USS ''LST-849'' was an in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. Late in her U.S. Navy career, she was renamed ''Johnson County'' (LST-849)—after counties in Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming—but never saw active service under that name. ''LST-849'' was laid down on 10 November 1944 at

Ambridge, Pennsylvania Ambridge is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. Incorporated in 1905 as a company town by the American Bridge Company, Ambridge is located 16 miles (25 km) northwest of Pittsburgh, along the Ohio River. The population wa ...

, by the American Bridge Co.; launched on 30 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. William B. Hetzel; and commissioned on 16 January 1945. During World War II, ''LST-849'' was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the assault and occupation of

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

Gunto in May and June 1945. Following the war, ''LST-849'' performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-September 1945. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 13 June 1946 and assigned to the

Pacific Reserve Fleet The United States Navy maintains a number of its ships as part of a reserve fleet, often called the "Mothball Fleet". While the details of the maintenance activity have changed several times, the basics are constant: keep the ships afloat and ...

. While berthed in the Columbia River with the

, she was named ''Johnson County'' 1 July 1955, after counties in 12 states. Under provisions of the Military Assistance Program, she was transferred to the

Republic of Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its ea ...

January 1959, and served the ROK navy as Wi Bong (LST-812). ''LST-849'' earned one

battle star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star inch (4.8 mm) in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or ser ...

for World War II service.

ROKS ''Wi Bong''

The ship was transferred to the Republic of Korea on 22 December 1958, and renamed ROKS ''Wi Bong'' (LST-812).According t
globalsecurity.org
the Korean name of the ship is ''Weebong''. She was later redesignated LST-676. The ship participated in 16 combat missions in Vietnam. On 31 December 2006 LST-676 was retired from active service in the Korean Navy. On 25 December 2007

Gunsan Gunsan (), also romanized as Kunsan, is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is on the south bank of the Geum River just upstream from its exit into the Yellow Sea. It has emerged as a high-tech manufacturing industrial city and an i ...

city signed a contract with the Korean Navy to move the ship to Jinpo Maritime Park () to serve as an educational landmark.

References

External links

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globalsecurity.org: LST 671 Un Bong LST
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lst-0849 LST-542-class tank landing ships Ships built in Ambridge, Pennsylvania 1944 ships World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Ships transferred from the United States Navy to the Republic of Korea Navy Museum ships in South Korea