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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Park County (LST-1077)
ex
USS LST-1077 (1945 - 1955)


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Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (1 November 1968) - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Korean Service Medal (5) - Vietnam Service Medal (10) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal



USS Park County was transferred to Mexico and renamed ARM Rio Panuco (LST-401)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 21 March 1945, at Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, MA.
  • Launched, 18 April 1945
  • Commissioned, USS LST-1077, 8 May 1945, LT. Isthmael W. Matthews USN in command
  • During World War II USS LST-1077 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS LST-1077 was assigned to Occupation service for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    8 September to 1 October 1945
    15 October to 30 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 31 July 1946, at Astoria, OR.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group
  • Recommissioned, 6 September 1950
  • During the Korean War USS LST-1077 participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Communist China Aggression
    17 to 24 January 1951
    Second Korean Winter
    21 March to 5 April 1952
    13 to 30 April 52
    First UN Counter Offensive
    25 January to 20 March 1951
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    1 to 3 May 1952
    7 to 26 June 1952
    13 August 1952
    13 to 22 September 1952
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    28 April to 17 May 1951
     
  • Decommissioned, 12 May 1955, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Bremerton, WA.
  • Named USS Park County (LST-1077) 1 July 1955
  • Recommissioned, 9 April 1966, at Portland, OR.
  • During the Vietnam War USS Park County (LST-1077) served continuously in country and in contiguous waters, with the exception of overhaul periods, from late 1966 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 II
    29 August to 2 September 1966
    18 September to 12 October 1966
    1 November to 7 December 1966
    31 January 1967 to 7 March 1967
    31 May 1967
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VI
    2 to 26 November 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III
    1 to 19 June 1967
    4 to 23 January 1968
    25 to 29 February 1968
    Vietnam Summer=Fall 1969
    18 to 23 June 1969
    13 July to 1 August 1969
    14 to 18 August 1969
    18 to 31 October 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 1 April 1968
    Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    1 to 10 and 22 to 29 November 1969
    23 February to 2 March 1970
    19 to 24 March 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV
    2 to 12 April 1968
    4 to 30 June 1968
    Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    1 to 8 May 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V
    1 to 3 July 1968
    31 July to 25 September 1968
    22 October to 1 November 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VII
    8 August to 2 October 1970
    26 October to 1 November 1970
    1 to 29 January 1971
    27 February to 4 April 1971
    8 May to 29 June 1971
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 April 1978
  • USS LST-1077 five earned battle stars for Korean War service and as USS Park County (LST-1077) earned ten campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Sold under the Security Assistance Act to Mexico, 1 July 1978, renamed ARM Rio Panuco (LST-401)
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target by the Mexican navy in 2010
    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-1077
    Park County 300k USS LST-1077 launching, 18 April 1945, at Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, MA.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Catalog # 2014.58, from the Dana Osterndorf Collection
    Mike Green
    Park County
    1016107717
    92k LST-1077 departing the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, MA. for trials under escort by tugboat Venus on her aft starboard side while another tug at right leads the ship. Photo appears to have been taken near Peddocks island. perhaps by Hull Gut. Date on back of photo 19 April 1945.
    U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo, number unknown from FLICKR, Hingham Historical Society
    John Spivey
    Park County 82k USS LST-1077 moored pierside, location unknown. Photos probably taken soon after recommissioning in September 1950. The ship's hull is in need of repainting. Phil Broaddus in honor of his father ENS. James A. Broaddus LST-1077, 1950-51
    Park County 106k
    Park County 78k USS LST-1077 having her hull repainted, circa September 1950, location unknown. Phil Broaddus in honor of his father ENS. James A. Broaddus LST-1077, 1950-51
    Park County 137k USS LST-1077 at anchor, probably in San Diego Bay, circa late 1950-early 1951. Phil Broaddus in honor of his father ENS. James A. Broaddus LST-1077, 1950-51
    Park County 87k USS LST-1077 crew launching causeway pontoon, date and location unknown. Phil Broaddus in honor of his father ENS. James A. Broaddus LST-1077, 1950-51
    Park County 109k
    Park County 83k USS LST-1077 underway, while enroute to the Far East, circa late 1950 - early 1951. Phil Broaddus in honor of his father ENS. James A. Broaddus LST-1077, 1950-51
    Park County 66k USS LST-1077 beached in either South Korea, of Japan, circa late 1950 - early 1951. Phil Broaddus in honor of his father ENS. James A. Broaddus LST-1077, 1950-51
    Park County 84k USS LST-1077 unidentified crew members, circa late 1950 - early 1951. Phil Broaddus in honor of his father ENS. James A. Broaddus LST-1077, 1950-51
    USS Park County (LST-1077)
    Park County 122k USS Park County (LST-1077) outbound to sea from San Diego, date unknown.
    US Navy photo.
    Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Park County 67k USS Park County (LST-1077) moored pierside at Naval Station Guam, circa January-March 1968. Alan Sandoval
    Litchfield County
    1016090117
    (NH 69284)
    174k USS Park County (LST-1077) (right) and USS Litchfield County (LST-901) (left) unloading supplies in Vietnam, circa 1968.
    US Naval History and Heritage Commandy photo # NH 69284
    Mike Smolinski
    Park County
    1016107715
    (NH 69297)
    407k USS Park County (LST-1077) underway, location unknown, circa 1968.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo #'s NH 69297 and NH 69296
    Mike Smolinski
    Park County
    1016107716
    (NH 69296)
    459k
    Park County 94k USS Park County (LST-1077) Memorabilia, ashtray. Tommy Trampp
    ARM Rio Panuco (LST-401)
    Park County 33k Ex-USS Park County (LST-1077) in Mexican naval service as ARM Rio Panuco (LST-401), moored pierside, date and location unknown. Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.

    USS LST-1077 / USS Park County (LST-1077)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    History of USS Park County (LST-1077) - Mobile Riverine Force Association
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Matthews, Isthmael Worth, USN8 May 1945 - 31 July 1946
     Decommissioned31 July 1946 - 6 September 1950
    02LT. Metz, Peter W.1952
     Decommissioned12 May 1955 - 9 April 1966
    03LT. Dobrosky, John9 April 1966 - July 1968
    04LCDR. Lane Jr., Glynn Quinton, USNJuly 1968 - June 1970
    05LCDR. Davis Jr., Thomas Cahill, USNJune 1970 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    LST Home Port
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 8 March 2024