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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Don Mc Grogan

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Iredell County (LST-839)
ex
 USS LST-839 (1944 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Uniform - Xray
 NHUX
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (21Feb58, 10Mar68, 18Mar70) - Presidential Unit Citation - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (9) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (18) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USS Iredell County (LST-839) was sold to Indonesia and renamed KRI Teluk Bone (511)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 25 September 1944, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 12 November 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-839, 6 December 1944, at New Orleans, LA., LT. Waldo F. McNeir, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-839 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LST Flotilla Twenty-Three, CAPT. W.W. Weeden Jr. USN;
    LST Group Sixty-Nine, CDR. H. F. Agnen USN (23);
    LST Division One Hundred Thirty-Seven and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 13 April 29 June1945

  • Following World War II, USS LST-839 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 6 to 23 September 1945
  • Decommissioned, 24 July 1946, at Vancouver, WA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Astoria, OR.
  • Named Iredell County (LST-839), 1 July 1955
  • Recommissioned, 18 June 1966, USS Iredell County (LST-839) at San Diego, CA.
  • During the Vietnam War USS Iredell County (LST-839) served continuously in country and in contiguous waters, with the exception of overhaul periods, from late 1966 to mid 1970 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
    20 October to 6 December 1966
    14 January to 28 February 1967
    6 May to 31 May 1967     		Tet/69 Counteroffensive
    18 March to 15 April 1969
    21 May to 8 June 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 to 9 June 1967
    25 July to 6 September 1967
    26 October to 28 November 1967
    20 to 29 January 1968     		Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 to 18 June 1969
    12 July to 2 August 1969
    13 to 18 August 1969
    10 September to 6 October 1969
    20 to 26 October 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 22 March 1968
    29 March to 1 April 1968     		Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    3 December 1969
    31 December 1969 to 21 March 1970
    1 to 30 April 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    2 to 29 April 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    1 to 2 May 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    5 December 1968 to 3 January 1969
    13 January to 17 February 1969     		 

  • Decommissioned, 15 July 1970 and transferred (loaned) under terms of the Security Assistance Program, to Indonesia, renamed KRI Teluk Bone (511)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, and sold outright to Indonesia in February 1979
  • USS LST-839 earned one battle star for World War II service, and as USS Iredell County (LST-839) the Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation and 9 campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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-839
    Iredell County 203k USS LST-839 launching, 12 November 1944, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 82548    		 Mike Smolinski
    Iredell County 47k USS LST-839 after launching, 12 November 1944, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
    US Navy photo    		 Tommy Trampp
    USS Iredell County (LST-839)
    Iredell County 61k USS Iredell County (LST-839) beached on the LST ramp at Danang, RVN in 1967. Arthur Schmelke USS Iredell County Jan67 to Dec68
    Iredell County 51k USS Iredell County (LST-839) beached on an LST ramp, date and location unknown. Lawrence Loth
    Iredell County 64k USS Iredell County (LST-839) at the LST dock Danang, 1968. Submitted by Pete Harlem, Courtesy Dwight Gievers
    Iredell County 45k USS Iredell County (LST-839) at the LST dock Danang, 1968. Submitted by Pete Harlem, Courtesy Dwight Gievers
    Iredell County 232k USS Iredell County (LST-839) loading supplies while on the ramp at Danang, South Vietnam, circa April 1968. Note rough terrain fork lift, with 9000 pound lift capacity.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 82551 by PH1 Don Grantham    		 Mike Smolinski
    Iredell County 267k USS Iredell County (LST-839) crew manning general quarters stations during a supply run to the de-militarized zone, Vietnam, circa April 1968. Note vehicle tie-downs and 40mm guns.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 82552 by PH1 Don Grantham    		 Mike Smolinski
    Iredell County 201k Barge Seattle and SS U.S. Mate (ex- USS Shoshone (AKA-65) alongside USS Iredell County (LST-839) probably off Vietnam, circa 1968.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 82553 by PH1 Don Grantham    		 Mike Smolinski
    Iredell County 74k USS Iredell County (LST-839) on the Cua Viet ramp in 1968. Bill Towart CS3 US Iredell County January 1967 - November 1968
    Iredell County 39k USS Iredell County (LST-839) underway outbound to sea from San Diego Bay, date unknown.
    US Navy photo from Veramar Arts Canvas Prints     		Tommy Trampp
    Iredell County 258k USS Iredell County (LST-839) underway,location unknown, circa 1960s.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 82549    		 Mike Smolinski
    Iredell County 356k USS Iredell County (LST-839) underway,location unknown, circa 1960s.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 82550    		 Mike Smolinski
    KRI Teluk Bone (511)
    Iredell County
    1016083914    		 88k Ex- USS Iredell County (LST-839) underway as the Indonesian Navy's KRI Teluk Bone (511), date and location unknown.
    Asia Pacific Defense Journal    		 Edison Sy
    Iredell County
    1016083915    		 63k KRI Teluk Bone (511) [ex-USS Iredell County (LST-839)] and KRI Teluk Amboina (503) beached on a ramp, 3 May 2013, location unknown.
    Photo courtesy of Indonesian Navy    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Iredell County (LST-839)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    History of USS Iredell County (LST-839) - Mobile Riverine Force Association
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. McNeir, Waldo Forest, USNR6 December 1944 - 2 November 1945
    02LT. Linfoot, Benjamin Samuel, USNR2 November 1945 - 22 January 1946
    03LT. Smith, Hubert G., USNR22 January 1946 - 14 February 1946
    04LTjg. Niedringhaus III, Henry F., USNR14 February 1946 - June 1946
    05LTjg. McAuley, Kenneth J., USNRJune 1946 - 24 July 1946
     Decommissioned24 July 1946 - 18 June 1966
    06LT. Hagedorn, Edwin Charles, USNOctober 1966 - December 1967
    07LT. Danielson, Harvey, USNDecember 1967 - 7 November 1969
    08LT. Whitney, Gary Everett, USN7 November 1969 - 21 February 1970
    09LT. McKnight, Lawrence Lyndon, USN21 February 1970 - 1 April 1970
    10LCDR. Neese, John Frederick, USN1 April 1970 - 15 July 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
    Brownwater Navy in Vietnam Web Book
    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 5 April 2024