USS Boone County (LST-389)
Encyclopedia
USS Boone County (LST-389) was an built for the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Named for counties in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
LST-389 was laid down on 20 June 1942 at Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company; launched on 28 September 1942; sponsored by Miss Clara Elizabeth Ashe; and commissioned on 24 November 1942 with Lieutenant George C. Carpenter, USNR, in command.
Mediterranean, 1942–1944
After shakedown training in the Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
, during which she also served as training ship for crews to be assigned to other tank landing ships, LST-389 departed Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
on 19 February 1943, bound for Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
where she took on board one tank landing craft
Landing craft tank
The Landing Craft, Tank was an amphibious assault ship for landing tanks on beachheads. They were initially developed by the British Royal Navy and later by the United States Navy during World War II in a series of versions. Initially known as the "Tank Landing Craft" by the British, they later...
(LCT), United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
troops, and a cargo of medical supplies. Sailing with convoy UGS 6A on 19 March, she proceeded via Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and reached Nemours
Nemours
Nemours is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-Geography:Nemours is located on the Loing and its canal, c...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
on 13 April. Soon shifting to the Arzew Naval Base
Arzew
Arzew or Arzeu is a port city in Algeria, from Oran. It is the capital of Arzew District, Oran Province.-Antiquity:Like the rest of North Africa, the site of modern-day Arzew was originally inhabited by the Berbers...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
the ship became the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
for Captain Frank Adams, Commander, LST Group 5, Flotilla 2. LST-389 was soon involved in the campaign to invade Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
, a steppingstone to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Sicily
At 0905 on 8 July 1943 she beached at ScoglittiScoglitti
Scoglitti is a small fishing village near the town of Vittoria on the south coast of Sicily.In addition to its fishing industry, the village derives a substantial part of its income from tourism...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and unloaded part of her cargo before retracting at 1030. The ship next beached at Bracette Point, Sicily at 1850, and disembarked troops and unloaded mobile equipment before she pulled free of the beach at 1958 to anchor off Cape Scalambri. At 2200 that evening, she witnessed numerous flares, bomb bursts, and artillery fire over the beach, two or three miles (5 km) away, indicating that fierce fighting was still in progress on shore. At 1000 the following morning, the tank landing ship got underway and soon thereafter, beached south of Bracette Point, where she then discharged her tanks and vehicles. That day, LST-389 suffered damage in a collision when could not change course in time to clear her while retracting. The two ships scraped each other and LST-5's anchor ripped a large hole in LST-389's starboard side.
Over the next few days, enemy air power did its best to thwart the landings. Almost continuous air attacks harried the ships offshore on the evening of 9 July. On the 12th, she spent most of the day loading ammunition. On the 13th, she beached at Beach Red 1 and spent much of the day there, unloading the remainder of her cargo. At 2150 that day, an enemy plane dropped four bombs nearby. The closest landed on her starboard beam about 50 yards (45.7 m) away, but it caused no damage. Underway for Bizerte
Bizerte
Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:...
on 16 July, LST-389 arrived there two days later for 10 days of repairs. She then sailed for Licata
Licata
Licata is a city and comune located on the south coast of Sicily, at the mouth of the Salso River , about midway between Agrigento and Gela...
, Sicily and from that port made three trips to Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
to lift Army troops and vehicles. Late in August, LST-389 was fitted with a pontoon
Pontoon bridge
A pontoon bridge or floating bridge is a bridge that floats on water and in which barge- or boat-like pontoons support the bridge deck and its dynamic loads. While pontoon bridges are usually temporary structures, some are used for long periods of time...
causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
section to be used during the invasion of the Italian mainland
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
. She got underway on 1 September and soon joined a convoy for Italy. On the night of 8 September, on her way to the landing beaches, LST-389 observed two twin-engine German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s attack accompanying minesweepers
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
, narrowly missing them. For the balance of the night, frequent air raids prompted equally frequent orders to general quarters, but the tank landing ship survived many near misses without a scratch.
Salerno
On 9 September, Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt's Western Naval Task Force began landing Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark's Allied 5th Army on the shores of the Gulf of SalernoGulf of Salerno
The Gulf of Salerno is a gulf of the Tyrrhenian Sea in the coast of the province of Salerno in south-western Italy. The northern part of this coast is the touristic Costiera Amalfitana, including towns like Amalfi, Maiori, Positano and the city of Salerno itself.The Gulf of Salerno is separated...
. At 0855, LST-389 received orders to proceed to beach "Blue" near Agripoli. After minesweepers had cleared a path, exploding three mines in the process, LST-389 started in. As the ship moved shoreward, shells exploded in the water and on the beach from enemy guns, which earlier that morning had driven off six tank-laden LCT's. The ship ground onto the strand at 1241, but soon received orders to move to the more tenable "Red" beach. Heavy German artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
fire continued to pound and sweep "Blue" beach so severely that it was dubbed one of the two invasion points "most difficult for the invaders to negotiate." Under heavy fire, LST 389 attempted to comply with the orders but could not. Stuck fast to "Blue" beach, the gallant tank landing ship then proceeded to carry out her original orders. Her crew deployed the pontoon unit; and, a little over an hour later at 1354, the first tank roared out of the ship's gaping bow doors. By the time she finally managed to clear the beach at 1509, LST-389 had endured much at the hands of German gunners. Some 60 shells had been fired at the ship. At 1313, a shell demolished the captain's cabin while wounding a number of men. Fire sweeping the exposed bridge prompted its abandonment, but two volunteers remained to maintain uninterrupted telephone contact with all stations on board. The crew of her lone 3 inches (76.2 mm) gun claimed to have silenced two or three of the deadly German 88-millimeter guns.
Even after leaving "Blue" beach, LST 389 came under attack, this time from enemy bombers. Eighteen bombs fell close by that night, but caused no damage to the ship. The next night, heavy air attacks upon the ships commenced at 2220. Less than 20 minutes later, four bombs fell close aboard LST-389, and, over the next half hour, nine more exploded nearby. Meanwhile, the ship's 20-millimeter batteries kept the intruders under constant fire and scored a "few" hits. On the other hand, a 20-millimeter shell (probably from an adjacent ship) exploded on the main deck just forward of the wheelhouse, wounding two LST 389 crewmen. The next morning, 11 September, seven more bombs burst close aboard, again jostling the ship. At about 0930, a glider bomb disabled the nearby light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
. Finally departing Salerno on 11 September, LST-389 sailed to Milazzo
Milazzo
Milazzo is a town and comune in the province of Messina, Sicily, Italy.The city is situated between two bays, one of Milazzo and the east to the west of Patti, in a strategic place in the north-eastern Sicily.Located 43 km from the provincial capital, is part of the metropolitan area of the Strait...
, Sicily to await orders which came soon and took her back to Salerno with elements of the famed British 8th Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
embarked. During the remainder of September, LST-389 made four more such trips followed by several runs carrying troops and supplies between Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
and Salerno. Released from this duty on 2 October, the ship proceeded to Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
for repairs to the damage she had received at Salerno.
Invasion of France, 1944–1945
Clearing Oran on 12 November LST-389 sailed for England in MKS-30, a convoy which endured a glider-bomb attack, launched by German DornierDornier Flugzeugwerke
Dornier Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer founded in Friedrichshafen in 1914 by Claudius Dornier. Over the course of its long lifespan, the company produced many notable designs for both the civil and military markets.-History:...
bombers, without suffering any losses. Shortly before Thanksgiving the ship, now a veteran of two major amphibious landings, arrived at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and waited for orders. Following a period in drydock there for minor repairs beginning on 13 December, LST-389 departed Plymouth on 20 December and reached Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
the same day. On Christmas Eve, she started preparing for the invasion of France.
"With the beginning of 1944..." wrote the ship's historian, "...the ship moved from place to place, beaching, retracting, learning the new methods of war." Finally ending up in the Welsh port of Milford Haven
Milford Haven
Milford Haven is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name...
, LST-389 stayed there for the rest of January and all of February before shifting to Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
for more training. After operating there until 27 April, LST-389 proceeded to Lisahally on the shore of Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle, sometimes Loch Foyle , is the estuary of the River Foyle in Ulster. It starts where the Foyle leaves Derry. It separates the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland from County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.-Transport:...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
to receive six 40-millimeter and six 20-millimeter guns. Following more repairs and alterations at Milford Haven, LST-389 spent the rest of May training for the assault on Hitler's "Atlantic Wall
Atlantic Wall
The Atlantic Wall was an extensive system of coastal fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the western coast of Europe as a defense against an anticipated Allied invasion of the mainland continent from Great Britain.-History:On March 23, 1942 Führer Directive Number 40...
." Loading Army vehicles and embarking troops at Falmouth on 2 June 1944 she got underway on 4 June and proceeded to the task force anchorage where the ship lay until setting out for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on the following morning. After anchoring in Baie de la Seine
Baie de la Seine
The Baie de la Seine or Baie de Seine is a bay in northern France.-Geography:It is a wide, rectangular inlet of the English Channel, approximately 100 kilometres by 45 kilometres, bounded in the west by the Cotentin Peninsula, in the south by the Normandy coast and in the east by the estuary of...
at 0927 on 7 June, she began resupply operations for the Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
beachhead that afternoon. One of her LCVP coxswain
Coxswain
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
s suffered wounds at 1645 when his craft was hit on its way to the beach. The next morning, German planes braved heavy antiaircraft fire to attack the shipping off the invasion beaches. Four bombs landed in the sea near LST-389 causing "minor hull vibrations." The tank landing ship unloaded her embarked vehicles that afternoon, 8 June, and survived another nocturnal bombing attack at 0034 on the 9th before getting underway for Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
later that morning.
For the rest of June, LST-389 shuttled supplies and men between Southampton and various beaches along the northern coast of France. Her cargoes included food, medical supplies, and vehicles. After the port's capture by the Allies in July, she added Cherbourg to her itinerary and, railroad tracks having been installed in her tank deck, began carrying rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
in early September. In the course of these train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
-ferrying operations, LST-389 struck an underwater obstruction at Grand Rade, Cherbourg, on 12 November. Major leaks in her main engine room resulted. Unable to make any headway against the rising water, the tank landing ship, aided by two tugboats, was beached. Seven hours of shoring, patching, and pumping freed the engine room of unwanted water. With the aid of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
tugs, LST-389 then completed her ferry mission before LST-355 towed her back to Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
, England. Following major repairs in drydock, the ship received an overhaul alongside before resuming active service in mid-January 1945. She again shuttled railroad car
Railroad car
A railroad car or railway vehicle , also known as a bogie in Indian English, is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
s and passengers between England and France. While returning from Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
to Portland, Dorset
Portland Harbour
Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, off Dorset, on the south coast of England. It is one of the largest man-made harbours in the world. Grid reference: .-History:...
, early on the fog-shrouded morning of 5 February, LST-389 was rammed by the civilian merchantman SS Chapel Hill Victory. The collision ripped a hole 18 feet (5.5 m) wide in the tank landing ship from main deck to bottom and killed one member of her crew. LST-389 then proceeded to Portland under her own power. After a week at anchor off Portland, LST-389 put into Plymouth for another drydocking which lasted into late March. LST-389 next made one trip carrying vehicles to Cherbourg and two more to Le Havre before she had LCT skids installed on her main deck at Falmouth.
Return to the US, 1945
Picking up and a "general cargo" at Plymouth, LST-389 put into BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
on 8 May, the day after Germany surrendered. On the 11th, she sailed in a convoy bound for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and reached Norfolk on the last day of the month. Following overhaul at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the ship proceeded to Little Creek, Virginia on 5 September 1945. Since the war in the Pacific had ceased in mid-August, LST-389's orders to proceed to that area of the world were cancelled. Instead, she returned to New York to pick up another LCT and then sailed for Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
.
Decommissioning and transfer, 1945–1960
She arrived at the Inactive Fleet Berthing Area at Green Cove Springs, FloridaGreen Cove Springs, Florida
Green Cove Springs is a city in Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,378 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,908. It is the county seat of Clay County....
on 9 October 1945 and reported for duty with the Inactive Fleet. Decommissioned on 12 March 1946 she was placed in reserve on 1 July 1946. LST-389 remained in reserve, first at Green Cove Springs and later at Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, Mayport, and again in Green Cove Springs, through the 1950s. While inactive, she was named USS Boone County (LST-389) on 1 July 1955. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 1 June 1959 and the tank landing ship was transferred to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in May, 1960. She became the Royal Hellenic Navy ship HS Lesbos
Lesbos Island
Lesbos is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with 320 kilometres of coastline, making it the third largest Greek island. It is separated from Turkey by the narrow Mytilini Strait....
(L-172).
LST-389 received three battle stars for her World War II service.