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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Bulloch County (LST-509)
ex
 USS LST-509 (1944 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Xray - Zulu
 NDXZ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (5) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (7) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USS Bulloch County (LST-509) was transferred to South Vietnam and renamed RVNS Qui Nhon (HQ-504)
LST-491 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 7 October 1943 at Jeffersonville, IN., by the Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co.
  • Launched, 23 November 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-509, 20 January 1944, LT. James B. Malcom, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-509 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

  • Decommissioned in 1947 for lay up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Recommissioned, 20 October 1950, LT. W. A. McNamee USNR in command
  • Named USS Bulloch County (LST-509), 1 July 1955
  • During Vietnam War USS Bulloch County (LST-509) participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaign
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    15 March to 24 April 1967     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    2 April to 13 May 1968
    21 to 24 May 1968
    4 to 25 June 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    9 June to 28 July 1967
    15 September to 7 November 1967
    3 to 19 December 1967     		Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    30 March to 27 April 1969
    13 to 22 May 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    27 February to 1 April 1968     		 

  • Decommissioned, 8 April 1970
  • USS LST-509 earned one battle star for World War II service and as USS Bulloch County (LST-509) the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation and five campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Leased to the Republic of Vietnam under the Security Assistance Program, renamed RVNS Qui Nhon (HQ-504)
  • Acquired by the Peoples Republic of Vietnam, date unknown, redesignated HQ-505
  • Final Disposition, heavily damage, and beached on Collin Reef and sunk 14 March 1988, during the skirmish between Vietnamese and Chinese forces at Johnson South Reef in the South China Sea
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t.
    Length 328' o.a.
    Beam 50'
    Draft
    light 2' 4" fwd, 7' 6" aft
    sea-going 8' 3" fwd, 14' 1" aft
    landing 3' 11" fwd, 9' 10" aft (landing w/500 ton load)
    limiting 11' 2"
    maximum navigation 14' 1"
    Speed 11.6 kts. (trial)
    Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
    Complement
    13 officers
    104 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    16 officers
    147 enlisted
    Boats 2 LCVP
    Cargo Capacity (varied with mission - payloads between 1600 and 1900 tons)
    Typical loads
    One Landing Craft Tank (LCT), tanks, wheeled and tracked vehicles, artillery, construction equipment and military supplies. A ramp or elevator forward allowed vehicles access to tank deck from main deck
    Additional capacity included sectional pontoons carried on each side of vessel amidships, to either build Rhino Barges or use as causeways. Married to the bow ramp, the causeways would enabled payloads to be delivered ashore from deeper water or where a beachhead would not allow the vessel to be grounded forward after ballasting
    Armament (varied with availability when each vessel was outfitted. Retro-fitting was accomplished throughout WWII. The ultimate armament design for United States vessels was
    2 - Twin 40MM gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    4 - Single 40MM gun mounts
    12 single 20MM gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 4,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A, 900hp Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    three Diesel-drive 100Kw 230V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 1,700shp
    twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS LST-509
    Bulloch County 116k USS LST-509 and LCT-623 unloading on Omaha Beach during the Invasion of Normandy, June 1944. W.R. Santschi
    Bulloch County 65k USS LST-509 beached, probably at Normandy, circa 1944. W.R. Santschi
    Bulloch County 95k USS LST-509 moored at Key West during Navy Day, 27 October 1945.
    Photo by QM1 W. Fling.    		 W.R. Santschi
    Bulloch County 77k USS LST-509 at anchor off Naval Station Little Creek, VA., November 1945.
    Photo by QM1 W. Fling.    		 W.R. Santschi
    Bulloch County 64k USS LST-509 moored pierside, Naval Station Little Creek, VA., November 1945.
    US Navy photo    		 W.R. Santschi
    Bulloch County 88k USS LST-509 moored pierside, Naval Station Little Creek, VA., November 1945.
    US Navy photo    		 W.R. Santschi
    Bulloch County 344k USS LST-509 crew photo, Naval Station Little Creek, VA., November 1945.
    US Navy photo    		 W.R. Santschi
    Bulloch County 139k USS LST-509 officers photo, Port Everglades, FL., November 1945.
    Front Row, Left to Right: LTjg. W. MacDonald (XO), LTjg L. Montgomery, (CO), LTjg M Muyskens (First LT), LTjg R. MacKay (Boat Officer).
    Back Row, Left to Right: ENS W. Santschi (Comm), LTjg D. Rosenborough (Temporary), LTjg. W. Brown (Gunnery), LTjg. W. Gross (Stores), LTjg J. Crum (Temporary), LTjg R. Garretson (Engineering).
    US Navy photo    		 W.R. Santschi
    Bulloch County 73k USS LST-509 beached at Mill Creek, Solomons, MD., June 1946 Photos by Ens. W.R. Santschi
    Bulloch County 83k
    Bulloch County
    1016050922    		 277k USS LST-509 entering drydock #2 at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C. in January 1947 for preservation and decommissioning. Brian Miller
    Bulloch County
    1016050923    		 257k
    Bulloch County
    1016050919    		 661k USS LST-509 in drydock #2 at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C. in January 1947 for preservation and decommissioning. Brian Miller
    Bulloch County
    1016050920    		 663k
    Bulloch County
    1016050921    		 159k USS LST-509 main deck before deck loading of LCT(6)-664 at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston S.C. USS LST-510 is tied up portside of LST-509. Brian Miller
    Bulloch County 56k USS LST-509 entering NAB Little Creek, Norfolk, VA., in the spring of 1951. Lloyd King
    Bulloch County 98k USS LST-509 with LCU-767 loaded on deck for transit to Greenland in 1951 to take part in operation "Blue Jay," the construction of Thule Air Base in Greenland. Chuck Garrett EN2 USS LST-509
    Bulloch County 133k USS LST-509 during amphibious exercises at Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, circa 1951-54. Chuck Garrett EN2 USS LST-509
    Bulloch County 136k
    Bulloch County 280k USS Bulloch County (LST-509) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Catalog # L45-38.04    		 Mike Smolinski
    RVNS Qui Nhon (HQ-504)
    Bulloch County 22k Ex-USS Bulloch County (LST-509) in South Vietnamese service as RVNS Qui Hhon (HQ-504) in drydock at the Vietnamese Naval Shipyard in Saigon, 1970. Photo by Steve Loomis, SN, US Naval Advisory Group Vietnam
    Bulloch County 30k RVNS Qui Hhon (HQ-504) and RVNS Nha Trang (HQ-505) (ex-USS Jerome County (LST-848) moored bow to bow, date, event and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    USS Bulloch County (LST-509)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Malcom, James B., USNR20 January 1944 - 20 September 1945
    02LT. Montgomery, Leland S., USNR20 September 1945 - May 1946
    03LT. Allen, Robert C., USNRMay 1946 - 1947
     Decommissioned1947 - 20 October 1950
    04LT. McNamee, William A., USNR20 October 1950 - 6 June 1952
    05LT. Hunt, Thomas L., USNR 6 June 1952 - ?
    06LTjg. Sankovich, Robert N., USNRno dates
    07LT. Rooney, George Matthew. USN1954 - December 1955
    08LT. Blanks, Alva Leroy, USNno dates
     Decommissioned~1956 - 31 August 1966
    09LT. Markworth, John Allan, USN31 August 1966 - 28 February 1968
    10LT. McGoldrick, Henry Joseph, USN28 February 1968 - 1 August 1969
    11LT. Davis Jr., Thomas Cahill, USN1 August 1969 - 8 April 1970
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Bulloch County LST 509
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    LST Home Port
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
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    Last Updated 15 March 2024