USS LST-759

USS Eddy County (LST-759) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in New Mexico and North Dakota, she was the only U.S. naval vessel to bear the name.

LST-759 in San Francisco Bay, c. 1945–1946
History
United States
Name	USS LST-759
Builder	American Bridge Company, Ambridge, Pennsylvania
Laid down	11 June 1944
Launched	29 July 1944
Commissioned	25 August 1944
Decommissioned	29 March 1946
Renamed	USS Eddy County (LST-759), 1 July 1955
Stricken	1 October 1958
Honours and awards	1 battle star (World War II)
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded : 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Loaded : 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
Propulsion	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	2 LCVPs
Troops	16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement	7 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament	1 × single 3-inch/50-caliber gun mount 8 × 40 mm guns 12 × 20 mm guns

LST-759 was laid down on 11 June 1944 at Ambridge, Pennsylvania by the American Bridge Company; launched on 29 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Norman Buckle Obbard; and commissioned on 25 August 1944.

Service history

During World War II, LST-759 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in April 1945. She was decommissioned on 29 March 1946.

On 1 July 1955 the ship was redesignated USS Eddy County (LST-759). The tank landing ship was berthed at the Columbia River Group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet until struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 October 1958. Her final fate is unknown.

LST-759 earned one battle star for World War II service.

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• "LST-759". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 14 June 2007.
• "LST-759 Eddy County". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 14 June 2007.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs
• Eddy County, New Mexico
• Eddy County, North Dakota