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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Hillsborough County (LST-827)
ex
USS LST-827 (1944 - 1955)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Mike - Juliet
NHMJ

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Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is top to bottom, from left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

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During World War II USS LST-827 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:

LST Flotilla Twenty-Three, CAPT. W.W. Weeden Jr. USN;

LST Group Sixty-Eight, CDR. G. H. Dana USN (20);

LST Div One Hundred Thirty-Eight and participated in the following campaign:

Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns

Campaign and Dates
Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 20 May to 10 June 1945

Following World War II USS LST-827 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 9 to 25 September 1945

Decommissioned, 7 June 1949

Recommissioned, 3 November 1950, LT. S. G. Ruskey in command

During the Korean War USS LST-827 participated in the following campaign:

Korean War Campaigns

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
First UN Counter Offensive 19 March to 21 April 1951	Third Korean Winter 5 to 10 July 1952 19 to 24 July 1952 5 to 23 August 1952
Communist China Spring Offensive 22 April 13 May 1951

Named USS Hillsborough County (LST-827), 1 July 1955

Placed in commission in reserve, 1 November 1957

Decommissioned, 28 January 1958

Struck from the Naval Register, 28 March 1958

Final Disposition, sunk as a target in the Gulf of California, 15 August 1958

USS Hillsborough County earned one battle star for World War II service and three battle stars for the Korean War

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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

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Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Source
	209k	USS LST-827 unloading LCT-1402 at Leyte in March 1945. LCT-1402 was loaded aboard LST-827 at New Orleans with a PT Boat in her well. Before LCT-1402 could be unloaded a cargo ship was secured alongside LST-827 and using her cargo booms lifted the PT Boat from the well of LCT-1402. This having been accomplished the unloading of LCT-1402 could commence. The first photo in the series shows LCT-1402 resting on the main deck of LST-827		For the crew of LST-827, William "Bill" Starkey BM2/c USS LST-827
	358k	LCT-1402 being launched over the side of USS LST-827 at Leyte in March 1945. Note the she is in mid-air. A rare photo.		For the crew of LST-827, William "Bill" Starkey BM2/c USS LST-827
	352k	LCT-1402 is alongside USS LST-827 after being launched at Leyte in March 1945. This photo shows the shipways built on the deck of LSTs to haul LCTs. After launching an LST the shipways were jettisoned and hauled to the beach.		For the crew of LST-827, William "Bill" Starkey BM2/c USS LST-827
	311k	LCT-1402 is alongside USS LST-827 after being launched at Leyte in March 1945.		For the crew of LST-827, William "Bill" Starkey BM2/c USS LST-827
	10k	USS LST-827 and USS LST-1122 beached in Korea, 1951.		LST Home Port
	18k	USS LST-827 underway returning to the US from Korea, 1951.		LST Home Port

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USS Hillsborough County (LST-827)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
The USS LST Ship Memorial
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 7 March 2013