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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Luzerne County (LST-902)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Quebec - Yankee
NJQY

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (4-Vietnam) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)- Korean Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Dominican Republic) - Vietnam Service Medal (10) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (7)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

542-Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 5 November 1944, at Dravo Corp., Pittsburgh, PA.

Launched, 16 December 1944

Commissioned USS LST 902, 15 January 1945 at Algiers, LA., LT. Everett J. Bondesen in command

Decommissioned, 3 August 1946, at Portland, OR.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Astoria, OR.

Recommissioned, 16 June 1952, at Astoria, OR., LT. William J. Martin in command

During the Korean War USS LST-902 participated in the following campaigns:

**Korean War Campaigns**
Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 17 October 1952 13 to 14 December 1952	Third Korean Winter 11 to 14 February 1953

Named USS Luzerne County (LST-902), 1 July 1955

Decommissioned, 30 November 1955, at Astoria, OR.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet

Recommissioned, 15 April 1963

During the Vietnam War USS Luzerne County (LST-902) participated in the following campaigns:

**Vietnam War Campaigns**
Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase II 14 July to 5 August 1966 21 to 25 August 1966 15 to 18 September 1966 27 October to 5 November 1966 17 to 28 November 1966 12 to 26 January 1967 3 February to 20 April 1967	Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase VI 2 November 1968 to 4 January 1969
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase III 3 June to 9 October 1967 14 November 1967 to 29 January 1968	Tet/69 Counteroffensive 16 May to 8 June 1969
Tet Counteroffensive 30 January to 17 March 1968	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 9 June to 3 August 1969 19 September to 31 October 1969
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase IV 6 April to 18 May 1968	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 1 November to 31 December 1969
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase V 11 September to 1 November 1968	Consolidation II 15 February 1972

Decommissioned (date unknown)

Struck from the Naval Register, 12 August 1970

Final Disposition, fate unknown

LST-902 earned two battle stars for Korean War service and as Luzerne County earned ten campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Specifications:
Displacement 1,625 t.(lt), 4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
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)
Speed 12 kts. (maximum)
Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
Complement

7 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
Propulsion two General Motors 12-567, 900hp diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
130k	USSLuzerne County (LST-902) underway on the Mekong River, Vietnam, 1968	Photo by CDR.Tom Sparkman USNR Ret.
71k	*USS Luzerne County* (LST-902)** beached at Vung Tau, Vietnam, date unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine October 1969	Joe Radiagan MACM USN Ret.
127k	USS Luzerne County (LST-902) and the Royal Australian Army LSM Clive Steele (AV-1356) (ex- USS LSM-547 and an unidentified LST beached at a ramp in South Vietnam, circa 1969.	Dave Perham

View the USS Luzerne County (LST-902)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site

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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 22 February 2008