USS Sumner County (LST-1148)

USS Sumner County on 17 May 1968
History
United States
Name	LST-1148
Builder	Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca
Laid down	15 February 1945
Launched	22 May 1945
Sponsored by	Mrs Helen M. Fay
Commissioned	9 June 1945
Decommissioned	11 May 1946
Recommissioned	3 October 1950
Renamed	Sumner County
Namesake	Sumner County
Decommissioned	9 October 1969
Stricken	15 September 1974
Identification	Callsign: NKHC[1] Pennant number: LST-1148
Fate	Scrapped, 2004
Badge
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	8 × 40 mm guns 12 × 20 mm guns

USS Sumner County (LST-1148) was a LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Coast Guard during World War II.^[2]

Construction and commissioning[]

LST-1148 was laid down on 15 February 1945 at Chicago Bridge and Iron Company, Seneca, Illinois. Launched on 22 May 1945 and commissioned on 9 June 1945.^[3]

During World War II, LST-1148 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater. She was assigned to occupation and China in the Far East from 17 October to 12 December 1945.

She was decommissioned on 11 May 1946 to be mothballed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet Columbia river.^[2]

During the start of the Korean War, she was recommissioned on 3 October 1950 and participated in the Communist China Spring Offensive on 27 April 1951 and from 4 to 5 September and 21 September to 2 October 1951. She took part also in the from 11 to 12 January 1952. In conclusion, she participated in the from 7 to 17 May 1953, 18 to 19 June and 26 to 27 July 1953.

On 1 July 1955, she was given the name Sumner County (LST-1148).

As the United States joined the Vietnam War, she joined the from 7 to 24 September 1965, from 10 to 22 June 1966, Tet Counteroffensive from 12 March to 1 April 1968, from 17 July to 26 September and 20 to 30 October 1966, from 25 April to 13 June 1966 and lastly, the from 2 to July and 9 August to 6 September 1968.

She was decommissioned on 9 October 1969 at Orange, Texas and mothballed at the Atlantic Reserve Fleet Orange struck from the Naval Register on 15 September 1974.^[3]

On 1 August 1975, she was sold and used by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) to Frank Ganter, Newport, used as a barge until February 2004 when the ship had become derelict and was scrapped.

Awards[]

LST-1148 have earned the following awards:

• Combat Action Ribbon (25 June 1968)
• Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
• National Defense Service Medal (2 battle stars)
• Korean Service Medal (4 battle stars)
• Vietnam Service Medal (6 battle stars)
• United Nations Service Medal
• Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (5 battle stars)
• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
• Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

References[]

• United States. Dept. of the Treasury (1962). Treasury Decisions Under the Customs, Internal Revenue, Industrial Alcohol, Narcotic and Other Laws, Volume 97. U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Moore, Capt. John (1984). Jane's Fighting Ships 1984-85. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710607959.
• Saunders, Stephen (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710628886.
• Fairplay International Shipping Journal Volume 222. United Kingdom: Fairplay Publishing Limited. 1967.