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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Whitfield County (LST-1169)
ex
 USS LST-1169 (1954 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - November - Zulu - Echo
 NNZE
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (24 July 68, 10 June 69, 30 April 69, 18 June 69) - Presidential Unit Citation - Navy Unit Commendation (3)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (3) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Congo, 1-Laos, 6-Vietnam)
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (11) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (15) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) was transferred to Greece and rename HS Kos (L-116)
LST-1156 Terrebonne Parish Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 21 November 1952, at Christy Shipbuilding Corp., Sturgeon Bay, WI.
  • Launched, 22 August 1953
  • Commissioned USS LST-1169, 14 September 1954, LCDR. Frank S. Handler in command
  • Named USS Whitfield County (LST-1169), 1 July 1955
  • During the Vietnam War USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) served continuously in country and in contiguous waters, with the exception of overhaul periods, from mid 1965 to mid 1972 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
    Vietnam Defense
    4 and 6 to 14 July 1965
    14 to 19 August 1965
    3 to 12 September 1965
    12 to 16 November1965
    2 to 10 December 1965     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    15 July to 23 September 1968
    5 to 9 October 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    4 to 6 January 1966
    18 January to 4 February 1966
    20 February to 7 March 1966
    25 to 27 March 1966     		Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    30 November to 4 February 1969
    6 May to 6 July 1969
    8 to 10 February 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    5 to 7 and 24 to 28 September 1966
    11 to 14 October 1966
    29 November to 6 December 1966
    7 January to 27 February 1967
    15 to 24 April 1967
    29 April to 31 May 1967     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    28 December to 2 January 1971
    7 May to 25 June 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 to 3 June 1967
    17 August to 29 October 1967
    28 November to 13 December 1967     		Consolidation II Consolidation II
    1 to 29 January 1972
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 17 February 1968
    1 to 13 March 1968     		Vietnam Ceasefire
    8 July to 1 August 1972
    8 August to 17 September 1972
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    11 to 13 May 1968     		 

  • Decommissioned, 15 March 1973
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 August 1976
  • Whitfield County earned one Presidential Unit Citation, three Navy Unit Commendations, three Meritorious Unit Commendations, and eleven campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Sold to Greece, 1 March 1977, under the Security Assistance Program, renamed, HS Kos (L116)
  • HS Kos (L-116) decommissioned, 1 June 2000
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target, 24 June 2004, during the Hellenic Navy exercise "Thiela III" sunk by Penguin missiles from FACMs (Fast Attack Craft Missile) Ypoploiarchos Degiannis (P-26) and Simeoforos Starakis (P-29). Kos was also hit by torpedoes from Torpedo Boats Lailaps (P-54) and Typhon (P-56)
    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 and staff enlisted 189
    Troop Accommodations
    15 officers
    380 enlisted
    Boats
    three LCVP Armament
    three twin 3"/50 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 Source
    USS Whitfield County (LST-1169)
    Whitfield County 74k USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from Veramar Arts canvas print.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Whitfield County 16k USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) underway, date and location unknown. LST Home Port web site
    Whitfield County
    1016116924    		 290k USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) unloads elements of the Third Marine Division on the beach at Numazu, Japan, date unknown. Snow-covered Mt. Fuji looms in the background.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command catalog # L45-306.03.01    		 Mike Smolinski
    Whitfield County 208k USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) underway, circa 1966 off the coast of South Vietnam. Photo by Rich Krebs USS USS Washoe County (LST-1165)
    Whitfield County 208k USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) at anchor on the Bassac River while operating with Mobile Riverine Forces TF-117 during Operation Sea Lords in late 1968. Photo by Gerald O. (Jerry) Busic EN3 USS Garrett County
    Whitfield County 30k USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) off the coast of Vietnam, circa 1968. Photo by Tom Sparkman
    Whitfield County 21k USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) off the coast of Vietnam, circa 1968. Photo by Tom Sparkman
    HS Kos (L-116)
    Whitfield County 26k Ex-Whitfield County (LST-1169) in Greek service as HS Kos (L-116) underway, date and location unknown. LST Home Port web site
    Whitfield County 48k HS Kos (L-116) underway, date and location unknown. Joe Radigan, MACM, USN, Ret.
    Whitfield County 49k HS Kos (L-116) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    Official Hellenic Navy photo    		 Tony Vrailas
    Whitfield County 77k HS Kos (L-116) underway, date and location unknown.
    Official Hellenic Navy photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Ringgold 224k Ship's present at the Greek Salamis Naval Base, 31 August 1979 include six Greek Fletcher-class destroyers;
    HS Kimon (D-42) (ex-USS Ringgold (DD-500),
    HS Nearchos (D-65) (ex-USS Wadsworth (DD-516),
    HS Sfendoni (D-85) (ex-USS Aulick (DD-569),
    HS Aspis (D-06) (ex-USS Connor (DD-582),
    HS Lonchi (D-56) (ex-USS Hall (DD-583),
    and HS Velos (D-16) (ex-USS Charrette (DD-581).
    Also visible are the landing ships HS Nafkratoussa (L-153) (ex-USS Fort Mandan (LSD-21)
    HS Oinoussai (L-104) (ex-USS Terrell County (LST-1157), and
    HS Kos (L-116) (ex-USS Whitfield County (LST-1169).
    Photo by PHC C. Pedrick, USN. U.S. DefenseImagery photo VIRIN: photo VIRIN: DN-SC-82-00328.    		 Robert Hurst
    Whitfield County 39k Ex-HS Kos (L-116) being expended, 24 June 2004, as a target during the Hellenic Navy exercise "Thiela III". Kos was sunk by Penguin missiles from FACMs (Fast Attack Craft Missile) Ypoploiarchos Degiannis (P-26) and Simeoforos Starakis (P-29). Kos was also hit by torpedoes from Torpedo Boats Lailaps (P-54) and Typhon (P-56)
    Photos courtesy Rick Bennett    		 Paulo Soukup
    Whitfield County 77k
    Whitfield County 112k
    Whitfield County 35k HS Kos (L-116) ships plaque shows an anchor and a symbol of Hippocrates author of the Hippocratic Oath (circa 460-377 BC) who was born on the Greek island of Kos from which the ship took her name. The symbol is a combination of a drug pot and Rod of Asclepius (the demigod of medicine and healing in ancient greek mythology. The inscription on the top of the plaque is A/G Kos (A/G from the greek word Armatagogo from the words armata (tanks) and ago (carry) and means tank carrying (ship). Panagiotis Moschovitis
    USS Whitfield County Additional Ships Patches
    Whitfield County
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski    		 Whitfield County
    Contributed by Ron Reeves
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Handler, Frank Stevenson, USN14 September 1954 - September 1955
    02LCDR. Beckley, Robert Marshall, USNSeptember 1955 - February 1957
    03LCDR. Kennedy Jr., John Edward (Jack), USNFebruary 1957 - June 1958
    04LCDR. Van Keuren, Matthew Smith, USNRJune 1958 - August 1959
    05LCDR. Martin, William Carlton, USNAugust 1959 - October 1959
    06LCDR. Collins, Robert Martin, USN :RADMOctober 1959 - 15 December 1961
    07CDR. Van Keuren, Matthew Smith, USN15 December 1961 - January 1962
    08LCDR. Dietrich Jr., Henry Thornton (Beau), USN (USNA 1951)January 1962 - 18 June 1962
    10LCDR. Gillham, Richard Davison, USN29 August 1964 - 5 July 1966
    12LCDR. Asman, Robert Keith, USN5 July 1966 - February 1968
    13LCDR. Shinn, Robert Allen, USN (USNA 1956)February 1968 - 28 November 1969
    14LCDR. O'Heir, Edward Ryan, USN28 November 1969 - July 1971
    15LCDR. Walton, Don Holland, USN (USNA 1963)July 1971 - 15 March 1973
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    For more photos and information about USS Whitfield County see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • The USS LST Ship Memorial
  • LST Home Port
  • State LST Chapters
  • United States LST Association
  • History of The USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) - Mobile Riverine Force Association
  • Mobile Riverine Force Association
  • Brownwater Navy in Vietnam Web Book
  • Photos of the sinking of ex-HS Kos (L-116)
    • Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 24 December 2020