USS Marion County

For ships with a similar name, see USS Marion.

USS LST-975 underway, date and location unknown
History
United States
NameLST-975
BuilderBethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number3445[1]
Laid down1 December 1944
Launched6 January 1945
Sponsored byMiss Alice J. Varian
Commissioned3 February 1945
Decommissioned16 April 1946
Strickenunknown date
Identification
FateTurned over to the US Army
United States
NameT-LST-975
OperatorMilitary Sea Transportation Service (MSTS)
In service1 July 1950
Out of service28 August 1950
IdentificationHull symbol: T-LST-975
FateRecommissioned by the US Navy
United States
Name
  • LST-975
  • Marion County
Recommissioned28 August 1950
Decommissioned10 May 1956
RenamedMarion County, 1 July 1955 6 × battle stars
IdentificationHull symbol: LST-975
FateCustody returned to MSTS
United States
NameMarion County
OperatorMSTS
In service10 May 1956
Out of service26 September 1957
Stricken1 June 1963
IdentificationHull symbol: T-LST-975
Fate
Cam Ranh (HQ-500) (South Vietnamese LST, ex-USS MARION COUNTY (LST-975), ex-LST-975)
South VietnamSouth Vietnam
NameCam Ranh
NamesakeCity of Cam Ranh
Acquired12 April 1962
IdentificationHull symbol: HQ-500
FateEscaped to the Philippines, April 1975
PhilippinesPhilippines
NameZamboanga del Sur
NamesakeThe Province of Zamboanga del Sur
Acquired17 November 1975
IdentificationHull symbol: LT-86
FateSold for scrapping
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeLST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement
  • 1,625 long tons (1,651 t) (light)
  • 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) (full (seagoing draft with 1,675 short tons (1,520 t) load)
  • 2,366 long tons (2,404 t) (beaching)
Length328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam50 ft (15 m)
Draft
  • Unloaded: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward; 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft
  • Full load: 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
  • Landing with 500 short tons (450 t) load: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft
  • Limiting 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
  • Maximum navigation 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed11.6 kn (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph)
Range24,000 nmi (44,000 km; 28,000 mi) at 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) while displacing 3,960 long tons (4,024 t)
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 x LCVPs
Capacity1,600–1,900 short tons (3,200,000–3,800,000 lb; 1,500,000–1,700,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
Troops16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament

USS Marion County (LST-975) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation. She was later named after counties in seventeen U.S. states, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.

  1. ^ Bethlehem-Hingham 2011.
  2. ^ Navsource 2016.