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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Jerome County (LST-848)
ex
 USS LST-848 (1944 - 1955)


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Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon - Presidential Unit Citation
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (4) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (4) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USS Jerome County (LST-848) was transferred to South Vietnam, renamed RVNS Nha Trang (HQ-505) custody assumed by the Philippines after fall of South Vietnamese government, renamed BRP Agusan Del Sur (LT-54)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 6 November 1944, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 21 December 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-848, 20 January 1945, at New Orleans, LA., LT. R. P. Bentley in command
  • During World War II USS LST-848 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign;
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, June 1945

  • Decommissioned, 10 August 1946, at Vancouver, WA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Named USS Jerome County (LST-848), 1 July 1955
  • Recommissioned, 7 December 1959, LT. Kenneth H. Ruecker, in command
  • During the Vietnam War Jerome County (LST-848) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Defense
    1 to 12 September 1965
    25 September to 7 October 1965     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    20 December 1967 to 29 January 1968
    Vietnam Counteroffensive
    7 to 9 April 1966
    27 April to 2 June 1966     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    30 January to 20 February 1968
    6 to 23 March 1968
    28 March to 29 April 1968

  • Decommissioned, 1 April 1970
  • Transferred to South Vietnam in April 1970, renamed RVNS Nha Trang (HQ-505)
  • Custody assumed by the Philippines in 1975, renamed BRP Agusan Del Sur (LT-54)
  • Final Disposition, disposed of by the Philippine government in 1992
  • Jerome County earned the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, one battle star for World War II service and four campaign stars for the Vietnam War
    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-848
    LST-848 64k USS LST-848 moored pierside, date and location unknown. LST Home Port web site
    LST-848 113k USS LST-848 entering San Francisco Bay, circa February 1946.
    US Navy photo # NH 79571 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1974.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    USS Jerome County (LST-848)
    Jerome County 153k USS Jerome County (LST-848) makes a tight turn to starboard while underway off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, 20 June 1963. Photo by PH1 L. Wall, of Utility Squadron One
    US Navy photo # NH 98368 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Jerome County 80k USS Jerome County (LST-848) underway off shore, 27 April 1964. Photo by PH3 Winfield S. Frazeur
    US Navy photo # NH 98369 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Jerome County 134k USS Jerome County (LST-848) operating off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, 15 June 1968. Photo by PH2 Timothy F. O'Sullivan, of squadron VC-1.
    US Navy photo # NH 98370 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Jerome County 95k USS Jerome County (LST-848) off San Diego, California, circa the 1960s. USS Wexford County (LST-1168) is in the background.
    Photograph received from USS Polk County (LST-1084), 1969.
    US Navy photo # NH 68717 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Jerome County 91k From left to right USS Wexford County (LST-1168), USS Jerome County (LST-848), USS Polk County (LST-1084) and two unidentified LSTs conducting landing practice off San Diego, circa the 1960s.
    Photograph received from USS Polk County (LST-1084), 1969.
    US Navy photo # NH 68713 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center.
    Jerome County 69k USS Jerome County (LST-848) underway off the coast of South Vietnam, 1966. Photo by LT. Richard Dawson USS Renville
    Westchester County 259k USS Jerome County (LST-848), USS Summit County (LST-1146) and , USS St. Clair County (LST-1096) beached at Chu Lai, South Vietnam, circa 1966. Photo by Rich Krebs USS USS Washoe County (LST-1165)
    Westchester County 259k USS Jerome County (LST-848), USS Summit County (LST-1146), USS St. Clair County (LST-1096) beached at Chu Lai, South Vietnam, circa 1966. Rich Krebs USS USS Washoe County (LST-1165)
    BRP Agusan Del Sur (LT-54)
    Jerome County 110k Ex-USS Jerome County (LST-848) in the Republic of the Philippines naval service as BRP Agusan Del Sur (LT-54) at anchor, 27 June 1986 when she was being offered for sale. Edison Sy
    View the USS Jerome County (LST-848)
    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
    LST Home Port
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 1 April 2009