USS Bulloch County (LST-509)

USS Bulloch County (LST-509) was an LST-491-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Bulloch County, Georgia, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

LST-509 entering NAB Little Creek, Norfolk, Virginia in the spring of 1951
History
United States
Name: USS LST-509
Builder: Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company, Jeffersonville, Indiana
Laid down: 7 October 1943
Launched: 23 November 1943
Commissioned: 20 January 1944
Decommissioned: 8 April 1970
Renamed: USS Bulloch County (LST-509), 1 July 1955
Honours and
awards:		 1 battle star
Fate: Leased to the Republic of Vietnam, 1970
South Vietnam
Name: Qui Nhon (HQ-504)
Acquired: 8 April 1970
Fate: Transferred to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Name: HQ-505
Acquired: 1976
Honours and
awards:		 Hero of the People's Armed Forces
Fate: sunk after 1988
General characteristics
Class and type: LST-491-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
Depth:
  • 8 ft (2.4 m) forward
  • 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) aft (full load)
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: Approximately 130 officers and enlisted men
Complement: 8-10 officers, 89-100 enlisted men
Armament:

LST-509 was laid down on 7 October 1943 at Jeffersonville, Indiana by the Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company; launched on 23 November 1943; sponsored by Lieutenant (j.g.) Dorothy L. Nims, USCG(W); and commissioned on 20 January 1944 with Lieutenant J. B. Malcom, USNR, in command.

During World War II, LST-509 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the Invasion of Normandy in June, 1944. Following the war, LST-509 returned to the United States and was redesignated USS Bulloch County (LST-509) on 1 July 1955.

She was recommissioned in 1966 and served in the Vietnam War until she was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Navy in April 1970.

She was used primarily for provisioning forward coastal and river US Marine bases such as Tân Mỹ Base (now Thuan An) and Cửa Việt Base located in I Corps and bases further south such as Vung Tau, Cam Ranh Bay and Nha Trang.

Other duties included coastal picket and resupply duty during Operation Market Time in which she resupplied and provided off-patrol berthing for Patrol Craft Fast crews interdicting Viet Cong communication and supply routes.

The starboard screw and rudder were once damaged by a floating mine in the Cua Viet River. She continued operations on one screw until another could be fitted at Da Nang. She suffered serious enough storm damage during a typhoon during a voyage to Okinawa in 1969, to require emergency repairs while beached and more complete repairs in a graving dock at Sasebo, Japan.

On 8 April 1970, the ship was decommissioned and leased to the Republic of Vietnam under the Security Assistance Program for service as Qui Nhon (HQ-504). After 1975, she served in the Vietnam People's Navy with new registration as HQ-505.

In 1988 she was heavily damaged in the Johnson South Reef Skirmish by the Chinese frigate Yingtan. The Vietnam People's Navy, in an effort to save her, tried to bring her to Cam Ranh Bay for repair but she sank south of Great Discovery Reef in the Spratly Islands area. The ship and her crew were granted the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces.

LST-509 earned one battle star for World War II service.

See also

References
    • This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
    • "Bulloch County". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
    • "LST-509 Bulloch County". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 6 April 2007.


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