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N7KTP > NAVNET 04.07.04 16:35l 76 Lines 4364 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 64645_N7WE
Read: GUEST OE5TUN
Subj: USS MADERA COUNTRY (LST-905)
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Sent: 040702/0159Z @:N7WE.#WWA.WA.USA.NA #:64645 [Bremerton] $:64645_N7WE
From: N7KTP@N7WE.#WWA.WA.USA.NA
To : NAVNET@USA
'Gator Freighter' Madera County served heavily in Vietnamese waters
By FRED MILES WATSON - Managing Editor - Northwest Navigator
The tank landing ship USS Madera County (LST-905) was built by the
Dravo Corp. of Pittsburgh and was commissioned Jan. 20, 1945.
She displaced 1,625-tons and was 328 feet in length. Top speed was
12 knots with a draft of a little more than 14 feet. Ship's company
numbered 119 and troop accommodations allowed for 130 officers and
enlisted.
Armament consisted of eight 40mm and twelve 20mm antiaircraft
gunmounts. The LST-511 class ship's propulsion came from two General
Motors 12-567 diesel engines coupled to two shafts and twin rudders.
After commissioning, the ship was fitted out at New Orleans and
then underwent brief training exercises along the gulf coast In
February 1945, she departed for the Pacific, arriving the next month at
Pearl Harbor. Following further training, she departed Hawaii April 16
for the Marianas. By mid-May she was at Guam where she joined a convoy
then gathermg to get underway for Okinawa. She arrived at Okinawa Gunto
June 8, remaining until the 28th.
She continued to operate in the western Pacific, shuttling cargo
and passengers among the island groups until returning to the United
States in 1946. On Sept. 11, 1946, she was deactivated and assigned to
the Pacific Reserve Fleet. While still inactive, the LST was given the
name Madera County on July 1, 1955.
On March 30, 1963, Madera County recommissioned, retaining her
reserve status. With a crew of volunteers from the Pacific Fleet’s
Amphibious Force, she underwent shakedown training at San Diego and
then began preparations for a voyage to a new home port at the Naval
Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Va. She then came under the control of
the Commander, Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Her mission as part of this
fleet was to be able to support, on short notice, any military opera-
tion in the Atlantic-Caribbean area. The next year and a half was spent
on extensive amphibious training exercises intertwined with shipyard
work to insure readiness.
On March 22, 1965, she proceeded to Cape Kennedy, Fla., to standby
during the recovery phase of the first manned Gemini shot. On April 27,
the ship again departed Little Creek for southern waters, this time
transporting equipment to Puerto Rico. The next day the Dominican
Republic crisis arose, and upon delivery of her Cargo at Roosevelt
Roads, Puerto Rico, she headed for San Juan where she went on four-hour
standby duty. In May, she made one trip to Little Creek, returning to
the Caribbean within two weeks with Army units aboard. On June 8, she
debarked these units at Puerta de Andres, Dominican Republic, and
loaded other Army units for a voyage back to the East Coast. She
returned to Little Creek June 15, but before the end of the year
completed three more Caribbean deployments. On Dec. 11, the LST was
assigned active status and then underwent an overhaul in preparation
for extended sea duty.
Ordered to the western Pacific, Madera County steamed out of
Hampton Roads Feb. 11, 1966 en route to the Philippines. She entered
Subic Bay on May 1, and the next week commenced logistic support of
Vietnamese operations. During the ensuing months, she transported
ammunition and construction materials to the Republic of Vietnam, off-
loading at ports such as Qui Nhon, Da Nang, Chu Lai, and Nha Trang. She
also called at ports in the Philippines, on Taiwan and in Japan. Upkeep
and maintenance periods were held at Sasebo during July and December
1966.
Following her December overhaul, Madera County returned to Subic
Bay and subsequently her support of combat operations in South Vietnam,
continuing this role through 1969.
On Nov. 29, 1969 she was decommissioned and transferred to the
Philippines on a lease and renamed Ilocos Norte (LT -87) and later
renumbered to LT -98. The LST was stricken from the U.S. Naval Vessel
Register on Sept. 15, 1979 and sold to the Philippines on March 1,
1980. She served there until stricken by the Philippine Navy in 1992.
LST -905 was awarded one battle star for World War II service.
As Madera County (LST -905) she was awarded nine battle stars for
her Vietnam service.
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