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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Clearwater County (LST-602)
ex
 USS LST-602 (1944 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Bravo - Hotel
 NFBH
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from 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 (2) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

USS Clearwater County (LST-602) was sold to the Republic of Mexico and renamed ARM Manzanillo (IA 02)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 23 October 1943, at the Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL.
  • Launched, 9 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-602, 31 March 1944, ENS. John H. Mehus, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-602 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 southern France, August and September 1944
  • Decommissioned in 1946
  • Laid up in the Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned in 1950
  • During the Korean War USS LST-602 participated in the campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Second Korean Winter
    22 December 1951 to 14 January 1952
    22 February to 11 March 1952
    20 to 28 March 1952     		Korea, Summer-Fall 1953
    27 July 1953

  • Named USS Clearwater County (LST 602), 1 July 1955
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Temporary custody assigned to th US Air Force from September 1957 to September 1969
  • Transferred temporary custody to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National DEfense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA., September 1969
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 May 1972
  • Sold to Mexico, 30 May 1972, renamed ARM Manzanillo (IA 02)
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LST-602 earned one battle star for World War II service and two battle stars for Korean service
    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
    (2-boat davits) 7 officers, 104 enlisted
    (6-boat davits) 9 officers, 120 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    (2-boat davits) 16 officers, 147 enlisted
    (6-boat davits) 14 officers, 131 enlisted
    Boats 2 or 6 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
    Lend Lease built vessels were to be outfitted with armament after convoying across Atlantic and included
    1 - 12 Pounder anti-aircraft multi-barrel mount
    6 - 20MM mounts
    4 - Fast Aerial Mine (FAM) mounts
    Propulsion two General Motors 12-567, 900hp diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    LST601/602/603 77k USS LST 601 (foreground), USS LST-602 (middle) and USS LST-603 (background), Naval Amphibious Base Norfolk VA., 10 May 1944 The Library of Virginia, US Army Signal Corps Photograph Collection
    LST602 80k USS LST 602 anniversary dinner menu cover, 31 March 1945. Robert Rutter, photo by his grandfather CAPT. Anthony Kohout Jr. ex CO USS LST-77
    LST602 177k USS LST 602 anniversary dinner menu, 31 March 1945. Robert Rutter, photo by his grandfather CAPT. Anthony Kohout Jr. ex CO USS LST-77
    LST602 59k USS LST 602 Christmas card, circa 1951 with crew photo. Kevin Gauthier for his father Leo F. Gauthier BM2 USS LST-602 1950-54
    LST602 85k USS LST 602 underway, date and location unknown. Kevin Gauthier for his father Leo F. Gauthier BM2 USS LST-602 1950-54
    View the USS LST-602
    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
    LST Homeport
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index
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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 3 July 2009