LST‑987
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | US Military Transport Command |
| Laid down: | 2 February 1944 |
| Launched: | 5 March 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 19 April 1944 |
| Fate: | Decommissioned |
| Stricken: | |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 1,625 tons |
| Length: | 328 ft |
| Beam: | 50 ft |
| Draft: | 14 ft 1 in |
| Speed: | 12 knots |
| Complement: | 226 officers and men |
| Armament: | 8 40mm cannon, 12 20mm anti-aircraft cannnon |
LST-987, USS Millard County, was a tank landing ship during World War II.
Contents |
[edit] Commissioning
LST‑987 was laid down by Boston Navy Yard on 2 February 1944, launched 5 March 1944, and commissioned at Boston 19 April 1944. Lt. William H. Pennington was in command.
[edit] Initial Service
After shakedown along the east coast, LST‑987 began duty under Commander, Amphibious Training Command, Atlantic Fleet. Assigned to LST Group 25, she operated out of Little Creek, Va., during the next year as an underway training ship in Chesapeake Bay. She trained LST officers and crews in procedures of beaching, gunnery, ship handling, and tactics. In addition, she trained with Army tanks and equipment and carried out pontoon beaching exercises. During this period she completed three cruises for officers and 23 cruises for crews.
[edit] WWII Active Duty
On 19 April 1945, LST‑987 entered Portsmouth Navy Yard for a 2‑week overhaul; thence, after loading rolling stock and LCT‑523, she sailed 16 May for the Pacific. Arriving Pearl Harbor 13 June, she unloaded equipment and embarked soldiers of the 545th Field Artillery. The LST then sailed for the western Pacific 21 June. Steaming via the Marshalls and Marianas, she reached Leyte Gulf, Philippines, 15 July, debarked troops, and on the 16th reported for duty with SerRon 10.
Between 26 and 29 July, LST‑987 steamed into Subic Bay, Luzon. There she embarked units of the 479th Air Service Squadron with rolling stock and cargo, and on 1 August she sailed for Okinawa. She reached Hagushi 6 August; and, after discharging men and equipment at Ie Shima from 12 to 16 August, she sailed for the Philippines the 21st. Steaming via Subic Bay, she reached Leyte Gulf 30 August.
Assigned to occupation operations, LST‑987 steamed to Panay, Philippines, 6 September where she embarked troops of the 40th Infantry. Between 17 and 27 September she steamed to Inchon where she offloaded equipment, thence she sailed to Pusan 2 to 4 October and debarked troops. She returned to Inchon 8 October, embarked 1,000 Jap POWs, and sailed for Japan 11 October. Arriving the 14th, she debarked the Japanese and 3 days later got underway for the Philippines. She lost her port propeller 18 October, but with assistance from LST‑841 reached Subic 23 October.
[edit] After WWII
LST‑987 continued to support the lifting of occupation forces in the Far East during the remainder of the year, and runs carried her from the Sea of Japan to the East China Sea. Early in 1946 she returned to the United States from the western Pacific, and in May she was assigned duty as a Naval Reserve training ship. She decommissioned 3 September 1946 but continued service training Naval Reserves; and for over 3 years operated under command of the Potomac Naval River Command. LST‑987 entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Green Cove Springs, Fla., in May 1950. Named Millard County (LST‑987) 1 July 1955, she remained in her Florida berthing area until mid‑1960. Her name was struck from the Navy list 1 June 1960. In August 1961, she was sold to the Federal German Navy for conversion into a battle damage repair ship (ARB). However, this conversion was never undertaken and she never saw commissioned service in the German Navy. Struck from the German Naval list in early 1968, she was sold for scrap and scrapped in Germany in November 1968.
[edit] Commendations
LST‑987 received no battle stars for World War II service
