USS Calaveras County (LST-516)

USS Calaveras County (LST-516) was an LST-491-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Calaveras County, California, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

History
United States
Name:	USS LST-516
Builder:	Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, Seneca, Illinois
Laid down:	6 September 1943
Launched:	7 January 1944
Commissioned:	31 January 1944
Decommissioned:	28 February 1947
Recommissioned:	22 September 1950
Decommissioned:	21 December 1955
Renamed:	USS Calaveras County (LST-516), 1 July 1955
Stricken:	1 October 1958
Honours and awards:	1 battle star (WWII) 4 battle stars (Korea)
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:	3 LCVPs 1 Captains gig.
Troops:	Approximately 130 officers and enlisted men
Complement:	8-10 officers, 89-100 enlisted men
Armament:	1 × single 3"/50 caliber gun mount 8 × 40 mm guns 12 × 20 mm guns

LST-516 was laid down on 6 September 1943 at Seneca, Illinois, by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company; launched on 7 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. R. R. Hansen; and commissioned on 31 January 1944 with Lieutenant M. J. Miller in command.

Service history

During World War II, LST-516 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the Invasion of Normandy in June, 1944. On 28 February 1947 she was decommissioned and, as a result of hostilities in Korea, recommissioned on 22 September 1950. She served in the Korean War and took part in the following campaigns: U.N. Summer-Fall Offensive (November, 1951); Second Korean Winter (January and February, 1952); Third Korean Winter (December, 1952 and January through April, 1953); Korea, Summer 1953 (June through July, 1953). Immediately following the Korean War, she continued to serve in the Korean area until 20 September 1953. Following her Korean service, she returned to the United States. She was named USS Calaveras County (LST-516) on 1 July 1955. On 21 December 1955 the ship was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 October 1958. Her final fate is unknown.

LST-516 received one battle star for World War II service and four battle stars for Korean War service.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• "LST-516". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 7 April 2007.
• "LST-516 Calaveras County". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 7 April 2007.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs

LST-516 embarking Vietnamese refugees for their journey from Haiphong, North Vietnam to Saigon, South Vietnam during Operation Passage to Freedom, October 1954.