials, then headed for Little Creek on 10 June 1963. The ship took part in amphibious refresher training through July and August 1963, followed by a three-week period of restricted availability. During the remainder of 1963, she participated in local operations, visited Rockland
Rockland, Maine
Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, to obtain tactical data for the LST-1156-class landing ships tank (of which she was a part), and underwent overhaul.
Panama deployment, operations in U.S. waters, and Spain deployment 1964
In January 1964, Walworth County got underway for Panama where she spent more than four months, making 16 transits of the Panama Canal, including one round trip which she completed in less than 23 hours. Late in May 1964, she returned to Little Creek and, after tender availability, took part in the "MEBLEX" and midshipman exercises. Following this, she made a call to New York for the 1964 World's fair1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City. Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding," dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe";...
and returned to Little Creek on 11 August 1964. While in port, Walworth County was used in the production of a Bureau of Medicine and Surgery mental health movie. In late August 1964, Walworth County again got underway for a lift to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and returned via Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, Florida, on 13 September 1964.
Walworth County spent a short period in the yard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
before getting underway on 5 October 1964 for "Steel Pike I," the largest amphibious exercise since 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...
. Besides carrying out her role in the operation, she called at Rota, Spain, and the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
before returning home on 28 November 1964.
Operations in U.S. waters 1964-1965
Walworth County spent the end of 1964 and beginning of 1965 undergoing tender availability.In early February 1965, she sailed for Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, and took liberty in the U.S. Virgin Islands and at San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
and Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, Puerto Rico. She arrived back at Little Creek on 8 March 1965 and then participated in exercises to train U.S. Army personnel in amphibious warfare. Following these training exercises, the ship conducted local operations and made preparations for an upcoming deployment.
Sixth Mediterranean deployment 1966
Having completed all preparations, Walworth County got underway with Amphibious Squadron 6 on 24 January 1966. She proceeded to Bermuda as an escort for minesweepersMinesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
when the squadron was recalled. After spending one week in Bermuda, she returned to Little Creek. On 6 March 1966, the ship got underway for her sixth Mediterranean tour. There, she joined in a combined North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) exercise and other amphibious assault operations. On 1 July 1966, she became a part of Amphibious Squadron 8. Walworth County returned to the United States on 2 August 1966.
Operations in U.S. waters 1966-1967
Walworth County underwent a period of training and upkeep, and then spent the final weeks of August 1966 on a midshipman cruise and taking on board dependents of the crew for a day at sea.On 1 September 1966, Walworth County got underway for Guantanamo Bay with Marines embarked. After a short stay, she returned to her home port where she underwent training and upkeep. On 26 September 1966, she headed for the Boston, Massachusetts, operating area with civilian technicians and representatives from the Naval Ordnance Testing Laboratory. The ship travelled to Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, Florida, to unload testing equipment before returning to Little Creek. On 18 October 1966, Walworth County underwent a period of tender availability. Late in November 1966, she participated in an exercise off Vieques Island and put into San Juan, Puerto Rico, for repairs. On 15 December 1966 she got underway for Little Creek and spent the end of 1966 there.
The new year, 1967, found Walworth County in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for repairs to her propeller
Propeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
s, but she returned to Little Creek on 20 March 1967. After a short trip to New York, she got underway on 8 April 1967 and headed for the Caribbean to participate in the joint services exercise "Clove Hitch III." She returned to Little Creek on 4 May 1967 and spent a month undergoing maintenance and post-repair training.
Walworth County devoted September and October 1967 to a goodwill tour off Deal Island
Deal Island, Maryland
Deal Island is a census-designated place in Somerset County, Maryland, United States. The population was 578 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Salisbury, Maryland Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, and Operation "JCOC 37," an amphibious assault off Onslow Beach, North Carolina. From 27 October 1967 to 10 November 1967, Walworth County was deployed to the Caribbean. On the ship's return to Little Creek, she began an overhaul and then prepared for an upcoming Mediterranean tour.
Seventh Mediterranean deployment 1967-1968
On 3 January 1968, Walworth County got underway for Morehead City, where she embarked Marines and loaded equipment. On 6 January 1968, she rendezvoused with five minesweepers and began the voyage across the North Atlantic for her seventh Mediterranean cruise. She reached Rota, Spain, on 3 February 1968 and began a series of "Phiblex" exercises which took her to Sardinia and CorsicaCorsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
. Her crew was given shore leave at Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
; La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
and Naples, Italy; and Rota, Spain. On 27 April 1968, Walworth County took part in Operation "Dawn Patrol" involving 40 ships of five nations. The exercises were completed on 12 May 1968 at Timbakion, Crete. The ship then sailed for Rota, Spain, and steamed across the North Atlantic. She arrived at Morehead City on 8 June 1968 and proceeded to Little Creek, where she arrived on 9 June 1968
Operations in U.S. waters 1968
After a month of maintenance, Walworth County participated in a riverine warfare exercise in Virginia's James RiverJames River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
, which taught the fundamentals of 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...
warfare and lessons learned 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...
, from 9 July 1968 to 19 July 1968. The ship then spent the remainder of July and most of August undergoing a tender availability.
Southern Command deployment 1968-1969
Walworth County got underway on 23 September 1968 for a United States Southern CommandUnited States Southern Command
The United States Southern Command , located in Miami, Florida, is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands in the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for providing contingency planning and operations in Central and South America, the Caribbean The United States Southern Command...
deployment as a member of Landing Ship Tank Division 41. After a trip to the Panama Canal Zone, she got underway on 9 October 1968 for a visit to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Upon reaching Montego Bay
Montego Bay
Montego Bay is the capital of St. James Parish and the second largest city in Jamaica by area and the fourth by population .It is a tourist destination with duty free shopping, cruise line terminal and the beaches...
, Walworth County was called back to Panama when an uprising overthrew the Panamanian government. She arrived in the Panama Canal Zone on 14 October 1968 and, the next day, transited the canal to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. She remained at the Rodman Naval Station in Panama until 8 November 1968.
Loaded with Operation Handclasp
Operation Handclasp
Operation Handclasp was a 1958 joint Air Force-Navy operation conducted with the U.S. Navy's U.S. 7th Fleet to demonstrate military weapons for Asian political and military leaders.- Example of use :...
material, Walworth County got underway for Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
on 8 November 1968 and arrived at Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
on 9 November 1968. She returned to Rodman Naval Station on 17 November 1968 and, except for four amphibious landings and a round-trip transit of the Panama Canal, remained there until 9 January 1969.
Operations in U.S. waters and the Caribbean 1969-1970
From 1 March 1969 to 16 May 1969, Walworth County underwent upkeep at the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation in BerkleyBerkley, Virginia
Berkley was an incorporated town in Norfolk County, Virginia. Chartered by an Act of Assembly in 1890, the Town of Berkley was located directly across the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River from the City of Norfolk in the South Hampton Roads area....
, Virginia. The ship then began a period of upkeep at her home port of Little Creek. On 21 July 1969, she started amphibious refresher training and then prepared for movement overseas. From 15 September 1969 through 25 November 1969, the ship operated in the Caribbean Ready Group.
Upon her return to Little Creek, Walworth County began another period of leave and upkeep. Then she conducted a training exercise from 12 January 1970 to 16 January 1970. On 30 January 1970, she began a month of tender availability by repair ship
Auxiliary ship
An auxiliary ship is a naval ship which is designed to operate in any number of roles supporting combatant ships and other naval operations. Auxiliaries are not primary combatants, although they may have some limited combat capacity, usually of a self defensive nature.Auxiliaries are extremely...
USS Vulcan (AR-5)
USS Vulcan (AR-5)
USS Vulcan was the lead ship of her class of repair ships of the United States Navy. The ship was laid down on 16 December 1939 at Camden, New Jersey, by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation; launched on 14 December 1940; sponsored by Mrs...
, which was moored at the Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
. This work lasted until 20 February 1970, when Walworth County returned to Little Creek.
South America and Panama deployment 1970
Following several months of local operations, Walworth County sailed independently on 8 July 1970 for South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. Her mission was primarily one of good will. She delivered earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
relief supplies to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian ports and carried Project Handclasp material to Ecuador. For the remainder of the deployment, Walworth County carried out many and varied missions, ranging from being a home for Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s performing marine biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
research to acting as a ferryboat for United States exhibits to a regional fair at Bocas del Toro, Panama. The scientists worked with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, the only bureau of the Smithsonian Institution based outside of the United States, is dedicated to understanding biological diversity. What began in 1923 as small field station on Barro Colorado Island in the Panama Canal Zone has developed...
, which conducts research all around Panama including 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...
, Bocas del Toro Archipelago
Bocas del Toro Archipelago
The Bocas del Toro Archipelago is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea in northwest Panama. The archipelago separates Bahía Almirante and Laguna de Chiriquí from the open Caribbean Sea. The archipelago is located in the Bocas del Toro District of Bocas del Toro Province. The major city is Bocas...
, and Laguna de Chiriquí. During her three-month deployment, Walworth County steamed over 9,000 nautical miles (16,668 kilometers), and she received a letter of commendation from Admiral C. D. Nace, Commander, United States Naval Forces, Southern Command and Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
, 15th Naval District. After a final transit of the Panama Canal, Walworth County headed homeward, arriving back at Little Creek on 23 October 1970.
Inactivation and decommissioning 1971
Following the post-deployment leave periods, Walworth County commenced preparations for inactivatipn. On 4 January 1971, operational and administrative control of the ship was shifted from Amphibious Force, United States Atlantic Fleet to the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Norfolk, Virginia.After three months of work by her crew, Walworth County was decommissioned
Ship 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 2 April 1971. She subsequently was towed to Orange
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where she arrived on 14 April 1971. She was drydocked on 11 May 1971 for the underwater phase of inactivation, with the topside phase scheduled to commence upon completion of the drydock phase. She then was laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group at Orange, Texas.
Military Sealift Command service 1972-1973
In May 1972, Walworth County was scheduled for transfer to the Maritime Administration and layup in the National Defense Reserve FleetNational Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
at Suisun Bay
Suisun Bay
Suisun Bay is a shallow tidal estuary at in northern California, USA. It lies at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, forming the entrance to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, an inverted river delta...
, Benecia, 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...
, but instead she served in a non-commissioned status with a primarily civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
crew as a cargo ship
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
in the Military Sealift Command
Military Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
(MSC) as a United States Naval Ship
United States Naval Ship
United States Naval Ship or USNS is the prefix designation given to non-commissioned ships that are property of the United States Navy.-Overview:...
, USNS Walworth County (T-LST-1164), from May 1972 until stricken from the Navy List
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
on 1 November 1973.
Reserve status and transfer to Peru
On 19 June 1974, Walworth County was turned over to the Maritime Administration and berthed at Suisun Bay as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet.On 7 August 1984, Walworth County and three of her sister ships -- USS Traverse County (LST-1160)
USS Traverse County (LST-1160)
USS Traverse County , previously USS LST-1160, was a United States Navy landing ship tank in commission from 1953 to 1970, and which then saw non-commissioned Military Sealift Command service as USNS Traverse County from 1972 to 1973.-Construction and commissioning:USS LST-1160 was laid down on...
, USS Waldo County (LST-1163)
USS Waldo County (LST-1163)
USS Waldo County , previously USS LST-1163, was a United States Navy landing ship tank in commission from 1953 to 1970, and which then saw non-commissioned Military Sealift Command service as USNS Waldo County from 1972 to 1973.-Construction and commissioning:Waldo County was laid down as USS...
, and USS Washoe County (LST-1165)
USS Washoe County (LST-1165)
USS Washoe County , previously USS LST-1165, was a United States Navy landing ship tank in commission from 1953 to 1971, and which then saw non-commissioned Military Sealift Command service as USNS Washoe County in 1973.-Construction and commissioning:USS LST-1165 was laid down on 1 December 1952...
-- were leased to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, and Walworth County was commissioned into service in the Peruvian Navy
Peruvian Navy
The Peruvian Navy is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles from the Peruvian littoral...
as Paita (DT-141) on 4 March 1985. Peru renewed the lease on all four ships in August 1989 and August 1994, and the United States sold all four outright to Peru on 26 April 1999 under the Security Assistance Program; all four were struck from the U.S. Naval Register on the day of the sale.