The USS LST-1158 was constructed by the Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, Maine; the keel being laid on 16 June 1952. She was launched on 11 April 1953, sponsored and christened by Mrs. Joseph A. Callaghan - wife of the Chief of Staff of the First Naval District. LST-1158 was commissioned on 20 June 1953 under the command of Lieutenant Commander Charles R. Patton and to the end of 1953, operated with the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet.
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Her first beaching took place near Little Creek, Virginia on 22 September 1953. January 1954 was spent enroute to her new home port San Diego, California, via the Panama Canal, which she transited on 15 January 1954. Upon arrival in San Diego, she joined the Amphibious Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. (Map) On 1 October 1954 Landing Ship Squadron THREE was formed consisting of the following ships: Tioga County as the flagship; Holmes County; Outagamie County; Polk County; Russell County; Saline County; San Joaquin County; Snohomish County; and Steuben County. Squadron 3 was known as the 'You Call, We Haul' squadron. The remainder of 1954 and early 1955 were spent in local operations, including a cruise to Hawaii.
(Map)
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Saturday 2 July 1955 was a monumental day in the history of the ship when she was re-christened USS TIOGA COUNTY after counties in both New York and Pennsylvania. In January 1957, after a year of local operations, TIOGA COUNTY deployed, for the first time, to the Western Pacific to take her place as a unit of the United States forces for peace in the Far East. In August 1957 while off the coast of Okinawa, Landing Ship Squadron 3 encountered Typhoon Agnes. TIOGA took a beating for over 12 hours facing 160-knot winds and 60-foot sea waves.
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Upon her return to CONUS, TIOGA underwent a regularly scheduled overhaul. After completing the post overhaul refresher training, she left for Hawaii, returning to San Diego for the remainder of 1958. In October 1959, TIOGA again deployed to Westpac, where she visited such ports as Iwakuni and Kagashima in Japan; Subic Bay and Manilla in the Philippines; and Hong Kong. While enroute from the Philippines to Yokosuka, Japan, TIOGA COUNTY went to the aid of a stricken Taiwanese fishing craft on 2 February 1960. Bucking gale-force winds and 17-foot seas, TIOGA passed lines to the foundering craft and drew her alongside. The ship's crew passed life jackets down to the fishermen and brought them up via a Jacob's ladder, including one of the nine who had injured his leg.
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Following her return to the West Coast from the second Westpac deployment, the ship resumed local operations out of San Diego, then
after a yard overhaul and refresher training she participated in Operation Green Light, the largest amphibious exercise held on the West Coast in several years. In July 1961 she was awarded her second consecutive Battle Efficiency "E" Award, Engineering Red "E", Communications Green "C", and the Amphibious Assault Award.
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August 1961 saw the TIOGA deployed for a three month cruise north of the Alaskan waters in the Aleutian Islands. While there she rounded the western most land in the 49th state. On one occasion off Attu Island, she battled gales with winds up to 80-knots. On 1 December 1961 TIOGA returned to her home port of San Diego, California where she was presented a certificate of excellence by Vice Admiral Howard A. Yeager, Commander Amphibious Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet for her outstanding work in support of the United Fund Campaign for which her crew raised $1158 for the second consecutive year.
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After a brief period of leave and upkeep the TIOGA again set out for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 18 January 1962 for a three month combined Army-Navy operation in the islands before returning to San Diego on 5 May 1962. During the remainder of the summer months TIOGA COUNTY took part in local operations including MARLEX 62 and PACNARMIDLEX 62. In July 1962 she was awarded the Amphibious Assault Award for the second consecutive year.
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On 10 September 1962, TIOGA COUNTY proceeded to Long Beach, California to commence her regularly scheduled overhaul. In October the ship returned to San Siego with an altered silhouette marked most conspicouously by a new tripod mast. During January through March 1963 TIOGA COUNTY completed refresher and amphibious training. From mid-April until early June the ship conducted operations in the Hawaiian area. TIOGA COUNTY was again awarded the Battle Efficiency "E" in July 1963 upon her return to home port in San Diego.
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During the month of August 1963, the ship took part in MARLEX 63 and PACNARMIDLEX 63. In these exercises, midshipmen were acquainted with the workings of various ships of the U.S. Navy. It is here that they received the opportunity to apply the lessons that they were taught in school. On 16 September 1963 the ship deployed to take her part in Operation Merit Badge off the coast of Southern California.
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On 20 March 1964 the TIOGA deployed to Hawaii where she took part in Operation West Wind. In May she returned to Southern California to take part in Operation Pine Tree. On 15 June 1964 the ship again journeyed to Southern California to take part in the Pacific Amphibious Training of Midshipmen. The remainder of the summer was devoted to maintenance of the ship and providing training services for the U.S. Naval Amphibious School.
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On 28 September 1964 the TIOGA proceeded to Long Beach for her regularly scheduled yard overhaul. While in overhaul, TIOGA's crew more than matched her hull number in dollars contributed to the United Fund for a fifth consecutive year. The ship returned to San Diego to spend the Christmas Holidays. TIOGA COUNTY earned the Amphibious Assault Award to date from 1 October 1964 to October 1965 which she presently displays with pride.
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On 4 January 1965 the TIOGA celebrated the New Year by beginning two months of extensive refresher and amphibious training, capped by her participation in exercise Silver Lace; in which she demonstrated her extreme versatility and efficiency. The ship returned to San Diego for upkeep and maintenance in March with all hands satisfied that she was ready to handle any amphibious evolution. On 3 May 1965 the ship was selected for Project Sea Sparrow. She was commended by the Raytheon Corporation for her part in the development of the missile system. TIOGA returned to San Diego 18 June 1965.
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On 16 July 1965 TIOGA COUNTY deployed to Mid-Pac to support COMSERVPAC. During her tour, she carried elements of the 25th Armored and Infantry Division to the Island of Hawaii for annual training. Scheduled to return to San Diego on 16 December 1965, TIOGA COUNTY deployed instead to Westpac in January 1966 for her third Westpac deployment. TIOGA became a member of the intercoastal support and logistics force for our troops in Vietnam.
(Map)
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Arriving at Subic Bay enroute to Vietnamese waters, she loaded barbed wire, chewing gum, aircraft parts, men, equipment and machinery, and got underway for Danang in mid-January 1966. After delivering her cargo, she embarked troops and served as a combat taxi for the Army 101st Airborne Division, making troop and vehicle lifts between Phan Rang and Tuy Hoa and carrying up to 1,000 troops each time. During this deployment, the TIOGA COUNTY carried over 20,000 tons of cargo.
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After shifting briefly to Subic Bay for a dry-docking for repair of her screws, TIOGA COUNTY soon returned to Vietnamese waters to take part in Operation Double Eagle off Quang Ngai province, commanded by the commander of the Seventh Fleet Amphibious Ready Group (4RG), Captain William J. Maddocks. She made numerous beachings to load troops and cargo. For her particpation in this operation she earned her third ribbon, the Vietnam Service Ribbon, which she carries with justifiable pride.
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Following the logistics support evolution, the TIOGA COUNTY returned to San Diego - via Hong Kong; Yokosuka, Japan; and Pearl Harbor - and reached San Diego on 14 May 1966, where she commenced a well deserved period of leave and upkeep. On 18 June 1966 she particpated in Operation Silver Point I, an operation designed to simulate operations in Vietnam. Experience gained from her recent deployment, enabled TIOGA to better carry out her function of primary control ship. On 22 June 1966 the TIOGA COUNTY once again in San Diego providing services for the U.S. Naval Amphibious School and ready for any operation, deployment, or leave period that may be assigned.
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TIOGA COUNTY conducted local operations along the West Coast until 2 March 1967 when she got underway for her fourth Westpac deployment. Proceeding via Pearl Harbor, Guam, and Subic Bay, TIOGA arrived at Danang on 28 April 1967 with 43 vehicles and other cargo. Following a run to Okinawa, TIOGA COUNTY returned to Vietnam and became the first LST of her class to participate in duty with the Mobile Riverine Assault Force. Arriving at Vung Tau on 6 June 1967, the ship loaded 30,000 cases of C rations; 700 tons of Army ammunition, and 350 tons of miscellaneous cargo. She transited the Song Cua Thieu to the 9th Infantry's advanced base at Dong Tam and took on board 369 men of B and C companies of the 3d Battalion, 9th Infantry.
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Under the aegis commander of River Flotilla 1, TIOGA COUNTY served in the Rung Sat Special Zone of the Mekong Delta region, supporting search-and-destroy missions against Viet Cong (VC) troops. She acted as a Mekong Hilton to the men who were based on board and served as a mobile ammunition and supply depot. In addition, she accompanied the rest of the riverine force up the Song Soirap to Nha Be for close support of both artillery and infantry combat operations.
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Difficulty with the ship's generators forced her back to Subic Bay for repairs before she returned to Vietnamese waters in late July 1967. She then joined Amphibious Ready Group Alfa off the coast of Viet Nam near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Here she participated in Operation Beacon Gate, Operation Beacon Guide, and Operation Beacon Point. During this period, in addition to logistics support operations, TIOGA COUNTY conducted her first combat landing as her LCVP's put a Marine landing team ashore on the coastal region of Quang Ngai province - a known VC stronghold near the DMZ - with the initial landing wave.
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Detached from this duty on 6 September 1967, TIOGA COUNTY sailed for the United States, steamed via Yokosuka and Pearl Harbor, and arrived back at her homeport on Navy Day, 27 October 1967. TIOGA COUNTY conducted local operations and training out of San Diego into 1968 before she conducted her fifth and final Westpac deployment from 5 January to 7 July 1968.
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Decommissioned on 23 December 1970, TIOGA COUNTY was placed in reserve at San Diego with the inactive fleet. Activated in mid-1972 for service with the Military Sealift Command, TIOGA COUNTY was designated T-LST-1158 and operated as such until she was transferred to the Maritime Administration in 1973 to be laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet. Struck from the Navy list on 1 November 1973, the former tank landing ship is in the Maritime Administration custody at Suisun Bay into 1978.
Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 17 December 1992.
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TIOGA COUNTY received three battle stars for Vietnam service. |
Ship History 
NAVY JOKE
