USS Litchfield County (LST-901)

The USS "Litchfield County" (LST-901) was a sclass|LST-542|tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Litchfield County, Connecticut, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Originally laid down as LST-901 on 29 October 1944 by the Dravo Corporation of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; launched 9 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. S. A. Evans; and commissioned 11 January 1945 with Lieutenant C. A. Henson in command. Upon completion of her shakedown off Florida, LST-901 sailed to join the Pacific Fleet, arriving Pearl Harbor 27 March. After additional training, she reached Saipan 12 June for resupply missions in the Marianas, Ryūkyūs, and Iwo Jima until the close of the War. She operated as mother ship for minesweepers around Truk until sailing for the States 28 November. After several short coastal voyages, she decommissioned at Vancouver, Washington 9 August 1946, but world situations prevented a prolonged period in mothballs. Recommissioned 30 November 1951 with Lieutenant James E. Houlihan in command, LST-901 prepared for service in the Korean conflict, sailing from San Diego 7 July 1952 for Hawaii, Midway, and Inchon, arriving 5 September. Logistic support lifts, amphibious landing rehearsals, and service as helicopter pad and control vessel for the Wonsan naval blockade were her missions until returning to San Diego 21 May. From 1 August to 12 October she participated in the lift of the 3rd Marines to Japan. Uneasy peace reigned in Korea as she departed for her third Far Eastern tour 27 March 1954. After amphibious exercises, on 17 August LST-901 joined the giant humanitarian "Operation Passage to Freedom" effort as communism split asunder another nation. Between 29 August and 7 November she made seven trips to Haiphong, North Vietnam to transport troops and anti-Communist refugees to Da Nang and Saigon. Following a cruise to Inchon, she returned to San Diego 13 February 1955. After training operations along the west coast, LST-901 reported at San Francisco for inactivation 1 July. The following day she was named USS "Litchfield County" (LST-901). Placed in commission in reserve 19 September, she decommissioned at Long Beach, California 20 December 1955. As the Communists expanded efforts to take over South Vietnam, demands on American seapower again greatly increased, and early in 1966 "Litchfield County" was towed to Portland, Oregon for reactivation. She recommissioned 5 March 1966 with Lieutenant C. B. Bryant in command. After shakedown out of San Diego she sailed 3 June for her new home port, Apra, Guam, arriving on the 30th. "Litchfield County" sailed for Chu Lai with troops 9 July, arriving off Vietnam 10 days later. Resupply missions in support of ground forces continued through 9 November, when she returned to Guam. On 21 January 1967 she arrived off Vietnam once again to resume her essential resupply missions. Shuttling between Da Nang and Chu Lai for the next 5 weeks, she departed 23 February, arriving at Guam 18 March. "Litchfield County" completed two more Vietnam tours before the end of the year, sandwiching in between those tours duty as a survey ship in the western Carolines during July. During 1968, and into 1969, she has continued to operate in the Pacific on survey and resupply missions from the Carolines, to Japan, to Vietnam. Decommissioned 7 December 1969 at Guam, she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register 1 April 1975. Sold for scrapping by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) 1 January 1977, she was acquired by the Aphrodite Shipping & Trading Corporation S.A., of Panama and renamed "Petrola" 132. After nearly two decades of commercial service she was again sold for scrapping, and arrived in tow at Aliaga, Turkey for demolition by Seltas A.S. on 5 April 1996.

"Litchfield County" earned two battle stars for Korean War service and six campaign stars for Vietnam War service.

References

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* cite web|title=LST-901 "Litchfield County"|work=Amphibious Photo Archive
url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/16/160901.htm|accessdate=August 1|accessyear=2007

External links

* [http://www.hullnumber.com/commands1.php?ct=OG&st=LST&hn=901&n1=USS&n2=LITCHFIELD&n3=COUNTY&n4=&n5= LST-901 Personnel Roster at HullNumber.com]

ee also

* List of United States Navy LSTs