USS St. Joseph's River (LSM(R)-527)

USS "St. Joseph's River" (LSM(R)-527) was laid down on 19 May 1945 by the Brown Shipbuilding Co., Inc., Houston, TX; launched on 16 June 1945; and commissioned on 24 August 1945.

Active for less than three months, "LSM(R)-527" joined the 16th (Inactive) Fleet in November 1945; decommissioned on 28 March 1946; and, for the next four years, remained berthed at Green Cove Springs, FL. In June 1950, however, the North Korean Army pushed south across the 38th Parallel; and, on 14 October, "LSM(R)-527" was recommissioned.

From mid-November 1950 until mid-March 1951, "LSM(R)-527" trained out of Little Creek, VA, then headed for California and duty with the Pacific Fleet. Assigned to Landing Ship Squadron 3, she arrived at San Diego, CA on 12 April; and, through the summer, conducted exercises off the southern California coast. During the fall, she underwent overhaul at Mare Island Navy Yard; and, with the winter of 1951-52, she resumed operations off southern California. In March and April, 1952, she operated off the Panama Canal Zone; and, in May, she headed west for duty off Korea.

On 19 June, "LSM(R)-527" arrived at Yokosuka. Ten days later, she was en route to operating area "Nan" off the west coast of the embattled Korean peninsula. From 3 to 15 July and again from 16 August to 3 September, she helped to defend islands held by United Nations forces, particularly Cho-Do and Sok-To in the approaches to the Taedong estuary.

Returning to Japan after each tour, she sailed for the Korean east coast from Sasebo Naval base on 10 October. In TU 76.42.1, she conducted exercises off Kangmung; then, on the 15th, arrived off Kojo to provide shore bombardment support for the amphibious feint staged there on that date. By the 18th, she was back in Sasebo. Exercises in Japanese waters followed; and, on 14 November, she returned to area "Nan." Through December, she continued to operate off Cho-Do and Sok-To; then, after fire support activities in early January 1953, she shifted to Taechong-Do. She returned to Yokosuka on the 25th; and, on 24 February, she sailed for California.

Steaming via Midway Atoll and Pearl Harbor, "LSM(R)-527" arrived at San Diego on 23 March and remained on the west coast until 10 February 1954. She then headed west again. In the western Pacific from mid-March to mid-October, she participated in exercises in Japanese, Korean, and Okinawan waters and in the Volcano Islands area and carried cargo between Japanese and Korean ports.

On 7 November, "LSM(R)-527" returned to San Diego. Two months later, in January 1955, she entered the Mare Island Naval Shipyard to prepare for inactivation. In April, she joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet; and, on 5 August, she was decommissioned and berthed with the San Diego Group. She was re-named "St. Joseph's River" on 1 October for the St. Josephs River in northeast Indiana.

"LSM(R)-527" earned two battle stars during the Korean Conflict.

ROKS Si Hung

The USS "St. Joseph's River" remained berthed at San Diego until activated in the summer of 1960, when she was transferred to the Republic of Korea Navy, and commissioned as ROKS "Si Hung" (LFR-311).

References

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/06527.htm navsource.org: USS "St. Joseph's River"] "(Note: Non-Public domain images of the USS St. Joseph's River are available here.)"
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s17/st_joseph_river.htm history.navy.mil: USS "St. Joseph's River"]