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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Wexford County (LST-1168)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Romeo - Hotel - Alpha
NRHA

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (3) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Vietnam Service Medal (5) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medial

USS Wexford County (LST-1168) also served as the Spanish Naval vessel Martin Alvarez (L-12)

LST-1156 Terrebonne Parish Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 27 February 1952, at Christy Corp., Sturgeon Bay, WI.

Launched, 28 November 1953

Commissioned USS LST-1168, 15 June 1954, LCDR. Victor W. Vansant in command

named USS Wexford County (LST-1168), 1 July 1955

During the Vietnam War USS Wexford County (LST-1168) served continuously in country and in contiguous waters, with the exception of overhaul periods, from mid 1965 to late 1970 participating in the following campaigns. (Dates listed do not include underway transit times within the contiguous waters along the Vietnam coast as defined by the US Navy and so specified by the Vietnam Service Medal.)

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Vietnam War Campaigns
Vietnam Defense 10 to 30 September 1965 31 October to 4 November 1965	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 4 April to 7 May 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III 15 December 1967 to 4 January 1968 16 to 29 January 1968	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII 19 to 29 July 1970 8 to 9- August 1970 6 to 11 November 1970
Tet Counteroffensive 30 January to 15 March 1968

Decommissioned, 29 October 1971

Sold to Spain, 29 October 1971, through the Security Assistance Program; Renamed Martin Alvarez (L-12) (Martin Alvarez was named after an 18th Century Spanish naval hero; she was the second Spanish warship of US origin to bear the name: the first one was a small gunboat acquired in 1878)

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 November 1976

USS Wexford County earned the Meritorious Unit Commendation and five campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Decommissioned and struck from the Spanish Navy List by Order 613/03356/95, 9 March 1995 (Boletín Oficial de Defensa # 55).

Final Disposition, scrapped, date unknown

Specifications:
Displacement 2,590 t.(lt) 5,800 t.(fl)
Length 384'
Beam 55'
Draft 17'
Speed 14 kts.

Complement ships company and staff

Officers 16

Enlisted 189

Troop Accommodations

Officers 15

Enlisted 380

Boats

three LCVPs

one LCPL

Armament

three twin 3"/50 cal gun mounts

five single 20mm AA gun mounts

Propulsion

four General Motors 16-278A Diesel engines

two controllable pitch propellers, 6,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
USS Wexford County (LST-1168)
	58k	Overhead view of *USS Wexford County* (LST-1168)**, circa 1967. Her deck is marked out as a helicopter landing area; ships of this class can land the heavy CH-46 Sea Knight and CH-53 Sea Stallion. She is armed with three 3"/50 twin rapid-fire gun mounts, introduced after Korea to replace the earlier 40mm Bofors weapons. The "shelves" along the sides of her hull are supports for pontoon causeway sections, often carried by LST's. US Navy photo from DANFS	Robert Hurst
	57k	*USS Wexford County* (LST-1168)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photos	Steve & Linda Snyder
	67k		Steve & Linda Snyder
	27k	*USS Wexford County* (LST-1168)**, at Naval Station San Diego, circa June 1968	Steve & Linda Snyder
	104k	*USS Wexford County* (LST-1168)** looking forward from the bridge. She is underway in heavy seas with a deck load of vehicles, date and place unknown.	Dan Callahan
	58k	*USS Wexford County* (LST-1168)** in dry dock, date and location unknown.	Dan Callahan
	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, 1969. US Navy photo # NH 68713 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center

Martin Alvarez (L-12) *Namesake* - Martin Alvarez Galan Montemolín (Badajoz, 1766 - Brest, France 1801). Spanish military man who participated in the naval Battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February 1797, that pitted Spain against England.
	61k	Ex-Wexford County (LST-1168) underway in Spanish service as Martin Alvarez (L-12), Alboran Sea, March 1985	Photo by Ignacio Lopez, ex member Armada Espanola
	71k	Ex-Ronquil (SS-396), in Spanish naval service. Named after the Spanish submarine pioneer, Isaac Peral (S-32) is seen at Barcelona, Spain, 22 January 1983. Partially visible is Martin Alvarez (L-12).	Photo by Fabio Peña
	68k	Martin Alvarez (L-12), at Barcelona, Spain. 22 January 1983. The aerial view provides a good view of the upper deck, which was used for vehicle storage, helicopter operations and VERTREP. The partially visible submarine was Isaac Peral (S 32).	Photo by Fabio Peña
	66k	Martin Alvarez (L-12), at Barcelona, Spain. 23 January 1983.	Photo by Fabio Peña
	93k	Martin Alvarez (L-12), at Barcelona, Spain. 23 January 1983.	Photo by Fabio Peña
	89k	Martin Alvarez (L-12) at Barcelona, Spain. 23 January 1983.	Photo by Fabio Peña
	561k	Martin Alvarez (L-12) moored at Barcelona, Spain. 21 January 1984. The small ship astern of *Martín Álvarez. is the salvage vessel Poseidón* (AS-01).	Photos by Fabio Peña
	515k
	268k
	1506k	Martin Alvarez (L-12) moored outboard of Velasco (L-11) at Genoa, Italy, 31 October 1993.	Photo by Carlo Martinelli
	1682k
	1736k
	702k	Martin Alvarez (L-12) underway in the harbor at Genoa, Italy, 1 November 1993.	Photo by Carlo Martinelli

USS Wexford County (LST-1168)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
History of The USS Wexford County (LST-1168) - Mobile Riverine Force Association

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Vansant, Victor Willard, USN	15 June 1954 - ?
02	LCDR. Grkovic, Nicholas, USN (USNA-1946)	1961 - 30 January 1962
03	LCDR. Matthew, William McGowan, USN (USNA-1948-A)	30 January 1962 - 18 September 1963
04	LCDR. Knopp, William August, USN	18 September 1963 - 1 July 1965
05	LCDR. Greer, Wayne Carter, USN	1 July 1965 - August 1967
06	LCDR. Zipse, Robert Leroy, USN	August 1967 - July 1969
07	LCDR. Brown, Michael Jack, USN (USNA-1959)	July 1969 - ?
08	LCDR. Bleakley Jr., Andrew, USN	no dates


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
Mobile Riverine Force Association
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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Last Updated 24 December 2020