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U.S.S. TIOGA COUNTY
(LST-1158)YOU CALL
Click to view crew list
USS TIOGA COUNTY (LST-1158 ) - a LST-1156 class landing ship tank
In Commission 1953 to 1970LST-1158 Deployments - Major Events
Add a LST-1158 Shellback Initiation | Add a LST-1158 Deployment - Major Event | ||||
Month | Year | to | Month | Year | Deployment / Event |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
JUN | 1952 | - | Keel Date: 16 JUN 1952 at Bath Iron Works Bath ME | ||
APR | 1953 | - | Launch Date: 11 APR 1953 | ||
JUN | 1953 | - | Commissioned: 20 JUN 1953 | ||
SEP | 1964 | - | DEC | 1964 | Dry Dock |
JUN | 1965 | - | DEC | 1965 | Middle Pacific |
DEC | 1965 | - | MAY | 1966 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
JAN | 1966 | - | AUG | 1967 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
MAR | 1967 | - | OCT | 1967 | West Pac |
JAN | 1970 | - | DEC | 1970 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
JAN | 1970 | - | JUL | 1970 | West Pac |
DEC | 1970 | - | Decommissioned: 23 DEC 1970 |
LST-1158 General Specifications
Class: LST-1156 class landing ship tank
Named for: Tioga County in New York and Tioga County in Pennsylva
Complement: 16 Officers and 189 Enlisted
Displacement: 2590 tons
Length: 384 feet
Beam: 55 feet
Flank Speed: 14 knots
Final Disposition: Sold for scrapping 21 July 2005
USS TIOGA COUNTY (LST-1158)
LST-1156 was laid down on 16 June 1952 at Bath
Maine
by the Bath Iron
Works
launched on 11 April 1953
sponsored by Mrs. Joseph A. Callaghan
and commissioned on 20 June 1953
Lt. Comdr. Charies R. Patton in command.
Following shakedown out of Little Creek
Va.
LST-1158 shifted to
the west coast in January 1954 and operated out of San Diego
Calif. For
the next few years the tank landing ship worked along the west coast and
in the Hawaiian Islands. On 2 July 1955
the ship was named Tioga County.
The ship conducted two western Pacific (WestPac) deployments between January
1957 and mid-1960
interspersed with local operations and cruises to the
Hawaiian Islands. While en route from the Philippines to Yokosuka
Japan
Tioga County went to the aid of a stricken Taiwanese fishing craft
on 2 February 1960. Bucking gale-force winds and 17-foot seas
the LST passed
lines to the foundering craft and drew her alongside. The ship's crew passed
lifejackets down to the fishermen and brought them up via a Jacob's ladder
including one of the nine who had injured his leg.
Following her return to the west coast from the second WestPac deployment
the ship resumed local operations out of San Diego. In August 1961
the
ship sailed north for Alaskan waters and operated in the Aleutians for three
months. On one occasion off Attu
the ship battled high seas and gales up
to 80 knots. She returned to San Diego on 1 December 1961.
Sailing for Hawaii following leave and upkeep
Tioga County participated
in joint Army-Navy exercises in the islands before returning to the California
coast. She conducted local operations and training out of San Diego
on
occasion between the west coast and the Hawaiian Islands
into 1965. On
31 May of that year
the ship was selected as the test bed for the "Sea
Sparrow" missile; and she participated in these tests until June
when
she was commended by the Raytheon Corporation for her part in the development
of the missile system.
In July 1965
Tioga County departed San Diego
bound for Hawaii.
During her five-month deployment
she operated out of Pearl Harbor and worked
with the Army 25th Infantry Division on exercises. Although the ship was
scheduled to spend Christmas in San Diego
a change of plans sent her to
the Far East for her third WestPac deployment.
Arriving at Subic Bay en route to Vietnamese waters
she loaded barbed wire
and aviation fuel tanks and got underway for Danang in mid-January 1966.
After delivering her cargo there
she embarked troops and served as a "combat
taxi" for the Army 101st Airborne Division
making troop and vehicle
lifts between Phan Rang and Tuy Hoa and carrying up to 1
000 troops each
time.
After shifting briefly to Subic Bay for a drydocking for repair of her screws
Tioga County soon returned to Vietnamese waters to take part in Operation
"Double Eagle
" off Quang Ngai province. She made numerous beachings
to load troops and cargo and earned her first engagement star for this action.
Following this logistics support evolution
the LST returned to the west
coast -- via Hong Kong; Yokosuka
Japan; and Pearl Harbor -- and reached
San Diego on 14 May 1966.
Tioga County conducted local operations along the west coast until
2 March 1967 when she got underway for her fourth WestPac deployment. Proceeding
via Pearl Harbor
Guam
and Subic Bay
the LST arrived at Danang on 28 April
with 43 vehicles and other cargo.
Following a run to Okinawa
Tioga County returned to Vietnam and
became the first LST of her class to participate in duty with the Mobile
Riverine Assault Force.
Arriving at Vung Tau on 6 June
the ship loaded 30
000 cases of "C"
rations; 700 tons of Army ammunition
and 350 tons of miscellaneous cargo.
She transited the Song Cua Thieu to the 9th Infantry's advanced base at
Dong Tam and took on board 369 men of "B" and "C" companies
of the 3d Battalion
9th Infantry.
Under the aegis of Commander
River Flotilla 1
Tioga County served
in the Rung Sat special zone of the Mekong Delta region
supporting "search-and-destroy"
missions against Viet Cong (VC) troops. She acted as a "Mekong Hilton"
to the men who were based on board and served as a mobile ammunition and
supply depot. In addition
she accompanied the rest of the riverine force
up the Song Soirap to Nha Be for close support of both artillery and infantry
combat operations.
Difficulty with the ship's generators forced her back to Subic Bay for repairs
before she returned to Vietnamese waters in late July. She then joined Amphibious
Ready Group Alfa off the coast of Viet Nam near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
Here she participated in Operations "Beacon Gate
" "Beacon
Guide
" and "Beacon Point." During this period
in addition
to logistics support operations
Tioga County conducted her first
combat landing as her LCVP's put a Marine landing team ashore on the coastal
region of Quang Ngai province -- a known VC stronghold near the DMZ -- with
the initial landing wave.
Detached from this duty on 6 September
Tioga County sailed for the
United States
steamed via Yokosuka and Pearl Harbor
and arrived back at
her homeport on Navy Day
27 October. The LST conducted local operations
and training out of San Diego into 1970
before she conducted her fifth
and final WestPac deployment from 5 January to 7 July
Decommissioned on 23 December 1970
Tioga County was placed in reserve
at San Diego with the inactive fleet. Activated in mid-1972 for service
with the Military Sealift Command
Tioga County was designated T-LST-1158
and operated as such until she was transferred to the Maritime Administration
in 1973 to be laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet. Struck from
the Navy list on 1 November 1973
the former tank landing ship is in the
Maritime Administration custody at Suisun Bay into 1978.
Tioga County received three battle stars for Vietnam service.
[Note: The above USS TIOGA COUNTY (LST-1158) history may or may not contain text provided by crew members of the USS TIOGA COUNTY (LST-1158) or by other non-crew members and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]