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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Cayuga County (LST-529)
ex
USS LST-529 (1944 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Alpha - Bravo
NEAB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Europe, Africa, Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (3) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)



USS Cayuga County (LST-529) was transferred to South Vietnam, renamed RVNS Thi Nai (HQ 502) and later acquired by the Philippines, renamed BPR Cotabato Del Sur (LT-87)
LST-491 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 8 November 1943, at Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.
  • Launched, 17 January 1944
  • Commissioned, USS LST-529, 29 February 1944, LT. G. L. Moore, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-528 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaigns and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, June 1944
  • Decommissioned, 7 June 1946
  • Recommissioned, 22 September 1950
  • During the Korean War USS LST-529 participated in the following campaigns;
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    U.N. Summer-Fall offensive, July and August 1951 Korean, Summer 1953, June and July 1963
    Second Korean Winter, December 1951 - March 1952 .

  • Immediately following the Korean War LST-529continued to serve in the Korean area until July 1954
  • Following her Korean service, LST-529 returned to the United States
  • Named USS Cayuga County (LST-529), 1 July 1955
  • Assigned as a logistic support ship for the Mariana and Bonin Islands in the late 1950's
  • Decommissioned and transferred to the Republic of Vietnam, 17 December 1963, renamed Thi Nai (HQ-502)
  • Following the fall of Saigon on 29 April 1975, Thi Nai (HQ-502) escaped to the Philippines
  • Transferred to the Philippine Navy, 17 November 1975, renamed BPR Cotabato Del Sur (LT-87)
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 2003
  • USS Cayuga County earned one battle star for World War II service and three battle stars for Korean War service as USS LST-529
    Specifications: (as reported by Office of Naval Intelligence-1945)
    Displacement 1,625 t.(lt), 4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    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)
    Speed 12 kts. (maximum)
    Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
    Complement
    7 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
    Propulsion two General Motors 12-567, 900hp diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS LST-529
    LST-529 76k USS LST-529 underway, date and location unknown. Photo source, CDR. Harold R. Tall, USN Ret. deceased
    CO USS LST-529 early 1950s Submitted by CDR. Louis D. Chirillo, USN Ret.
    LSM-547 124k USS LSM-547 and USS LST-529 with LCU-851 loaded on her main deck, circa 1952, location unknown. Don Garner
    LST-529 79k USS LST-529 aft twin 40mm AA gun mount, date and location unknown.
    This was Melvin Downing's GQ station.
    Jeff Card for his grandfather Melvin Downing MoMM 3c LCT-638
    LST-529 72k USS LST-529 aft twin 40mm AA gun mount, date and location unknown. Jeff Card for his grandfather Melvin Downing MoMM 3c LCT-638
    LST-529 127k USS LST-529 at anchor, looking forward, date and location unknown. Jeff Card for his grandfather Melvin Downing MoMM 3c LCT-638
    LST-529 150k USS LST-529 at anchor, looking forward, date and location unknown. Jeff Card for his grandfather Melvin Downing MoMM 3c LCT-638
    LST-529 130k Clombing the mast of USS LST-529, looking forward, date and location unknown. Jeff Card for his grandfather Melvin Downing MoMM 3c LCT-638
    USS Cayuga County (LST-529)
    LST-529 75k USS Cayuga County (LST-529) underway off Guam, Marianas Islands. Official US Navy photo distributed to the crew circa 1958 while assigned to the Marianas Trust Territory and homeported in Guam Don S Hoyt, HMC USN Ret. USS LST-529
    BPR Cotabato Del Sur (LT-87)
    LST-529 66k Ex-USS Cayuga County (LST-529) in Philippine Naval service as BPR Cotabato Del Sur (LT-87) while in dry dock at A.G.& P. Drydock in Bauan, Batangas, Philippines, 31 December 1989. Edison Sy

    View the USS Cayuga County (LST-529)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    Brownwater Navy in Vietnam Web Book
    LST Homeport
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 24 July 2009