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USS Mahoning County (LST-914)
Encyclopedia
The USS Mahoning County (LST-914) was an built for the United States Navy
during World War II
. Named after Mahoning County, Ohio, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
Originally laid down as LST-914 by the Bethlehem Shipyard annex in Hingham, Massachusetts
, adjacent to Fore River Shipyard
on 16 February 1944; launched 18 April 1944; and commissioned 18 May 1944 with Lieutenant A. W. Meyer in command.
15 August 1944. She carried Army troops and equipment from Naples
, Italy
and unloaded them on the beach near Cape Lardier. Shortly afterward the LST joined Training Group Command, Atlantic Fleet
, and operated along the east and gulf coasts until early in 1945. On 10 February 1945, she departed Gulfport, Mississippi
, for the Canal Zone
en route to duty with the Pacific Fleet. Steaming via Pearl Harbor
and Eniwetok, she arrived Saipan
25 April. For the next 4 months the ship carried men and equipment between Saipan and Okinawa, making occasional calls at Tinian
and Guam
. She departed Saipan 24 July and sailed for the Philippines
, operating there for the remainder of the War. LST‑914 continued to operate in the Western Pacific after the Japanese surrender. On 26 June 1946 she decommissioned and was lent to the United States Army
. She was then given a Japan
ese crew and for the next 4 years transported general cargo in the Far East
.
and the consequent urgent need for ships, LST‑914 recommissioned at Yokosuka, Japan 26 August 1950 with Lieutenant R. L. Holzhaus in command. By 6 September she was steaming for the combat zone. She embarked units of the 1st Marine Division at Pusan and transported them around the peninsula for the 15 September Inchon invasion
, one of the decisive amphibious assaults of history, which routed the North Korean Army
. Following Inchon
, for which her task element was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation
, the LST participated in the Wonsan
operations and in the evacuation of Hungnam
, 10‑24 December. On 13 January she sailed for Kobe
, Japan, underwent overhaul and returned to Korea in mid‑February. She continued to support operations off the Korean coast until 1 April 1951, then departed for San Diego, California
, arriving 26 May.
, operating primarily in the Beaufort Sea
. En route to her 1955 Arctic deployment, LST‑914 was given the name USS Mahoning County (LST-914) in ceremonies at Seattle, Washington
7 July. Among the sailors on board was Fireman Richard G. Adams of Struthers, Ohio
, a city in Mahoning County. In addition to her Arctic cruises, the LST also participated in deployments in the western Pacific during the winters of 1954, 1956, and 1958. In 1958, the Mahoning County was awarded the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award, which is presented annually by the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations
to the fleet's most battle-ready ship. Mahoning County operated out of Long Beach
for the first 9 months of 1959. On 5 September she decommissioned and was sold to Zidall Explorations, Inc. of Portland, Oregon
on 22 June 1960 for scrapping.
LST‑914 received two battle stars for World War II service and six for Korean War
service.
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 after Mahoning County, Ohio, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
Originally laid down as LST-914 by the Bethlehem Shipyard annex in Hingham, Massachusetts
Hingham, Massachusetts
Hingham is a town in northern Plymouth County on the South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and suburb in Greater Boston. The United States Census Bureau 2008 estimated population was 22,561...
, adjacent to Fore River Shipyard
Fore River Shipyard
The Fore River Shipyard of Quincy, Massachusetts, more formally known as the Fore River Ship and Engine Building Company, was a shipyard in the United States from 1883 until 1986. Located on the Weymouth Fore River, the yard began operations in 1883 in Braintree, Massachusetts before being moved...
on 16 February 1944; launched 18 April 1944; and commissioned 18 May 1944 with Lieutenant A. W. Meyer in command.
World War II
LST‑914 first engaged in combat duty with the invasion of southern FranceFrance
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...
15 August 1944. She carried Army troops and equipment from Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, 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...
and unloaded them on the beach near Cape Lardier. Shortly afterward the LST joined Training Group Command, Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
, and operated along the east and gulf coasts until early in 1945. On 10 February 1945, she departed Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
, for the Canal Zone
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
en route to duty with the Pacific Fleet. Steaming via Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
and Eniwetok, she arrived Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
25 April. For the next 4 months the ship carried men and equipment between Saipan and Okinawa, making occasional calls at Tinian
Tinian
Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. She departed Saipan 24 July and sailed for the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, operating there for the remainder of the War. LST‑914 continued to operate in the Western Pacific after the Japanese surrender. On 26 June 1946 she decommissioned and was lent to the 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...
. She was then given a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese crew and for the next 4 years transported general cargo in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
.
Korean War
With the outbreak of hostilities in KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and the consequent urgent need for ships, LST‑914 recommissioned at Yokosuka, Japan 26 August 1950 with Lieutenant R. L. Holzhaus in command. By 6 September she was steaming for the combat zone. She embarked units of the 1st Marine Division at Pusan and transported them around the peninsula for the 15 September Inchon invasion
Battle of Inchon
The Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations . The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two...
, one of the decisive amphibious assaults of history, which routed the North Korean Army
Korean People's Army
The Korean People's Army , also known as the Inmin Gun, are the military forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Jong-il is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defence Commission...
. Following Inchon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
, for which her task element was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
, the LST participated in the Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
operations and in the evacuation of Hungnam
Hungnam
Hŭngnam was the third largest city in North Korea.It is a port city on the eastern coast, in South Hamgyong Province, on the Sea of Japan . The city covers an area of 250 square kilometers...
, 10‑24 December. On 13 January she sailed for Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Japan, underwent overhaul and returned to Korea in mid‑February. She continued to support operations off the Korean coast until 1 April 1951, then departed for San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, arriving 26 May.
Post-War duty
For the next 2 years LST‑914 operated off the West coast. In June 1953, she departed San Diego for her first Bar‑Change operation, the replenishment of bases in the Arctic. She returned to that duty during the summers of 1955‑1957 and plied the waters of the Arctic OceanArctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
, operating primarily in the Beaufort Sea
Beaufort Sea
The Beaufort Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Alaska, west of Canada's Arctic islands. The sea is named after hydrographer Sir Francis Beaufort...
. En route to her 1955 Arctic deployment, LST‑914 was given the name USS Mahoning County (LST-914) in ceremonies at Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
7 July. Among the sailors on board was Fireman Richard G. Adams of Struthers, Ohio
Struthers, Ohio
Struthers is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The population was 12,036 at the 2000 census. Struthers is served by a branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :John...
, a city in Mahoning County. In addition to her Arctic cruises, the LST also participated in deployments in the western Pacific during the winters of 1954, 1956, and 1958. In 1958, the Mahoning County was awarded the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award, which is presented annually by the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
to the fleet's most battle-ready ship. Mahoning County operated out of Long Beach
Long Beach Naval Shipyard
thumb|right|300px|Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 1993The Long Beach Naval Shipyard, which closed in 1997, was located at Terminal Island between the city of Long Beach and the San Pedro district of Los Angeles and approximately 23 miles south of the Los Angeles International Airport.The Long Beach...
for the first 9 months of 1959. On 5 September she decommissioned and was sold to Zidall Explorations, Inc. of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
on 22 June 1960 for scrapping.
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
service.