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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Sweetwater County (LST-1152)
ex
 USS LST-1152 (1945 - 1955)


USS LST-1152 was commissioned with a US Coast Guard during World War II
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


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

USS LST-1152 was transferred to the Republic of China in 1958 and renamed ROCS Chung Ming (LST 227)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 5 March 1945, at Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, Seneca, IL.
  • Launched, 8 June 1945
  • Commissioned, USS LST-1152, 30 June 1945, LT. Frank W. Hickson, Jr., USCGR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-1152 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Four;
     LST Group One Hundred Two;
     LST Division Two Hundred Four
  • Following World War II USS LST-1152 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 1 November to 22 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, 1 July 1946
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Named Sweetwater County (LST-1152), 1 July 1955
  • Transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan), 21 October 1958, renamed ROCS Chung Ming (LST 227)
  • Struck from Naval Register, 6 February 1959
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t. (beaching displacement)
    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)
    limiting 11' 2"
    maximum navigation 14' 1"
    Speed 11.6 kts. (trial)
    Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
    Complement
    13 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
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 4,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A, 900hp Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    three Diesel-drive 100Kw 230V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 1,700shp
    twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS LST-1152
    LST-1152 92k USS LST-1152 launching, 8 June 1945, at Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, Seneca, IL. Richard P. DeTar for his father LTjg Richard F. DeTar, USCG. XO LST-1152
    ROCS Chung Ming (LST-227)
    LST-1152
    1016115202    		 118k Republic of China Navy landing ship tank ROCS Chung Ming (LST-227), (Ex-USS Sweetwater County (LST-1152) tied up pierside, date and location unknown.
    Photo courtesy of Republic of China Navy    		 Robert Hurst
    LST-1152
    1016115203    		 161k Republic of China Navy landing ship tank ROCS Chung Ming (LST-227) underway, date and location unknown.
    Photo courtesy of Republic of China Navy    		 Robert Hurst
    USS LST-1152 / USS Sweetwater County (LST-1152)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Hickson Jr., Frank W., USCGR30 June 1945 - 5 September 1945
    02LT. Rinaca Jr., Charles W., USCGR5 September 1945 - 22 September 1945
    03LTjg. Pettingill, Herman W., USNR22 September 1945 - 22 April 1946
    04LTjg. Hattrick, James A., USNR22 April 1946 - 1 July 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 22 December 2023