Name USS LST-1138 Sponsored by Mrs. Hattie R. Fox Struck 1 February 1961 Launched 5 April 1945 Builder Seneca | Laid down 6 January 1945 Commissioned 24 April 1945 Construction started 6 January 1945 Length 100 m | |
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Renamed USS Steuben County (LST-1138), 1 July 1955 | ||
The USS Steuben County (LST-1138) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in Indiana, and New York, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
Service history
Completed too late for service in World War II, LST-1138 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early January 1946. After post-war operations with the Pacific Fleet, LST-1138 saw extensive service during the Korean War, including the 1950 amphibious assault at Inchon, and a Korean prisoner exchange in 1953. She earned five battle starts for her service. During various cruises across the Pacific, she ranged as far north as Barrow, Alaska, and as far south as Taka Atoll in the Marshall Islands. On 1 July 1955, she was renamed Steuben County (LST-1138) (q.v.) after counties in Indiana and New York. She was struck from the Navy List on 1 February 1961 and sold to Zidell Explorations, Inc., Portland, Oregon, on 11 August 1961. Zidell had by that time expanded from shipbreaking into building barges with steel recovered from decommissioned ships, including Steuben County.