USS DeKalb County (LST-715)
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Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 9 August 1951. |
|
| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Laid down: | 7 June 1944 |
| Launched: | 20 July 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 15 August 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 17 April 1946 |
| Fate: | Sold for scrapping |
| Struck: | 1 November 1973 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 1,625 tons (light), 3,640 tons (full) |
| Length: | 328 ft 0 in |
| Beam: | 50 ft 0 in |
| Draft: | Bow 2'-4", stern 7'-6" (unloaded) bow 8'-2", stern 14'-1" (unloaded) |
| Propulsion: | Two General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders |
| Speed: | 12 knots |
| Depth: | 8' fwd; 14'-4" aft (full load) |
| Complement: | 8-10 officers, 89-100 enlisted men |
| Troop capacity: | Approximately 130 officers and enlisted men |
| Boats: | Two LCVPs |
| Armament: | Eight 40mm guns, twelve 20mm guns |
The USS DeKalb County (LST-715) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in six states, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
LST-715 was laid down on 7 June 1944 at Jeffersonville, Indiana by the Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company; launched on 20 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Loudie S. Moffatt; and commissioned on 15 August 1944. During World War II, LST-715 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations: Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima (February and March, 1945) and the Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (May and June, 1945). Following the War, LST-715 performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-September 1945. She was decommissioned on 17 April 1946 at Manicaci Island, Republic of the Philippines and transferred to the United States Army on 28 June that same year. Commissioned USAT LST-715 29 June 1946, the ship was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 29 September 1947.
Reacquired by the Navy on 25 July 1950, the ship was reinstated on the Naval Register 10 August 1950. Recommissioned LST-715 30 August 1950, she participated in the following Korean War campaigns: North Korean Aggression (18 September to 2 November 1950), Communist China Aggression (3 November 1950 to 14 January 1951), Inchon Landing (13 to 17 September 1950), UN Counter Offensive (1 to 14 March 1951), Second Korean Winter (11 January to 30 April 1952), and Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 (1 May to 6 August 1952). LST-715 was redesignated USS DeKalb County (LST-715) on 1 July 1955. She was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) in December, 1965 where she served as USNS DeKalb County (T-LST-715). Placed out of service and again struck from the Naval Register 1 November 1973, custody was transferred to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California. The ship was disposed by the Maritime Administration 30 April 1984 to Jon M. Associates, Suisun Bay, Benecia, California for scrapping.
LST-715 earned two battle stars for World War II service.
[edit] References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- LST-715. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved on May 29, 2007.
- LST-715 De Kalb County. Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved on May 29, 2007.
[edit] See also
