USS LST-761

USS Esmeraldo County (LST-761) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after an erroneous spelling of Esmeralda County, Nevada, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

History
United States
Name	USS LST-761
Builder	American Bridge Company, Ambridge, Pennsylvania
Laid down	18 June 1944
Launched	7 August 1944
Commissioned	2 September 1944
Decommissioned	16 July 1946
Renamed	USS Esmeraldo County (LST-761), 1 July 1955
Honours and awards	1 battle star (World War II)
Fate	Sunk as a target, 1959
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"/50 caliber gun mount 8 × 40 mm guns 12 × 20 mm guns

LST-761 was laid down on 18 June 1944 at Ambridge, Pennsylvania by the American Bridge Company; launched on 7 August 1944; sponsored by Mrs. H. A. Brainerd; and commissioned on 2 September 1944.

Service history

During World War II, LST-761 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the assault and occupation of Iwo Jima in February and March, 1945. The Coast Guard crew was removed in March, 1946 and the ship was assigned to the Columbia River Group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet; she was decommissioned on 16 July 1946. On 1 July 1955 the ship was named USS Esmeraldo County (LST-761). Esmeraldo County was sunk as a target in 1959.

LST-761 earned one battle star for World War II service.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs

References

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

• "LST-761". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 13 June 2007.
• "LST-761 Esmeraldo County". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 13 June 2007.

LST-761 and LST-969 moored at pier side at San Diego, California on 4 October 1945.