Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Joe Radigan

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Washtenaw County (MSS-2)
ex
USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166) (1955 - 1973)
USS LST-1166 (1953 - 1955)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Lima - Xray NFLX

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (14MAR68) - Presidential Unit Citation (2) - Navy Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (4) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Quemoy-Matsu, Laos, Vietnam
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (15) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (15) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

LST-1156 Terrebonne Parish Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 29 November 1951, at Christy Shipbuilding Corp., Sturgeon Bay, WI.

Launched, 22 November 1952

Commissioned USS LST-1166, 29 October 1953, at Naval Station, New Orleans, LA., LCDR. Mack D. Ellis in command

Named USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166), 1 July 1955

During the Vietnam War USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166) served continuously in country and in contiguous waters, with the exception of overhaul periods, from early 1965 to late 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.)

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 18 June 1962 21 to 30 March 1965 15 to 17 April 1965 4 to 9 May 1965 22 to 25 May 1965	Vietnam Counteroffensive-Phase VI 2 November to 5 December 1968 1 to 22 February 1969
Vietnam Defense 7 to 14 July 1965 14 to 18 August 1965 3 to 12 September 1965 12 to 22 November 1965 24 November to 6 December 1965	Tet 69/ Counteroffensive 23 to 27 February 1969
Vietnam Counteroffensive 4 to 10 January 1966 21 to 25 June 1966	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 2 to 23 September 1969 17 to 22 October 1969
Vietnam Counteroffensive-Phase II 10 to 21 July 1966 27 July to 3 August 1966 11 to 15 August 1966 4 tot 9 September 1966 25 to 30 October 1966 4 to 7 November 1966 31 December 1966 to 21 January 1967 4 to 20 April 1967	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 22 to 24 November 1969 24 February to 1 March 1970
Vietnam Counteroffensive-Phase III 9 to 11 and 23 to 18 July 1967 3 to 14 and 25 to 31 October 1967 12 November to 8 December 1967 15 to 29 January 1968	Sanctuary Counteroffensive 20 to 24 May 1970
Tet Counteroffensive 30 January to 29 March 1968	Vietnam Counteroffensive-Phase VII 7 to 10 September 1970 21 February to 10 April 1971
Vietnam Counteroffensive-Phase IV 15 to 30 June 1968	Consolidation I 1 August 1971 19 October to 30 November 1971
Vietnam Counteroffensive-Phase V 24 October to 1 November 1968	Consolidation II 1 to 5 December 1971

Converted to a Special Minesweeper Ship and redesignated USS Washtenaw (MSS-2), 9 February 1973

Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 30 August 1973

USS Washtenaw County earned two Presidential Unit Citations, two Navy Unit Commendations, four Meritorious Unit Commendations, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with 15 campaign stars for Vietnam service

Merchant Service

Sold in 1973 to an unknown company, renamed MV Al Manhal 1

Resold in 1980 to Cooperative de Transportadores Centroamericanos R.L., Panama, converted to a ro-ro vessel (384 x 55 x17 x 2319 gross - 806 net) and renamed MV El Centroamericano

Arrived in tow at Portland, OR, in October 1980, with mechanical troubles. Still there on January 19, 1984, when engine room flooded

Sold to J.A. Leites & Associates, Inc., Portland, OR.

Was undergoing restoration at Astoria, OR., by volunteers of the Amphibious Forces Memorial Museum/LST 1166 Partners, when completed she will be the center piece of their museum

Current Disposition, appears to be abandoned on the Columbia River, fate undetermined

Specifications:
Displacement 2,590 t (lt), 5,800 t.(fl)
Length 384'
Beam 55'
Draft 17'
Speed 14 kts.

Complement

ships company and staff officers 16

ships company enlisted 189

Troop Accommodations

15 officers

380 enlisted

Boats

three LCVP

one LCPL

Armament

three twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

five single 20mm AA gun mounts

Propulsion

four GM 16-278A Diesel engines, 6000shp

two controllable pitch propellers

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By / Source
USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166)
	70k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166) (foreground) and USS Washoe County (LST-1165)** (background) beached at Pohang, South Korea during Operation "Seven Seas", circa late July-early August 1962. Photo by Dan Liker.	Dennis A. Steenbergen EN3 USS Washoe County 1966-1968, Courtesy Dan Liker
	121k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** beached at Pohang, South Korea during Operation "Seven Seas", circa late July-early August 1962.	Photo by PFC Dan Liker, A-Troop, 2nd Recon Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division
	43k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166) and USS Westchester County (LST-1167)** at Naha, Okinawa in 1962, preparing to load for duty in the Republic of the Philippines.	Gary Ottmar
10161120 NH 103691	367k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** offloading vehicles onto a pontoon causeway, off Chu Lai, South Vietnam during the initial landing in May 1965. Marine Corps F-4 Phantoms and A-4 Skyhawks began flying air strikes against North Vietnam 1 June from an 8000 foot long aluminum air strip at Chu Lai, South Vietnam. Construction on the new air base, located on Dangquat Bay, about 60 miles south east of Da Nang, began May 8 after some 6000 Marines and Seabees made an amphibious landing from U.S. Navy ships. The air field, scheduled to be fully completed the last of June, is being built from inter locking aluminum and steel mats. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 103691 and Catalog # UA 78.02.01.	Mike Smolinski
1016116629 UA 78.02.01	589k		Mike Smolinski
	57k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** at Subic Bay, 27 June 1966	© Richard Leonhardt
	194k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166) and USS Washoe County (LST-1165)** moored at Naha, Okinawa, circa 1966.	Photo by Rich Krebs USS USS Washoe County (LST-1165)
1016116621	292k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** supporting US and South Vietnamese combat troops moving ashore during "Operation Deckhouse V" in the Mekong Delta, circa 6 to 15 January 1967. Two US Marine Corps amphibious tractors are moving along the beach in the foreground, with a UH-1 Iroquois helicopter approaching at right. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 103692.	Mike Smolinski
1016116622	335k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166) supporting US and South Vietnamese combat operations during "Operation Deckhouse V" in the Mekong Delta, circa 6 to 15 January 1967. Note the US Marine Corps. Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse helicopters from USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2)** approaching the beachhead. US Navy photo # USN 1142248 by JOC R.D. Moeser.	Mike Smolinski
	255k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, March 1968	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	47k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** at anchor, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1968	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
1016116628	88k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** off Chu Lai, South Vietnam, circa 1965-68.	Photo by LT. Lew Watters USS Washoe County
	60k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** in the Mekong Delta, circa 1968.	Robert Coombs Brown Water LST Web Site
1016116618 K-78101	378k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** moored in Subic Bay, Philippines, 4 October 1969. US Navy photo #'s K-78101 and K-78102 from the collections of the US Navy History and Heritage Command	Mike Smolinski
1016116619 K-78102	395k		Mike Smolinski
1016116630	155k	US Navy Chaplain Ted Edwards leads the Easter Sunrise Service aboard *USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** on station, South China Sea, circa 1960s US Navy History and Heritage Command photo # NH 103694	Mike Smolinski
	51k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** at anchor in South Vietnamese waters, date unknown. Photo courtesy Rick Bennett	Paulo Soukup
	19k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166), alongside USS Pitkin County (LST-1082)**	© Jim Stack
	179k	From left to right; *USS Washoe County* (LST-1165), USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166) and USS Windham County (LST-1170)** moored at Naval Station Yokosuka, Japan, January 1970.	Bob Morrison EN2 USS Washoe County
	52k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** off the coast of South Vietnam, circa 1971.	Photo by James Godesky USS Washtenaw County
	36k	*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)**, date and location unknown.	Robert Coombs Brown Water LST Web Site
	32k	Damage to *USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** as a result of collision with SS Kota Selatan, Hong Kong, 1970	Sources, South China Morning Post & Greg Pierceall Contributed by Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
	25k	Damage to *USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** as a result of collision with SS Kota Selatan, Hong Kong, 1970	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
	51k	Damage to *USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166) as a result of collision with SS Kota Selatan**, Hong Kong, 1970	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
USS Washtenaw County (MSS-2)
1016116605	289k	*USS Washtenaw County* (MSS-2) underway in Haiphong harbor, North Vietnam in June 1973. By running the channel to Haiphong Washtenaw County** verified that all US mines in the shipping channel to Haiphong had been cleared. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 103693	Mike Smolinski
1016116615	313k	*USS Washtenaw County* (MSS-2) underway in Haiphong harbor, North Vietnam in June 1973. By running the channel to Haiphong Washtenaw County** verified that all US mines in the shipping channel to Haiphong had been cleared. US Naval Historya and Heritage Command photo # NH 711573.	Mike Smolinski
Ex-USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166)
	32k	Ex-*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** at Portland, Oregon, 1998	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
	72k	Ex-*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** undergoing restoration at Astoria, OR., 2005	Erik Martin, Webmaster, Amphibious Forces Memorial Museum
	79k	An AP Wirephoto of Ex-*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** moored along the Columbia River near St. Helens, Oregon in June, 2012. The ship is a 'vessel of concern' as State of Washington and State of Oregon officials are worried that the ship could leak or sink. This could lead to the possibility of oil or other wastes leaking into and polluting the river.	Mike Green
	376k	Ex-*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** moored along the Columbia River about 4 miles west of Rainier Oregon on the mainland Oregon shore, 21 June 2016.	Photos by Harvey Golden
	358k		Photos by Harvey Golden
1016116631	241k	Ex-*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** moored along the Columbia River near Rainier, OR., 8 October 2017. Photo by Eric Prado	Robert Hurst
1016116632	255k	Ex-*USS Washtenaw County* (LST-1166)** moored along the Columbia River, 23 August 2023.	Photo by John Easterling

USS Washtenaw County Additional Ships Patches Contributed by Mike Smolinski

For more photos, videos and information about LSTs and USS Washtenaw County see;
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
History of USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166) - Mobile Riverine Force Association
The USS LST Ship Memorial
Mobile Riverine Forces Association
USS Washtenaw memorial video by City of Ann Arbor, Michigan
Brownwater Navy in Vietnam Web Book
Amphibious Forces Memorial Museum
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association
Ex-USS Washtenaw video of abandoned hulk by Hernando Antonio Correa Torres

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Ellis, Mack Donald	29 October 1953 - 7 July 1955
02	LCDR. Harvey, Alan B., USNR	7 July 1955 - 14 June 1957
03	LCDR. Dimes Jr., Joe	14 June 1957 - 15 January 1958
04	LCDR. Lassiter Jr., A. C., USN	15 January 1958 - 25 July 1959
05	LCDR. Fox Jr., Francis Marion.	25 July 1959 - 16 July 1960
06	LCDR. Ellis, Edmund Henry, USN (USNA 1946)	16 July 1960 - 12 September 1962
07	LCDR. Wolford, Richard Stephen, USN (USNA 1949)	12 September 1962 - May 1964
08	LCDR. Woodyard, Jon Charles	May 1964 - 22 April 1966
09	LCDR. Dillon, Alfred John, USN	22 April 1966 - 7 April 1968
10	LCDR. Burpo, James Harvey	7 April 1968 - 24 June 1969
11	LCDR. Smallwood, Roger Clinton	24 June 1969 - 12 August 1970
12	LCDR. Clark, Frank Elwood	12 August 1970 - 7 September 1972
13	LCDR. Kunz, James Charles	7 September 1972 - 30 August 1973


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index

Back To The Mine Warfare Ship Type Index

Back To The Special Minesweeper Index

Back To The Tank Landing Ship Photo (LST) Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 15 March 2024

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Washtenaw County (MSS-2)ex USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166) (1955 - 1973) USS LST-1166 (1953 - 1955)

USS Washtenaw County (MSS-2)
ex
USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166) (1955 - 1973)
USS LST-1166 (1953 - 1955)