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| Snohomish County LST 1126 Circla 1965 with painted Helicopter landing area and onboard crane for fast loading and unloading of supplies from the the tank deck area as well as the main deck. Likely enroute to or from Vietnam during another WESPAC tour of duty. |
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| USS Snohomish County in Vietnam 1965 - 1967 Vietnam Service ..... The ship made one of the first LST beachings at CuaViet in March 1967 off loading troops and AMTRAKS This landing was filmed by one national TV network, but I've not been able to find it in any archives ........ yet. This wasn't the first landing in Vietnam as the Snohomish County delivered VMFA 531 (a Marine unit) to Tien Sha Ramp, Da Nang Vietnam in April 1965. |
| 1965 The Snohomish County began it's first Vietnam operations in March 1965 delivering Marine troops and materials from Yokosuka, Japan to Tien Sha Ramp, Da Nang, Vietnam. Once in the waters of Vietnam, the ship performed many functions, such as Coastal Surveilllance and Patroling. While performing these tasks the ship performed the refueling of mine sweepers, and charting small coves. Having performed assigned tasks of the primary mission of patrol and surveillance, the Snohomish County was assigned as a support ship for Coast Guard Division 12. This began by escorting eight 82' foot Coast Guard crafts from Subic Bay, Phillipines to Da Nang, Vietnam. A shipmate of the Snohomish County, Vernon Shope, (see photo below) told of the refueling and maintenance required, plus the breakdown of one of the crafts and it having to be towed the rest of the way to Vietnam.This tour with Coast Guard Divison 12 lasted about thirty days until the ship was releived of this capacity. The ship concluded this Wespac tour by going to Subic Bay, Phillipines and undergoing upkeep before beginning her long trip home to the United States on August 28, 1965. She had proven her versitility, abilities, and capabilities during this long hard tour. It would not be the last Wespac tour.. |
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| Vietnam Vets Left? Right D'Amico |
| George Eagan (1954-56) Vernon Shope (Vietnam) Las Vegas Reunion 2004 |
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| No competition on who always had the largest mouth. |
1966 CHRONOLOGY OF OUTSTANDING BEACHING EVENTS DATE LOCATION BEACH 2/14 Naha, Okinawa LST Ramp 2/25 Chu Lai, Vietnam Cus Ho Liberty Ramp 3/8 Subic Bay, Philippines Nav Mag New Ramp 3/10 Subic Bay, Philippines Nav Mag MT Ramp 3/15 Chu Lai, Vietnam Cus Ho Liberty Ramp 3/17 Da Nang, Vietnam Museum Ramp 3/20 Chu Lai, Vietnam Cus Ho Liberty Ramp 3/23 Da Nang, Vietnam Tien Sha Ramp 3/25 Chu Lai, Vietnam Cus Ho Liberty Ramp 3/26 Da Nang, Vietnam Museum Ramp 3/30 Chu Lai, Vietnam Cus Ho Liberty Ramp 4/2 Da Nang, Vietnam Tien Sha Sand 4/3 Da Nang, Vietnam Tien Sha Sand 4/6 Da Nang, Vietnam Tien Sha Sand 4/7 Chu Lai., Vietnam Cue Ho Liberty Ramp 4/9 Da Nang, Vietnam Tien Sha Sand 4/11 Chu Lai, Vietnam Cue Ho Liberty Ramp 4/13 Da Nang, Vietnam Museum Ramp 4/15 Chu Lai., Vietnam Cue Ho Liberty Ramp 4/17 Da Nang, Vietnam Tien Sha Concrete 4/20 Chu Lai, Vietnam Cue Ho Liberty Ramp 4/22 Da Nang Vietnam Museum Ramp 4/25 Chu Lai, Vietnam Cus Ho Liberty Ramp 4/28 Da Nang, Vietnam Tien Sha Concrete 5/1 Chu Lai, Vietnam Cue Ho Liberty Ramp 5/4 Cha Lai, Vietnam Cue Ho Liberty Ramp 5/16 Saigon, Vietnam "G" LST Ramp 5/20 Qui Nhon, Vietnam North LST Ramp 6/9 Da Nang, Vietnam Tien Sha Sand 6/24 Naha, Okinawa LST Ramp 7/2 Da Nang, Vietnam Red Beach Causeway 11/1 Del Mar, California Boat Basin Red Beach/ Red 12/2 Coronado, Silver Beach Causeway, Strand California |
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| With the Snohomish County making so many landings during the year of 1966 you might expect it went around with it's bow doors open from port to port rather than closing them. That is an impressive schedule of landings in many un-familiar and unusual places. Here it is in one of it's many landings, this one in Taiwan. |
| Hello San Miguel
By Roger Akester FTG3 (1967-1969) In March of 1967 I found myself at Treasure Island Naval Station being processed for assignment to the Pacific Fleet. Of course there were thousands of us going thru the same processing, each day guys were undergoing testing, shots, work details, etc. Finally my orders were given, I was assigned to LST 1126, USS Snohomish County. No one new anything about her, they thought she was somewhere in the western pacific. All I knew was that at a certain time and place I was to board a bus with sea bag and orders. I continued inquiring, but about all I could learn was the nicknames for LST’s, Last Ship There, and Low Slow Target, for a couple of them. I boarded the bus and was on my way to Travis AFB, still not exactly sure where I was headed. Once there, I checked in, showed my paperwork and the person working there looked everything over, then asked to see my shot card. While at Treasure Island, I was kind of curious as to why most of the sailors were getting a lot more shots than I did. Anyway, once I produce the shot card I received “DAMN” as a response. I was promptly directed down a hallway, thru a door and outside to a trailer. Checked in there and in less the 15 minutes received the entire barrage of shots for going overseas. With both arms filled with holes, I again returned to the check in desk and was assigned a flight and time of departure. That evening I was on a MAC plane headed to Hawaii, then Guam, and finally Clark AFB Philippines. Of course leaving the States in March, we were still in Dress Blues, but the tropical heat at Clark was shocking. Was promptly put on an Air Force bus, a school bus painted blue, and off we went. I was still unsure as to where we were headed. After a couple of hours on the road thru very rural Philippines, the bus pulls to the side of the road in what seems like the middle of nowhere. Still wearing the dress blues, I was soaking in sweat by this time. The driver announces, “beer stop”. Boy did that sound good to me. Looking out the window all I could see was a little 3 sided shack, tin roof, dirt floor, maybe 3 tables, about 5 chairs, and an old refrigerator in the corner. All being attended by an old Filipino woman, hadn’t yet learned the term “mamasan”. Got 2 of the lukewarm beers, San Miguel’s. Drank them down and piled back on the bus. A couple of more hours, we arrived at Subic Bay. The Snohomish County was in port, so I was taken there right away. By this time it was late at night, ship was already lights out. Got on board, they rustled up someone from the ships office, got me checked in and assigned to a bunk in Deck Division. The next morning, I awoke to sounds of men scurrying about, getting showered, dressed, etc. A few of them said “hi”, introduced themselves and helped me get oriented a bit as to where the head was located, the mess deck and what I should be doing. Got up, showered, dressed, got a quick breakfast. Obviously didn’t know anyone. Someone helped find where I needed to be for muster. As we were standing there going thru colors, roll call, etc., I noticed that my stomach was rumbling. And the longer we were there the more intense it became. By the time we were dismissed, I was in extreme cramps and the rumbling could be heard by anyone close to me. I ran down below (carefully), got to the head, and had no more than got my butt on the seat, when explosions starting coming out of my rear end. It almost seemed like grenades were exploding, literally blasting the water out of the bowl. It was intense and loud enough that other sailors out in the passageway could hear it. Finally, a sailor stuck his head around the bulkhead and said, “So, it looks like you have had some San Miguel’ s”. |
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| Four LST's tied up at Subic Bay in February 1966. Left to right they are USS St. Clair County LST 1096 USS Henry County LST 824 USS Snohomish County LST 1126 and the USS Polk County LST 1084 (Photo by Tom Crosswhite USS Polk County LST 1084) |
| The bursting radius of a hand grenade is always one foot greater than your jumping range
If the enemy is within range, so are you. |
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River One Roger Akester 1967-1969 We left Subic and had arrived at Vung Tau, Viet Nam. Vung Tau is where the Saigon River emptied into the sea. We were assigned to River Flotilla 1, out of Saigon. Our primary missions would consist of going up the Saigon River, about 40 miles, pick up a load at Newport ramp in Saigon. Our loads would consist of about anything from artillery ammunition, to fuel, to construction supplies, to C rations, to vehicles, to guns, to whatever. We would be staged just off shore at Vung Tau until we were dispatched to proceed to Saigon for our next mission. At which time we would pick up a river pilot that would guide us up river. These trips were always done during daytime and at battle stations. Whenever, it would be thought there was a threat, we would occasionally have helicopter gunship support along the river. Typically we would load all through the night, being completed and secured by morning, then back to battle stations and back down river the next day. Our loads were often to be delivered to more than on location. Often north up the coast to Cam Rhan Bay, then south to the Mekong river region and up river to several different military posts in those areas. We had been as far as 110 miles inland by river, within sight of Cambodia. Again, all river travel had to be done during daylight, and with an onboard pilot. Some trips would require 2 days travel upriver. We would stop and anchor in the river for the night, put out an LCVP as a patrol boat, equipped with a .30 cal machine gun, percussion grenades, rifles, and 45’s. We would also set up deck patrols, with carbines and percussion grenades, watching for debris, bubbles, or anything that might be used by or an indicator of an underwater swimmer that might be trying to approach the ship. We would also drop the percussion grenades over the side at random intervals. So it was battle stations all day, and patrols all night, not a lot of time for some quality sleep. The rivers were quite narrow for a ship the size of an LST. In fact we could not turn around in most locations. Typically at each of the offload points there would be a basin built by the CB’s for us to pull into and then back out into the river in order to unload and turn around. So if the VC (Viet Cong) could hit or disable us in the river, it would shut down the supply route. Later, I believe it was in late ’68, there was an LST that had been reached by underwater swimmers, attached explosives to the hull, blowing a large hole in the side killing several sailors. At this point I’m not sure which T it was but it occurred right in this same area where we were operating in 1967. I recall one instance when we were at one of the innermost off load points near Cambodia, we had just finished the off load, and backed out into the river as the sun was going down. We dropped anchor and were in the process of setting up watches, patrols, getting ready for mess call, etc. We still had some cargo onboard to be delivered to other locations. Specifically, there were some tanker trailers of JP5 fuel and several pallets of 105 ammunition sitting up on the main deck. There was an explosion about a 100 yards upstream from the ship. Several of us had gone below and were changing into clean clothes, when battle stations sounded. We ran immediately to our stations, breaking open the ammo cans and powering up the mounts. There was a second explosion. This one was about half the distance of the first one. Both were the size and impact of an incoming mortar. When the first one came in, the nearby camp had scrambled some helicopter gun ships into action. When the second one came in they apparently got a fix on the source of the fire and were all over them spraying endless gunfire. It was obvious that someone was walking in the mortar rounds on us. Had they been able to hit the JP5 fuel and the 105 ammo, we would have been in a hell of a mess. Once things settled down and we looked around it was pretty hilarious to see how many of us had run to our battle stations in our skivvies. |
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| LEFT: Photo of the USS Westchester County LST 1167 showing the damages caused by the Sappers described in the article "River One" and the article below A large number of shipmates were killed in this attack. It was the worst Naval disaster of the Vietnam War. (ccb) FULL STORY |
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| James Owen 1960 serving on the icebreaker BURTON ISLAND. He got the handle "Buck" while serving on the USS Snohomish County LST 1126 in 1965. (See his the story below) He later served in a detachment with the Navy Seals, Serving in Vietnam. |
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| Can you believe Seals have pet dogs? Well, the Navy Seals did. This is Buck Owen, former Snohomish County Shipmate, with an Alligator shot with a 50 Cal gun. Alongside is the Navy Seal detachment's pet dog "LITTLE BIT" |
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| War Boat Captain Buck Owen on LSSC in Dong Tam, Vietnam |
| War Boat Captain Buck Owen and Billie Stewart on LSSC, Dong Tam, Vietnam |
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| You've hear the phrase "The Buck Stops Here" (President Harry Truman had that sign on his desk) WELL, The “Buck” Started here and never stopped About every one from deck division and a quite a few Marines from the air wing we were transporting to Viet Nam were in the bar in Subic Bay. The band only knew rock and roll. The LST sailors and The "Jar Heads" all wanted to hear country music. Well Clayton Church BM1 went up to the bar owner and told them they wanted to hear Buck Owen sing some country. The bar owner got up on stage and said "and now here is Buck Owens to sing some country songs"...... I went up on stage and began playing the guitar and singing "They're gonna put me in the movies", a Buck Owens song that was popular at the time. A lot of guys (locals) were there with Polaroid cameras who usually were taking pictures of GI's with the local "honeys". However, they started taking pictures of me up on stage singing and playing. And all the guys that didn't know who I really was came up to me with a Polaroid picture of me wanting my autograph. Naturally (????) I signed them..................Buck Owens........So a lot of GI's thought they had an autographed picture of the real country singer "Buck Owens".......Thus the name (Buck) stuck to this day... (No one in the bar was drinking alcoholic beverages at the time) |
| Here's Buck Owen with his brothers while on leave in Texas. Looks like the family is full of guitar players who are enjoying some home grown Country Music. (The one with the tattoo is Buck) |
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| These USCG Cutters paid a vital role in Vietnam and the surrounding waters. The Snohomish County escorted eight from the Philipines, having to tow one when the engines failed, and then gave support for them in Vietnam. Photos furnished by Vernon Shope 65-67 |
| These USCG Cutters depended on LSTs for continuous support. Maintenance crews were onboard as well as, ammunition, provisions, medical supplies or medical care, and fuel. Of course available was the firepower when needed. Photos furnished by Vernon Shope 65-67 |
| Additional photos of the shipmates of the Snohomish County LST 1126 while serving in and around Vietnam (66-67). |
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| 1965 SNOHOMISH COUNTY began 1965 quietly readying herself for exercise Silver Lance, the large scale Amphibious Operation scheduled for early February. On the 18th of January, the ship left San Diego bound for Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where VMA 214, a unit of Marine Air Group 13, embarked. Returning to San Clemente Island, the twenty year old "T"' awaited the inception of "Silver Lance". During this period, due to a sudden increase of activity in the Western Pacific, she was forced to return to Hawaii.
Pearl Harbor became home for a brief period until on the 12th of March, the ship, with VMA, 214 still embarked, journeyed to Iwakuni, Japan, where offloading was finally completed. Several days later, SNOHOMISH COUNTY arrived in Yokusaka, Japan, remaining only long enough to load VMFA 531, another Marine Air Unit, to procure necessary supplies and to effect repairs. Beaching at Tien Sha Ramp, Da Nang, Vietnam on the morning of 20 April, approximately ten days after leaving- Yokusaka,, the ship debarkation completed, retracted and proceeded to a designated operation area directly adjacent to the southern Vietnamese coast. This marked the ship’s inauguration into Vietnamese operations as a coastal surveillance unit, an assignment lasting several months, interrupted only by short upkeep periods in the Philippines and weeks rest and relaxation cruise to Hong Kong. It was during this time period that the SNOHOMISH COUNTY had opportunity to demonstrate the versatility of the LST. Varied tasks, ranging from refueling minesweepers to charting small coves, were carried out as well as the primary mission of patrol and surveillance… Duties as a coastal surveillance unit terminated in July, and simultaneously her new assignment her new assignment as support ship for Coast Guard Division 12 began. Escorting eight 82 foot Coast Guard craft, SNOHOMISH left the Philippines and again headed for Da Nang. For appropriately thirty days, she functioned in this capacity until officially relieved in August. This concluded her Western Pacific Operations. She returned to Subic Bay for a final refitting before getting underway for the United States. While in Subic Bay, LT. John L. Curlee relieved Lt. William J. Barbour as Commanding Officer. 28 August SNOHOMISH COUNTY began her lengthy trip home to the United States. On 1 October at 1000, the weary but ebullient crew cast her lines onto Mole Pier, U.S. Naval Station, San Diego, and joyously rejoined families and friends. The ship, after completion of this tour, has traveled well over 30,000 miles, had spent from 70 to 80 days in port, and had met every commitment. For her contributions to the Vietnam effort, SNOHOMISH COUNTY received commendations on several occasions from higher authority. With her return to the United States, the ship engaged in an active and enthusiastic upkeep period. |
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| Leaving Subic Bay for the long haul to Vietnam along with the USS Snohomish County LST 1126 |
| It wasn't like being in the states, but it was a place to unwind from the rigors of Vietnam and the constant worry of Sappers. Here the ship could receive needed repairs and upkeep, resupply and allow the crew to unwind a bit, and unwind they did!!! |
| Arriving in Vietnam, the ships were immediately painted their war zone colors, more fitting for the waterways of Vietnam. |
| Once they determined a ship was being used to resupply the North Vietnamese, the Coast Guard would pull the N. Vietnam crew off and eliminated the problem. |
| 1966 The ship departed San Diego on 14 January in company with the USS HENRY COUNTY (LST 824) and the USS ST. CLAIR COUNTY ((LST 1096). Prior to departure, elements of “L”’ Battery, 4th Battalion. 11th Marines, were loaded on board at the U.S. Naval Station in San Diego for transport to Naha, Okinawa. Surprisingly good weather held on the ten day journey to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
On 25 January 1966, the three ships left Pearl Harbor and proceeded to Naha, Okinawa where SNOHOMISH COUNTY beached at the LST ramp on the 14 February. "L" Battery was disembarked immediately and more Marines were embarked for transport to Chu Lai, Vietnam. Arriving in Chu Lai on 23 February, SNOHOMISH COUNTY remained outside the Harbor while awaiting clearance and an advisor before proceeding Cus Ho Ramp. The Commanding Officer, Lt. John L. Curlee, had left to attend a pre-beaching conference with COMLANSHIPRON ONE when a sudden squall struck causing four other ships to part anchor chains. SNOHOMISH COUNTY's Executive Officer assumed temporary command, got underway, and steamed the ship in formation for two-and-a-half days. Finally, on 25 February, the storm abated and Lt. Curlee returned and beached the ship. On that same day, SNOHOMISH COUNTY was detached to proceed independently to Subic Bay for a five day upkeep. On 8 March, the ship beached at the new LST ramp, U.S. Naval Magazine, Subic Bay, and commenced loading munitions. Later that day, however, high cross winds and tidal conditions caused the stern anchor to drag and forced the ship to retract from the ramp and anchor in the bay. After two days, she beached at the old LST ramp and completed loading. The ship departed Subic Bay on 11 March and returned to Cus Ho Ramp Vietnam, to offload. SNOHOMISH remained on shuttle operations for approximately two months between Da Nang and Chu Lai until 5 May when she returned to Subic Day for another upkeep period. During this period, SNOHOMISH was involved in local fire fights on occasions between ground forces in the immediate area of beaching sites. Prior to arrival at Subic, however, a schedule change was received to proceed to Saigon for a special lift of cargo to Qui Nhon. The ship arrived at Vung Tau on 14 May where she waited for a river pilot and clearance to proceed. On 16 May the ship moved up the river to Saigon where she loaded elements of the 69th Armor Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. This particular load was planned for an 1156 class LST but by utilizing all available space, the entire load was accommodated. After pilot was disembarked at Vung Tau., the ship proceeded to Qui Nhon for offloading. Having accomplished this she steamed to Subic Bay for a long- overdue upkeep period. At this time, general cargo was loaded along with two 3X15 pontoon causeway sections. On 9 June, the ship arrived back in Da Nang where she splashed the causeway sections and beached at Sha Ramp for offloading. She immediately commenced loading of retrograde vehicles after which she proceeded to Hong Kong for six days R&R, the first break in operations after many days. After six days in Hong Kong, the ship proceeded to Naha for of retrograde and loading of 223 jeeps, autos, and trailers. She departed Naha on 25 June and arrived at Da Nang on 2 July making a causeway marriage at Red Beach on that same day. Having offloaded all cargo, the ship departed Da Nang on 3 July and arrived in Keelung, Taiwan on 8 July. She departed Keelung on 11 July and arrived in Naha, Okinawa, 13 July, departing there the next day and proceeding to Sasebo Japan where she remained until departing on 19 July for Yokusaka. Japan. At the completion of the ten day upkeep period in Yokusaka, SNOHOMISH COUNTY departed for Pearl Harbor where she arrived on 18 August. On 20 August she left Pearl Harbor and steamed to San Diego arriving 31 August. The year's work was not over, however; preparations fond the Administrative and Medical Inspection on November 21-22 and the Material and Supply Inspection on 8 December were begun almost immediately. Upon completion of all inspections, the ship began mobilizing for her next trip to WestPac early in 1967. Two Amphibious Operational Training Missions of four and seven days have helped to sharpen the crew's degree of operational readiness and initiate the new men aboard the ship in underway tactics. This intensive operational training included practice in beaching, causeway marriages, and shore bombardment. It was completed just in time for the men to be able to spend Christmas holidays with their families before SNOHOMISH COUNTY departs for her thirteenth deployment. During her seven-and-a-half months in WestPac, USS SNOHOMISH COUNTY made a total of thirty-one beachings and one causeway marriage carrying 1506.6 tons of munitions. 2,356.4 tons of vehicular cargo and 6,905.7 tons of general cargo and building materials without mishap, injury, or missing a single commitment. During the period of shuttle operations between Da Nang and Chu Lai, the ship had occasion to load cargo alongside various merchant ships at anchor. At one time, seas were running at six feet with a considerable wind. Damage was prevented by careful attention to mooring lines and fenders made by ship's crew from dunnage lumber and discarded truck tires. Training of ship's company was further enhanced by impromptu conditions met everyday, which varied from one beach site to another. It was a difficult deployment calling for uncompromising quality of skill from the entire crew. Every commitment was fulfilled, pointing out the superior efforts, which must be made for successful operations. |
| 1967 The morning of 5 January 1967, USS SNOHOMISH COUNTY (LST-1126) departed San Diego for her third consecutive WestPac cruise in support of the military action in Vietnam in less than three years. The ship sailed alone as the sole member of Task Unit 16.8.8 although four other LST's were originally assigned to the unit but were unable, for one reason or another to deploy on time. Loaded out with USMC tracked landing vehicles and Project Handclasp material., SNOHOMISH departed CONUS for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the first leg of her crossing. SNOHOMISH utilized the two days in Pearl Harbor for procuring last minute supplies and spare parts known to be in short supply in Southeast Asia. The next stop was Naha, Okinawa after she departed Pearl Harbor on 8 January. After beaching at LST Ramp 3 in Naha on 8 February, she offloaded the USMC vehicles, the Project Handclasp material remaining on board for further transport to Vietnam. After two days in Okinawa, SNOHOMISH departed for Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines where she spent one week undergoing voyage repairs. On 23 February, SNOHOMISH beached at West Bridge LST Ramp, Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam and offloaded her cargo of Project Handclasp material. The ship was assigned the duties of shuttling vehicles, personnel, ammunition, and other materials between Da Nang and Chu Lai… While employed with this task, SNOHOMISH celebrated her 22nd year o£ continuous commissioned service in the U. 5. Navy with a beaching in Chu Lai on 22 February.
On 14 . March 1967, she was selected by Commander Naval Support Activity, Da, Nang, to participate in the initial entry beaching of LST's in Cua Viet River Basin near Dong Ha, just south of the DMZ.. Because of increased hostilities in this area, essential military materials, especially ammunition was in desperate need by U.S. Marine Forces stationed in this area. SNOHOMISH made two of the First beachings at Cua Viet on 15 March and again on 22 March. The beaching on 15 March received national television and newspaper coverage for release in the United States. The ship continued shuttle operations until 24 March when she departed the war zone for a one day stop in Subic Bay and five days of rest and recreation in Hong Kong, B. C. C. (Appears this is where Akester, FTG3 came aboard) Upon return to the war zone, SNOHOMISH, was assigned "resupply" ship for River Flotilla ONE Mekong Delta operations and was routed to Vung Tau, RVN. However, prior to arrival in Vung Tau on 2 May, the ship was directed COMNAVFORV to charge operational control to COMNAVSUPPACT SAIGON until such time As River Flotilla ONE operations were expanded. This change in operational control initiated Snohomish County into her second phase of support activities in Vietnam, that of river operations. Shuttle operations in the Delta and II, III, and lV Corps Areas were begun, with SNOHOMISH beaching several times at Qui Nhon., Cam Ranh Bay, Dong Tam, and Can Tho. At the completion of her riverine operations in the Delta, SNOHOMISH sailed, on 9 June, for Keelung., Taiwan and three days of rest and recreation. Yokusaka Japan was the next port, with SNOHOMISH 1 arriving on 25 June for 14 days upkeep in preparation for departure from WestPac on 9 July. In company, with USS KEMPER COUNTY (LST 854), SNOHOMISH COUNTY ended its 1967 WestPac activities and sailed for Hawaii and participation in Corral Sands II Amphibious Exercise. After participating in all scheduled exercises, SNOHOMISH COUNTY sailed for its Home Port on 26 August. In September the ship was greeted in San Diego by anxiously waiting dependants and friends. After arriving in San Diego, LT. WILSON relieved LT. CURLEE, becoming the thirteenth Commanding Officer of the ship.The year's work was not over, however; preparations for the Administrative inspection on 15 -16 October were begun almost immediately. With an overall grade of excellent for the inspection, SNOHOMISH began making plans for a long awaited overhaul period in the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, the first in three years. And even as the year was drawing to a close for SNOHOMISH COUNTY in Long Beach, plans were already being formulated for weeks of underway training in 1968 in preparation for SNOHOMISH's fourteenth deployment. |
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| Welcome, Coast Guard cutters, make yourself at home!! |
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| The USS Snohomish County LST 1126 Engineering crew (1966-1967) (photo furnished by Mike Sullivan , Eng. Officer) |
| USS Snohomish County LST 1126 arriving San Diego (1966-67) (photo furnished by Mike Sullivan, Eng. Officer) |
| Some Black Gang (1966-1967) (photo furnished by Mike Sullivan) Contact me if you know their names so I can label the photo Third from left: Richard D'Amico |
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| USS Snohomish County LST 1126 ship's officers listed below. (66-67) Left to right: Joe Toland Ralph Michna Billy G. Taylor Rolph Gunnarson Mike Sullivan Jim Collins (photo furnished by Mike Sullivan) |
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| Landings in the rivers and deltas was not without danger. Besides the VC there was the muck that could cause you to get stuck, and other items beneath the waters to damage the bottoms like the LST 601 above. (1965 Vietnam) (photo by David Totten) |
| Things that go Bump Underwater
During the summer of 1967 the Snohomish County had completed its WesPac tour of duty and was enroute home to San Diego via Honolulu. Upon arrival in Hawaii, the Snohomish County and Kemper County were tasked to deliver Army reservists around the islands. On one leg of the cruise, Kemper County - LST 854 became disabled for a time, but finally got itself back on line and underway again to continue with the exercises. The ships were designated to make practice landings on Kahoolawe, the island off of Maui that was also used for bombing practices. The ships beached and off loaded the troops and equipment. While beached at Kahoolawe there was large surf running. Each time one of the big waves came into the stern of the ship, the swale lifted the stern and dropped it back down on the sand bar that was just off the beach. After a bit of this pounding, there was a fire call and large amount of smoke appeared in the starboard crews and latrine area. At first it was not known where the smoke was coming from, but upon inspection it was determined to be coming from the starboard shaft alley. The pounding of the waves and bouncing of the bottom of the ship on the sandbar had bent the ship’s bottom and some bulkheads. This bending had caused an out of alignment of the screw shafts and was scorching the packing and bearings. After retracting, the ship was ordered to Pearl Harbor for repairs. Divers were sent down after the ship arrived in Pearl Harbor in an attempt to determine the extent of the damages. It was determined the ship needed to be dry docked in order to make the repairs. The engineering officer, Lt. Sullivan was surprised to see the ship pulled from the waters into a dry dock on rails by only a single electric motor. The repairs were made in about a week and the ship left for its home port of San Diego alone. Upon arrival to San Diego, there was a change of command with Lt. Wilson relieving Lt. Curlee. I guess if you have to wait to go home from a tour of duty, Hawaii is as good a place as you could ask for to spend the waiting period. (Lt. Mike Sullivan, Eng. Officer 1967) |
| They didn't just fall off the watermelon truck!! Contrary to popular belief, those new officers who showed up received a lot of information and training before they were placed onboard ship. I questioned one engineering officer, Lt. Mike Sullivan (1966-1967) about how he was trained and indoctrinated before going aboard ship as an Engineering Officer. Here’s his summary: Graduated high school in San Diego Graduated San Diego State College with degree in Industrial Arts Obtained a Secondary Teaching Credential for teaching Shop in high schools Graduated Officers Candidate School, Newport, RI Graduated Engineering School (Diesel) at Naval Station San Diego Assigned to USS Terrell County LST 1157 (Engineering Division) Transferred to USS Snohomish County LST 1126 (Engineering Officer) These Diesel Schools located in San Diego and other parts of the country have a proven record for producing some very qualified enginemen. I can see where it would be an excellent program for an officer who was training for Engineering Officer. You get the run of the mill in the school which covers much more than diesel engines. Subjects covered in this school are related to piping, compressed air, fuel and water pumps, batteries, electricity, gas and diesel engines, as well as the bookkeeping and maintenance involved in their upkeep. |