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 Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Wood County (LST-1178)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Oscar - Juliet NIOJ

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Expeditionary Medal (Cuba) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Dominican Republic)

LST-1171 DeSoto County Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 1 October 1956, at American Shipbuilding, Lorain, OH.

Launched, 14 December 1957

Commissioned USS Wood County (LST-1178), at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA., 5 August 1959, LCDR. Maxton M. Midgett in command

Decommissioned, 1 May 1972

Temporary custody transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the Nation Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 16 February 1989

Final Disposition, scrapped, July 2002, at Transforma Marine, Brownsville, TX.

Specifications:
Displacement 3,560 t.
Length 445'
Beam 62'
Draft 18'
Speed 17 kts.
Complement 170
Troop Capacity 410
Armament 3 twin 3"/50 gun mounts
Propulsion six Cooper-Bessemer diesel engines, replaced September 1969 with six Fairbanks Morse Diesels, two propellers

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
	76k	*USS Wood County* (LST-1178) seen marrying up with LCU 1612** and another LCU to form a causeway to the beach, date and location unknown.	CDR. Lou Chirillo, USN, Ret.
	87k	*USS Wood County* (LST-1178)** beached, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1963	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
1016117812	266k	*USS Wood County* (LST-1178) and hydrofoil patrol gunboat USS Tucumcari (PGH-2)** underway during a highline operation off Cape Henry, VA., 15 May 1971. US National Archives photo # K 88730, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives	Mike Smolinski
	8k	*USS Wood County* (LST-1178) under way in the Kiel Canal with USS Tucumcari (PGH-2)** secured to her main deck, circa March 1971 to February 1972	LST Home Port
	64k	*USS Wood County* (LST-1178) moored pierside at Copenhagen, Denmark, date unknown. Note USS Tucumcari (PGH-2)** secured to her main deck US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1971	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	366k	*USS Wood County* (LST-1178)** under way, date and location, with pontoons side mounted port and starboard. US Navy photo	Christopher E. Case, courtesy Robert G. Merritt PO3 USN USS Wood County
	487k	*USS Wood County* (LST-1178)** moored pierside at La Spezia, IT., 21 November 1971.	Photo by Carlo Martinelli
	49k	*USS Wood County* (LST-1178)** under way, date and location unknown. Varamar Arts Canvas print.	Tommy Trampp
	90k	*USS Wood County* (LST-1178)** under way, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	84k
	69k
	88k	*USS Wood County* (LST-1178)** ship's plaque	Tommy Trampp

For more photos and information about USS Wood County, see;
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
Welcome Aboard Pamphlet
The USS LST Ship Memorial
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Midgett, Maxton Murrey	5 August 1959 - 31 May 1961
02	LCDR. Klein, Peter Frederick, USN (USNA 1949)	31 May 1961 - January 1963
03	LCDR. Scoville, Jack (Black Jack)	January 1963 - 1964
04	LCDR. Beardslee Jr., Ralph Currier	26 August 1966 - ?
05	LCDR. Patella, Lawrence Michael	March 1970 - 1 May 1972


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 Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 3 April 2020