USS ''Monmouth County'' (LST-1032) was an built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Monmouth County, New Jersey, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name. Originally laid down as ''LST-1032'' on 9 June 1944 by the Boston Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts; the ship was launched on 9 July 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Jennie M. Kneeland, and commissioned on 1 August 1944.

Service history

World War II, 1944–1945

Following shakedown, ''LST-1032'' departed

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

on 8 September 1944 for the west coast, arriving at San Diego on 4 October. Continuing on to Hawaii, she embarked troops there and sailed on 23 January 1945 to take part in the assault on Iwo Jima. While debarking Marines there, on 20 February, an enemy shell struck her bow, killing one marine and wounding nine. Despite this, rough seas, and stiff

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

ese opposition, she completed debarking her troops and supplies on the 22nd, and proceeded to

Saipan Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States in the western Pa ...

. She next sailed from Saipan to take part in the Okinawa invasion, arriving off that island on 1 April. Discharging her cargo and men, she departed for Saipan, returning to Okinawa on 30 May with more supplies. ''LST-1032'' then steamed to the Philippines, arriving San Pedro Bay on 15 June. Until Japan's surrender, she ferried troops and munitions among the Philippines, with two additional runs to Okinawa. She carried occupation troops to the Japanese home islands until 19 November, when she sailed for the United States, arriving San Francisco on 30 December.

Atlantic Fleet, 1946–1955

Sailing to the east coast, ''LST-1032'' anchored off Little Creek, Virginia on 15 April 1946 and joined the Amphibious Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, with which she operated for the next nine years. She joined expeditions to Greenland in 1951 and 1952, and took part in training exercises in the Caribbean. ''LST-1032'' was named USS ''Monmouth County'' (LST-1032) on 1 July 1955. The ship was decommissioned on 14 October 1955, and berthed in the Florida Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet until August 1961 when she transferred to the Philadelphia Group.

Vietnam, 1963–1970

''Monmouth County'' recommissioned on 28 May 1963 as a unit of Reserve LST Squadron 2, based at Little Creek. She was placed into full commission on 21 December 1965, participating in the occupation of the Dominican Republic. In 1966 ''Monmouth County'' sailed for

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...

. Assigned to the Service Force, Pacific Fleet, she operated between the Demilitarized Zone and the

Mekong Delta The Mekong Delta ( vi, Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long, lit=Nine Dragon River Delta or simply vi, Đồng Bằng Sông Mê Kông, lit=Mekong River Delta, label=none), also known as the Western Region ( vi, Miền Tây, links=no) or South-weste ...

, carrying foodstuffs, ammunition, and construction equipment. Following a visit to the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...

in February 1967 she returned to Vietnamese waters for three additional tours between 1968 and March 1970.

Decommissioning and sale

Decommissioned at Vallejo, California and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 12 August 1970, ex-''Monmouth County'' was sold for scrapping to

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of Portland, Oregon on 11 September 1971.

Awards

''LST-1032'' received either two (Navsource) or four (DANFS) battle stars for World War II service. USS ''Monmouth County'' earned 11 Campaign Stars for Vietnam service.

References

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