USS ''Atchison County'' (LST-60) was an that was built for the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Named for counties in

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

and

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

established in honor of

David Rice Atchison David Rice Atchison (August 11, 1807January 26, 1886) was a mid-19th-century Democratic United States Senator from Missouri. He served as president pro tempore of the United States Senate for six years. Atchison served as a major general in the ...

, a mid-nineteenth century Democratic

United States Senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...

from

, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name. ''LST-60'' was laid down on November 14, 1943 at

Neville Island Neville Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its land area consists entirely of Neville Island, which is an island on the Ohio River. The population was 1,108 at the 2020 census. History The island was forme ...

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

, Pennsylvania by the Dravo Corporation.Launched on December 24, she was sponsored by Mrs. Daniel W. Mack and placed in reduced commission on January 24, 1944 so that she might descend the

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

and

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

s under her own power to

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

, where she was placed in full commission on February 7.

Service history

The new tank landing ship held shakedown training off

Panama City, Florida Panama City is a city in and the county seat of Bay County, Florida, United States. Located along U.S. Route 98 in Florida, U.S. Highway 98 (US 98), it is the largest city between Tallahassee, Florida, Tallahassee and Pensacola, Florida, Pe ...

, from February 19 to March 4; she then returned to New Orleans for repairs and loading. She next moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, where she took additional cargo on board for transportation to the United Kingdom. After crossing the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

in convoy, LST-60 safely arrived in Falmouth, United Kingdom, on May 2. From there, she proceeded to

Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the nor ...

to load for the

Normandy invasion Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 ( D-Day) with the ...

. ''LST-60'' sailed from Southend on June 5 with Commander, Group 3, and embarked for the initial assault. Following the successful unloading of troops and cargo at

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

the next day, the ship commenced cross-channel operations, making fifty-three trips to the French mainland without mishap before being ordered back to the United States for overhaul. Escorting a convoy en route, LST-60 safely arrived in

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...

on July 1, 1945 and continued on to New Orleans for repairs. Originally scheduled to join the Pacific Fleet following overhaul, LST-60 received new orders with the end of the war on August 15. Instead, she proceeded to

Green Cove Springs, Florida Green Cove Springs is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, Florida, United States. Green Cove Springs is a part of the Jacksonville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,786 at the 2020 census, up from 6,908 at ...

for inactivation and was placed out of commission, in reserve, on June 27, 1946. The name USS ''Atchison County'' was assigned to LST-60 on July 1, 1955. In 1958, the tank landing ship was declared unfit for further naval service. Her name was struck from the

Naval Vessel Register The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...

on November 1, 1958. She was sold for commercial use and renamed ''Elmar'' in 1962 being scrapped in August 1973. LST-60 earned one

battle star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star 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 service period. T ...

for World War II service.

Gallery

Image:LST-60 and LST-30.jpg, ''LST-60'' and along with two unidentified LSTs beached at Normandy, after 6 June 1944

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:LST-0060 World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Ships built in Pittsburgh 1943 ships LST-1-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy Ships built by Dravo Corporation