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USS Outagamie County (LST-1073)
Encyclopedia
USS Outagamie County (LST-1073) was an in 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...
. Unlike many of her class, which received only numbers and were disposed of after World War II, she survived long enough to be named. On 1 July 1955, all LSTs still in commission were named for US counties or parishes; LST-1073 was given the name Outagamie County, after Outagamie County, Wisconsin
Outagamie County, Wisconsin
Outagamie is a county in the northeast region of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Its county seat is Appleton. As of the 2009 census estimate, its population was 177,155....
.
LST-1073 was laid down on 20 February 1945 at 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...
, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc.; launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 22 March 1945; and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 17 April 1945.
World War II Service
At New YorkNew 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...
LST-1073 loaded cargo consisting of three LCM
Landing Craft Mechanized
The Landing Craft Mechanized or Landing Craft Mechanical was a landing craft designed for carrying vehicles. They came to prominence during the Second World War when they were used to land troops or tanks during Allied amphibious assaults....
s on the main deck and mortar shells and smoke pots in the tank deck, and, on 4 June 1945, departed for islands in the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
by way of the Panama Canal
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...
, arriving at 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...
on 7 July. From Pearl Harbor she went to Eniwetok, 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...
, 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...
, back to Saipan and then on to Nagasaki, Japan, arriving 24 September.
From September 1945 to January 1946, LST–1073 operated between various ports in Japan and 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...
. She departed Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
on 17 January for San Francisco, stopping en route at Guam and Pearl Harbor, and arrived at San Francisco 27 February. On 5 August she decommissioned and was put into the Reserve Fleet at Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
.
Korean War
After Communist forces invaded South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, LST–1073 was towed from Astoria to Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
, on 10 October 1950 for reactivation and recommissioned 3 November 1950, Lt. Comdr. B. F. Poduska in command.
On 11 February LST–1073 departed Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
on her second tour of duty in the western Pacific, arriving at Yokosuka, Japan, 23 March 1951. On this tour she visited various ports including 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...
and Sasebo
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
, Japan; and Pusan, Kojo Do, and Inchon, Korea. On 4 April 1951 she transported Army Signal Corps units from Camp McGill, Japan, to Inchon, Korea. During May and June LST–1073 helped to carry 17,366 prisoners of war from Pusan to Koje Do. On 29 October LST–1073 departed from Yokosuka, Japan, for San Diego, California.
LST–1073's third tour of duty in the western Pacific began 3 January 1953 when she departed fro San Diego en route to Japan. After brief stops in Yokosuka, Kobe, and Sasebo; she proceeded on to Inchon for west coast island resupply work. She took part in the Marine landing exercises at Inchon from April to June and spent June and July redeploying the 187th Regimental Airborne Combat Team and the 24th Infantry Division from Japan to Korea. In August the ship assisted in the evacuation of Cho Do Island, Korea, and in Operation Big Switch
Operation Big Switch
Operation Big Switch was the repatriation of all remaining prisoners of the Korean War. Ceasefire talks had been going on between Communist and UN forces since 1951, with one of the main stumbling blocks being the Communist insistence that all prisoners be returned home, with the UN insisting that...
transporting North Korean POWs between various Korean ports. On 23 October the ship departed from Yokosuka, Japan, for a return voyage to San Diego.
During the next decade, the landing ship operated on the West Coast and made four West Pacific deployments. She was named Outagamie County on 1 July 1955.
Vietnam War
In early 1963 she conducted oceanographic survey operations in mid-Pacific. In March 1964 Outagamie County transported troops between OahuOahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
and training areas on Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
itself. During a four month tour to Adak
Adak, Alaska
Adak , formerly Adak Station, is a city in the Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 326. It is the westernmost municipality in the United States and the southernmost city in Alaska. The city is the former location of the Adak Army Base and Adak...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, in mid 1965, the ship aided a large freighter, Liberian
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
ship Hadjitsakas, which had run aground on a small island in the Aleutians.
In late January 1966 Outagamie County arrived at Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
to begin nine weeks of intra-coastal logistic operations. After an upkeep period at Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
, Philippine Islands, the ship returned to her coastal shuttle runs. The ship returned to San Diego 9 September. The rest of 1966 and the first half of 1967 was spent operating off the West Coast of the United States.
Outagamie County departed from San Diego 9 June 1967 and steamed via Subic Bay to Vietnam, arriving at Saigon on 26 July. For the next four months she shuttled troops and supplies between Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam, and returned to San Diego 21 December. Operating on the West Coast until departing San Diego on 1 November 1968, the veteran landing ship returned to the war zone late in the year and supported allied operations until arriving at Guam on 18 April 1969.
From 1969 until 1971 the Outagamie County made numerous trips to Da Nang, Chu Lai, Cua Viet, An Thoi, and Ha Tien, South Vietnam. There were other landings made by the Outagamie County in Vietnam, but they were only numbers on the map. She and/or the crew received the Joint Service Commendation with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Combat Action Ribbon
Combat Action Ribbon
The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...
with 3 gold stars, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Presidential Unit Citation with 3 stars, 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...
, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with 1 star, Navy "E" Ribbon, Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during...
with 8 battle stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
The Vietnam Campaign Medal is a military recognition awarded by the Republic of Vietnam, , to any member of the United States, Australian, New Zealand and allied military forces serving six months or more in support of Republic of Vietnam military operations.Established in 1966, the decoration is...
, RVN Navy Gallantry Cross, RVN Special Service Medal, RVN Gallantry Cross with Palm, RVN Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, RVN Honor Medal, RVN Training Service Medal, RVN Presidential Unit Citation, RVN Civil Action Unit Citation, Korean Defense Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
for operation Golden Dragon in Pohang, Korea in 1970 where she sunk two North Korean boats. Also, in 1970 the Outagamie County received the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for aiding in the volcano disaster. Several members of the crew from 1969 until 1971 received individual awards including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, RVN Gallantry Cross, RVN Civil Actions Medal, and RVN Armed Forces Honor Medal. The communications department received the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
for being the support for SOPA Admin in Hong Kong. Other ports of call were Hong Kong, China, Okinawa, Osaka, and Sasebo, Japan, all the Mariana Islands (Guam chain), Yap, Carolina Islands, Subic Bay, Philippines, Midway Island, Hawaii, Miramar, and San Diego, Acapulco Mexico, Panama City Panama, and through the Panama Canal, and the final stop at Orange, Texas.
Outagamie County was decommissioned in Feb 1971 at INACT SHIP FAC in Orange, Texas and transferred to the Brazilian Navy
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
in May 1971 where she saw service as NAel Garcia D'Avilla (G-28) along the Amazon River
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
. The tank landing ship was struck from the US Navy List on 1 December 1973.
LST-1073 earned six battle stars for the Korean War
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...
and eight battle stars for the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Also, 3 stars for the Combat Action Ribbon
Combat Action Ribbon
The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...
during the 1969 to 1971 campaigns.
NAeL Garcia D'Avilla
In December 1973, Outagamie County was sold to BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
where she served as NAeL Garcia D'Avilla (G-28). She was taken out of service in 1990 and sold for scrapping.