USS LST-60

USS Atchison County (LST-60) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for counties in Kansas and Missouri established in honor of David Rice Atchison, a mid-19th century Democratic United States Senator from Missouri, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS LST-316, LST-60, and USS LST-535 beached at Normandy, June 1944
History
United States
Name: USS LST-60
Builder: Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down: 14 November 1943
Launched: 24 December 1943
Commissioned: 7 February 1944
Decommissioned: 27 June 1946
Honors and
awards:		 1 battle star (WWII)
Renamed: USS Atchison County (LST-60), 1 July 1955
Namesake:
Stricken: 1 November 1958
Fate: Unknown
General characteristics
Class and type: LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement:
  • 1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light
  • 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full
Length: 328 ft (100 m)
Beam: 50 ft (15 m)
Draft:
  • Unloaded:
  • Bow: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m)
  • Stern: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
  • Loaded :
  • Bow: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m)
  • Stern: 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m)
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:		 Two or six LCVPs
Troops: 14–16 officers, 131–147 enlisted men
Complement: 7–9 officers, 104–120 enlisted men
Armament:
  • 2 × twin 40 mm gun mounts w/Mk.51 directors
  • 4 × single 40 mm gun mounts
  • 12 × single 20 mm gun mounts

LST-60 was laid down on 14 November 1943 at Neville Island, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Dravo Corporation; launched on 24 December; sponsored by Mrs. Daniel W. Mack; and placed in reduced commission on 24 January 1944 so that she might descend the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers under her own power to New Orleans where she was placed in full commission on 7 February with Lieutenant Carl E. Ellis in command.

Service history

The new tank landing ship held shakedown training off Panama City, Florida, from 19 February to 4 March; then returned to New Orleans for repairs and loading. She next moved to New York City, where she took additional cargo on board for transportation to the United Kingdom. After crossing the Atlantic in convoy, LST-60 safely arrived in Falmouth, England, on 2 May. From there, she proceeded to Southend-on-Sea to load for the Normandy invasion. LST-60 sailed from Southend on 5 June with Commander, Group 3, embarked for the initial assault. Following successful unloading of troops and cargo at Normandy the next day, the ship commenced cross-channel operations, making 53 trips to the French mainland without mishap before being ordered back to the United States for overhaul. Escorting a convoy en route, LST-60 safely arrived in Norfolk on 1 July 1945 and continued on to New Orleans for repairs.

Originally scheduled to join the Pacific Fleet following overhaul, LST-60 received new orders with the end of the war on 15 August. Instead, she proceeded to Green Cove Springs, Florida for inactivation and was placed out of commission, in reserve, on 27 June 1946. The name USS Atchison County was assigned to LST-60 on 1 July 1955. In 1958, the tank landing ship was declared unfit for further naval service. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 November 1958; her final fate is unknown.

LST-60 earned one battle star for World War II service.

LST-60 and USS LST-30 along with two unidentified LSTs beached at Normandy, after 6 June 1944.

References

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

  • "Atchison County". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 2 April 2007.
  • "LST-60 Atchison County". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 2 April 2007.
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