USS Ford County

USS Ford County (LST-772) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in Illinois and Kansas, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

History
United States
Name	USS LST-772
Builder	Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, Seneca, Illinois
Laid down	3 August 1944
Launched	24 October 1944
Commissioned	13 November 1944
Decommissioned	3 July 1946
Recommissioned	3 November 1950
Renamed	USS Ford County (LST-772), 1 July 1955
Stricken	19 March 1958
Honours and awards	1 battle star (World War II) 6 battle stars (Korea)
Fate	Sunk as a target ship, 19 March 1958
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light 3,640 long tons (3,698 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	130 officers and enlisted men
Complement	8–10 officers, 89–100 enlisted men
Armament	1 × single 3-inch/50-caliber gun mount 8 × 40 mm guns 12 × 20 mm guns

LST-772 was laid down on 3 August 1944 at Seneca, Illinois, by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company; launched on 24 October 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Elsie Jane Woodlief Arrington; and commissioned on 13 November 1944.

Service history

During World War II, LST-772 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto from April through June 1945. Following the war, she performed occupation duty in the Far East until early December 1945. The ship was placed out of commission, in reserve, on 3 July 1946 and assigned to the Columbia River Group of the U.S. Pacific Reserve Fleet. Recommissioned on 3 November 1950, she saw extensive service during the Korean War. On 1 July 1955 she was redesignated USS Ford County (LST-772). Ford County was destroyed as a target ship on 19 March 1958 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register that same day.

LST-772 earned one battle star for World War II service and six for Korean War service.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs
• Ford County, Illinois
• Ford County, Kansas

References

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

• "LST-772". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 14 June 2007.
• "LST-772 Ford County". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 14 June 2007.