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U.S.S. HOLMES COUNTY
(LST-836)SLOW BUT SURE
Click to view crew list
USS HOLMES COUNTY (LST-836 ) - a LST-542-class tank landing ship
In Commission 1944 to 1971LST-836 Deployments - Major Events
Add a LST-836 Shellback Initiation | Add a LST-836 Deployment - Major Event | ||||
Month | Year | to | Month | Year | Deployment / Event |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SEP | 1944 | - | Keel Date: 11 SEP 1944 at American Bridge Company Ambridge PA | ||
OCT | 1944 | - | Launch Date: 29 OCT 1944 | ||
NOV | 1944 | - | Commissioned: 25 NOV 1944 | ||
NOV | 1950 | - | JUL | 1971 | Commisioning |
NOV | 1950 | - | JUL | 1971 | Decommisioning |
NOV | 1950 | - | JUL | 1969 | Recommisioning |
JUL | 1953 | - | NOV | 1953 | Support first hydrogen bomb tests - Marshall Islands |
AUG | 1958 | - | DEC | 1958 | MAG-11 Quemoy - Matsu Islands crisis 1958 - embarked Yokosuka. |
OCT | 1965 | - | JUN | 1966 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
JAN | 1967 | - | DEC | 1969 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
SEP | 1968 | - | APR | 1969 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
JAN | 1970 | - | JUL | 1971 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
JUL | 1971 | - | Decommissioned: 1 JUL 1971 |
LST-836 General Specifications
Class: LST-542-class tank landing ship
Complement: 7 Officers and 104 Enlisted
Displacement: 1625 tons
Length: 328 feet
Beam: 50 feet
Draft: Loaded - 8' FWD - 14' AFT
Final Disposition: Loaned to Singapore 1971Sold to Singapore 5 December 1975
USS HOLMES COUNTY (LST-836)
LST-836 was laid down by American Bridge Co.
Ambridge
Pa.
11 September
1944; launched 29 October; sponsored by Mrs. H. E. Hetu; and commissioned
25 November
Ens. Elmo J. Sullivan in command.
After shakedown off Florida
LST-836 loaded ammunition
lumber
and
cement
then departed New Orleans 2 January 1945. She unloaded the cargo
at Balboa
C.Z.
and proceeded to San Diego
arriving on the 23d. In early
February she sailed for Hawaii
where she trained
embarked troops
then
steamed to the Marshall Islands. Following 3 weeks of preparation in the
Marshalls and Carolines
the landing ship departed Ulithi 12 April for Okinawa.
With the battle for this strategic hase well underway
LST-836 arrived
6 days later; unloaded troops and equipment and returned Ulithi 29 April.
For the rest of the war
she shuttled cargo and troops throughout the Pacific;
then after VJ day was assigned to duty with the occupation forces in Japan.
Returning to the United States LST-836 arrived San Francisco 19 January
1946
and remained on the West Coast until she decommissioned at Vancouver
Wash.
25 July 1946.
Following 4 years in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
LST-836 recommissioned
at Bremerton 3 November 1950
Lt. Thomas J. McLaughlin in command. After
refresher training she sailed for the Far East
to aid United Nations forces
in their struggle to stop Communist aggression in South Korea. Arriving
Yokosuka 28 March 1951. the veteran landing ship was once again assigned
to a battle zone and for the next 8 months shuttled cargo and troops between
Japan and various Korean ports.
After a brief stateside overhaul in early 1952
LST-836 departed
San Diego 24 July for operations in conjunction with the first hydrogen
bomb tests in the Marshall Islands. From August to November she aided scientists
as they tested this new source of power that will affect mankind in both
war and peace. She returned to San Diego; then
after a brief respite
sailed
16 March 1953 for further duty in the still raging Korean conflict. Arriving
Yokosuka 22 April
LST-836 immediately commenced cargo runs from
the staging areas to Inchon.
When the fighting ended
LST-836 remained in the Far East to transport
cargo to the United Nations peacekeeping force stationed in Korea. From
1954 to 1959
she made three Westpac cruises and participated in training
operations along the West Coast. On 1 July 1955
LST-836 was named
Holmes County.
Following a FRAM overhaul in late 1959
the landing ship was assigned to
the Pacific Amphibious Force
and for the next 5 years Holmes County
engaged in amphibious exercises along the West Coast and in the Hawaiian
Islands.
When Communist aggression continued as an external threat to the people
of South Viet Nam
the United States responded to preserve the freedom of
the little Asian country. On 11 October 1965
Holmes County
a veteran
of two conflicts
departed San Diego for operations in Southeast Asia. She
arrived Da Nang
South Vietnam
22 November and operated there for the rest
of the year and into 1966. On 29 March 1966
after 89 days in the combat
zone
Holmes County steamed for Yokosuka
Japan
for upkeep before
starting the 5
500-mile journey home. Holmes County received the
following message from Commander 7th Fleet: "As you depart 7th Fleet
Intra-Coastal Task Unit
be assured you leave behind an admiration for the
extraordinary work you have done this cruise."
On 26 May Holmes County arrived home. After serving in the San Diego
area for 4 months
she participated in Operation "Base Line" in
October. This was one of the largest peacetime operations conducted by the
Pacific Fleet.
LST-836 received one battle star for World War II service and three
stars for the Korean Conflict.
[Note: The above USS HOLMES COUNTY (LST-836) history may or may not contain text provided by crew members of the USS HOLMES COUNTY (LST-836) or by other non-crew members and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]