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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS New London County (LST-1066)
ex
 USS LST-1066 (1945 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - India - Foxtrot
 NAIF
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Second Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Dominican Republic)
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (2) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USS New London County (LST-1066) was transferred to Chile and renamed BACH Comandante Hemmerdinger (LST 88)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 18 January 1945, at Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., Hingham, MA.
  • Launched, 21 February 1945
  • Commissioned USS LST-1066, 20 March 1945, LT. E. J. Gilman in command
  • Following World War II LST-1066 performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-December 1945
  • Decommissioned in March 1946
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Named New London County (LST-1066), 1 July 1955
  • Recommissioned, 21 December 1965
  • During the Vietnam War New London (LST-1066) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnam Counteroffensive
    26 May to 5 June 1966    		 Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase II
    18 August to 10 September 1966
    15 to 24 October 1966
    6 to 15 November 1966
    29 November to 13 December 1966
    30 December 1966 to 8 January 1967

  • Decommissioned, 27 February 1967
  • Transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and placed in service as USNS New London County (T-LST-1066), Korean crew
  • Placed out of service (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 10 June 1973
  • Sold under the Security Assistance Program in August 1973 to Chile, renamed BACH Comandante Hemmerdinger (LST-88)
  • Out of Chilean service, 14 October 1983
  • Authorization to sell, 16 November 1983
  • Sold for commercial service, 19 January 1984, renamed M/V Maquiserv Chilean flagged, Valparaiso
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • LST-1066 earned two campaign stars for Vietnam War 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
    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 New London County (LST-1066)
    LST-1066 80k New London County (LST-1066) beached, in South Vietnam, 1966. Photo by LT. Richard Dawson USS Renville
    BACH Comandante Hemmerdinger (LST-88)
    LST-1066 291k Ex-New London County (LST-1066) in Chilean naval service as BACH Comandante Hemmerdinger (LST-88) beached at San Mateo Beach, south of Valparaiso, Chile in 1980. Carlos Alviņa
    View the New London County (LST-1066)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    LST Home Port
    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 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 11 April 2008