USS Cayuga County

Summary

USS Cayuga County (LST-529) was an LST-491-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Cayuga County, New York.

LST-529
USS Cayuga County (LST-529) underway, date and place unknown. Official U.S. Navy photo distributed to the crew c. 1958 while assigned to the Mariana Trust Territory and homeported in Guam.
History
United States
NameUSS LST-529, later USS Cayuga County
NamesakeCayuga County, New York
BuilderJeffersonville Boat and Machine Company, Jeffersonville, Indiana
Laid down8 November 1943
Launched17 January 1944
Commissioned29 February 1944
Decommissioned7 June 1946
Recommissioned22 September 1950
Decommissioned17 December 1963
RenamedUSS Cayuga County (LST-529), 1 July 1955
Honours and
awards
FateTransferred to the Republic of Vietnam, 17 December 1963
Ensign of South VietnamSouth Vietnam
NameThi Nai (HQ-502)
Acquired17 December 1963
FateEscaped to the Philippines, April 1975
Ensign of the PhilippinesPhilippines
NameBPR Cotabato Del Sur (LT-87)
Commissioned17 November 1975
FateScrapped, 2003
General characteristics
Class and typeLST-491-class tank landing ship
Displacement
  • 1,780 long tons (1,809 t) light
  • 3,640 long tons (3,698 t) full
Length328 ft (100 m)
Beam50 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
Propulsion2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried
2 LCVPs
TroopsApproximately 140 officers and enlisted men
Complement8-10 officers, 100-115 enlisted men
Armament

LST-529 was laid down on 8 November 1943 at Jeffersonville, Indiana by the Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company; launched on 17 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Margaret S. Carey; and commissioned on 29 February 1944.

Service history edit

During the European theatre of World War II, LST-529 participated in the Invasion of Normandy in June 1944. On 7 June 1946, 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 (July and August 1951); the Second Korean Winter (December 1951 through March 1952); and the Korea, Summer 1953 (June and July 1953). Immediately following the Korean War, she continued to serve in the Korean area until July 1954. Following her Korean service, she returned to the United States.

She was named USS Cayuga County (LST-529) on 1 July 1955 and was assigned as a logistic support ship for the Mariana and Bonin Islands in the late 1950s, remaining there until decommissioned and transferred to the Republic of Vietnam on 17 December 1963, when she was renamed Thi Nai (HQ-502). Following the fall of Saigon on 29 April 1975 Thi Nai escaped to the Philippines. Transferred to the Philippine Navy 17 November 1975 she was renamed BPR Cotabato Del Sur (LT-87). The ship was scrapped in 2003.

LST-529 earned one battle star for World War II service and three battle stars for Korean War service.

See also edit

References edit

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

  • "LST-529". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 11 May 2007.
  • "LST-529 Cayuga County". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 11 May 2007.