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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Left patch contributed by Tommy Trampp, right patch by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Garrett County (AGP-786)
ex
 USS Garrett County (LST-786) (1955 - 1970)
 USS LST-786 (1944 - 1955)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Xray - Tango
 NGXT

USS LST-786 was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II, and USS Garrett County (AGP-786) by the US Navy during the Vietnam War
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon - (29 March 1968, 23 January 1969)
Second Row - Presidential Unit Citation - Navy Unit Commendation (2) - China Service Medal (extended)
Third Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Fourth Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal (8)
Fifth Row - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (9) - Philippines Liberation Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USS Garrett County (AGP-786) was transferred to South Vietnam, renamed RVNS Can Tho (HQ 801) and later acquired by the Philippines, renamed BPR Kalinga Apayao (LT 516)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 21 May 1944, at Dravo Corp., Neville Island, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Launched, 22 July 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-786, 28 August 1944, LT. Eli T Ringler USCG, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-786 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LST Flotilla Twenty-Nine:
     LST Group Eighty-Five:
     LST Division One Hundred Seventy and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 8 to 29 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS LST-786 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 September to 17 December 19452 September to 17 December 1945

  • Decommissioned, 9 July 1946, at Astoria, OR.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group
  • Named USS Garrett County (LST-786), 1 July 1955
  • Recommissioned, 15 October 1966, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, LT. James C. Kunz USN in command
  • Redesignated a Patrol Craft Tender, (AGP-786), date unknown
  • During the Vietnam War USS Garrett County (AGP-786) served continuously in country and in contiguous waters, with the exception of overhaul periods, from late 1967 to early 1971 participating in the following campaigns. (Dates listed do not include underway transit times within the contiguous waters along the Vietnam coast as defined by the US Navy and so specified by the Vietnam Service Medal.)

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    29 November 1967 to 29 January 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    2 November to 2 December 1968
    23 January 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January 1968 to 1 April 1968     		Tet/69 Counteroffensive
    28 February to 8 June 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    2 April to 30 June 1968     		Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 June to 11 August 1969
    7 September 1969
    31 December 1969 to 21 February 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    1 July to 1 November 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    1 September 1970
    5 to 30 November 1970
    31 December 1970 to 2 February 1971

  • Decommissioned, and transferred to South Vietnam, 23 April 1971, renamed RVNS Can Tho (HQ 801)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS Garrett County earned two battle stars for World War II service as LST-786 and the Presidential Unit Citation, two Navy Unit Commendations, and eight campaign stars for Vietnam War service as AGP-786
  • Escaped to the Philippines with the fall of South Vietnamese government
  • Custody transferred to the Republic of the Philippines, renamed BPR Kalinga Apayao (LT 516)
  • Current Disposition, in service in Philippine Navy
    LST Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t. (beaching displacement)
    Length 328' o.a.
    Beam 50'
    Draft
    light 2' 4" fwd, 7' 6" aft
    sea-going 8' 3" fwd, 14' 1" aft
    landing 3' 11" fwd, 9' 10" aft (landing w/500 ton load)
    limiting 11' 2"
    maximum navigation 14' 1"
    Speed 11.6 kts. (trial)
    Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
    Complement
    13 officers
    104 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    16 officers
    147 enlisted
    Boats 2 LCVP
    Cargo Capacity (varied with mission - payloads between 1600 and 1900 tons)
    Typical loads
    One Landing Craft Tank (LCT), tanks, wheeled and tracked vehicles, artillery, construction equipment and military supplies. A ramp or elevator forward allowed vehicles access to tank deck from main deck
    Additional capacity included sectional pontoons carried on each side of vessel amidships, to either build Rhino Barges or use as causeways. Married to the bow ramp, the causeways would enabled payloads to be delivered ashore from deeper water or where a beachhead would not allow the vessel to be grounded forward after ballasting
    Armament (varied with availability when each vessel was outfitted. Retro-fitting was accomplished throughout WWII. The ultimate armament design for United States vessels was
    2 - Twin 40MM gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    4 - Single 40MM gun mounts
    12 single 20MM gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 4,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A, 900hp Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    three Diesel-drive 100Kw 230V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 1,700shp
    twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS LST-786
    Garrett County 150k USS LST-786 launching, 22 July 1944, at Dravo Corp., Neville Island, Pittsburgh, PA. Darryl Baker
    USS Garrett County (LST-786)
    Garrett County 155k USS Garrett County (LST-786) underway, date and location unknown. Darryl Baker
    Garrett County 93k USS Garrett County (LST-786) passing under the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge in San Francisco Bay, 20 August 1966, probably during acceptance trials prior to recommissioning. Garrett County was activated by SUPSHIP San Francisco and moved to Mare Island for commissioning. Darryl Baker
    Garrett County 69k The invocation during the commissioning ceremonies for USS Garrett County (LST 786) at Mare Island, 15 October 1966. From left to right are: LT James C. Kunz (Commanding Officer), Capt. L, V. Forde (OIC, Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance, Vallejo), LCDR C. H. Pitts, CHC and LTjg. Jason M. Pilalas (Executive Officer).
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 74899-10-66, 10/15/66.    		 Darryl Baker
    USS Garrett County (AGP-786)
    Garrett County 55k USS Garrett County (AGP-786) entering the harbor at Apra, Guam, date unknown Alan Sandoval
    Garrett County 69k
    Garrett County
    1016078634    		 325k USS Garrett County (AGP-786) lays at anchor on the Co Chien River in June 1968. Garrett County was serving as a Game Warden support base for PBRs, with a HAL-3 detachment aboard.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # K-51442 (colorized)    		 Chin Yu Chu
    Garrett County 2900k USS Garrett County (AGP-786) anchored in the Mekong Delta, South Vietnam with PBRs alongside, Fall 1968. Photos by Gerald O. Busic EN3 USS Garrett County 6/68 - 5/69
    Garrett County 2742k
    Garrett County 68k USS Garrett County (AGP-786) anchored in the Mekong Delta, South Vietnam, 1969. Doug McWhorter
    Garrett County 53k USS Garrett County (AGP-786) anchored in the Mekong Delta, South Vietnam, 1969. On her deck are two Navy Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three HAL-3 Seawolves UH-1B Huey gunships from the squadrons Det Four or Six assigned to Garrett County. Doug McWhorter
    Garrett County 117k USS Garrett County (AGP-786) at anchor in the Mekong Delta, South Vietnam , date unknown. On her deck are two Navy Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three HAL-3 Seawolves UH-1B Huey gunships from the squadrons Det Four or Six assigned to Garrett County. Pete Harlem and Robert Hurst
    Garrett County 55k
    RVNS Can Tho (HQ 801)
    Garrett County 64k Ex-USS Garrett County (LST-786) in South Vietnam service as RVNS Can Tho (HQ 801) moored at Saigon, South Vietnam, date unknown. Tommy Trampp
    BPR Kalinga Apayao (LT 516)
    Garrett County 9k Ex-USS Garrett County (LST-786)/ ex-South Vietnamese RVNS Can Tho (HQ 801) seen here in Philippine service as BRP Kalinga Apayao (LT 516), date and location unknown.
    Philippine Navy photo    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Garrett County 166k BRP Kalinga Apayao (LT 516) at A.G.& P.Shipyard, Bauan, Batangas in 1988. Edison Sy
    Commanding
    01LT. Ringler, Eli T. USCG28 August 1944 - 7 March 1946
    02LTjg. Myers, Fred C. USCG 7 March 1946 - 15 May 1946
    03ENS. Garvey, John B. USCG 15 May 1946 - 19 May 1946
    04LTjg. Driscoll, Dean, USCG 19 May 1946 - 9 July 1946
     Decommissioned9 July 1946 - 15 October 1966
    05LT. Kunz, James Charles USN 15 October 1966 - 10 June 1968
    06LCDR. Shelton, James Weber10 June 1968 - 31 May 1969
    07LCDR. McCall, John R.31 May 1969 - 8 April 1970
    08LCDR. Brown, John William, USN8 April 1970 - 23 April 1971
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Gerald O. Busic

    For more photos and information about USS Garrett County, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • Recommissioning Program
  • The USS LST Ship Memorial
  • Mobile Riverine Force Association
  • History of USS Garrett County (LST-786) - Mobile Riverine Force Association
  • Brownwater Navy in Vietnam Web Book
  • LST Home Port
  • State LST Chapters
  • United States LST Association
  • Patrol Gunboat Reunion Association
    • Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 26 June 2020