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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Windham County (LST-1170)
ex
 USS LST-1170 (1954 - 1955)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - November - Charlie
 NPNC
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (17 January 1966) - Presidential Unit Citation - Navy Unit Commendation (3)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (3) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Congo, 1 Laos, 6-Vietnam)
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (13) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (10) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USS Windham County (LST-1170) was transferred to Turkey, renamed TCG ERTUÄzRUL (L-401)
LST-1156 Terrebonne Parish Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 21 April 1953, at Christy Shipbuilding Corp., Sturgeon Bay, WI.
  • Launched, 22 May 1954
  • Commissioned, USS LST-1170, 15 December 1954, LCDR. Max Wells, USN in command
  • Named USS Windham County (LST-1170), 1 July 1955
  • During the Vietnam War USS Windham County (LST-1170) served continuously in country and in contiguous waters, with the exception of overhaul periods, from mid 1964 to late 1972 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.)

    Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnam Advisory Campaign
    10 August to 28 September 1964
    21 to 26 March 1965
    11 to 15 April 1965
    3 to 13 May 1965
    22 to 24 May 1965     		Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    1 to 13 May 1969
    Vietnam Defense
    3 to 8 August 1965
    19 to 24 August 1965
    31 October to 11 December 1965     		Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    5 August to 5 October 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    16 January to 22 February 1966
    6 to 11 March 1966
    21 to 23 May 1966     		Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    20 to 27 November 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    14 February to 16 April 1967     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    14 December 1970 to 26 February 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    29 June to 7 July 1967
    8 November to 4 December 1967     		Consolidation I
    28 July to 9 September 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    15 to 30 June 1968     		Consolidation II
    27 February to 29 March 1972
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    1 July to 19 August 1968     		Vietnam Ceasefire
    30 March to 3 May 1972
    4 September to 9 October 1972
    17 October to 16 November 1972

  • Decommissioned, 1 June 1973
  • Transferred to Turkey, under the Security Assistance Program, renamed TCG ERTUÄzRUL (L-401)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 6 August 1989
  • USS Windham County earned three Navy Unit Commendations, three Meritorious Unit Commendations, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with thirteen campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Final Disposition, fate 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, ships company enlisted 189
    Troop Accommodations 15 officers, 380 enlisted
    Boats three LCVPs, one LCPL
    Armament three twin 3"/50 gun mounts, five single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion four General Motors 16-278A diesel engines, 6000shp, two controllable pitch propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    LST-1170
    Windham County 29k USS LST-1170 ready for launching at Christy Shipbuilding Corp., Sturgeon Bay, WI., 21 April 1954.
    US Navy photo    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Windham County 218k LST-1170 launching and Christening by her sponsor Mrs. Joseph McCarthy, 22 May 1954, at Christy Shipbuilding Corp., Sturgeon Bay, WI.
    US Navy photo    		 S. Dale Hargrave
    USS Windham County (LST-1170)
    Windham County 48k USS Windham County (LST-1170) arriving at Inchon, South Korea to load for Operation "Seven Seas" July- August 1963. Note the US Army tug alongside. Photo by PFC Dan Liker, A-Troop, 2nd Recon Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division
    Windham County 72k USS Windham County (LST-1170) arriving at Inchon, South Korea to load for Operation "Seven Seas" July- August 1963. Photo by PFC Dan Liker, A-Troop, 2nd Recon Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division
    Windham County 62k USS Windham County (LST-1170) arriving at Inchon, South Korea to load for Operation "Seven Seas" July- August 1963. Photo taken from one of the Army tugs assisting Windham County into her berth. Photo by PFC Dan Liker, A-Troop, 2nd Recon Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division
    Washoe County 152k USS Washoe County (LST-1165) and USS Windham County (LST-1170) beached at Pohang, South Korea, 11 August 1962.
    Photo taken from USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166)    		 Photo by Robert Haley, Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
    Windham County 58k USS Windham County (LST-1170), and either USS Washoe County (LST-1165) or USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166) at Pohang, South Korea, preparing to reload equipment for the return trip to Inchon after the conclusion of Operation "Seven Seas" July- August 1963. Photo by PFC Dan Liker, A-Troop, 2nd Recon Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division
    Windham County 77k USS Windham County (LST-1170) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, September 1965    		 Joe Radigan, MACM, USN, Ret.
    Windham County 71k USS Windham County (LST-1170) beached, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, August 1966.    		 Joe Radigan, MACM, USN, Ret.
    Windham County 119k USS Windham County (LST-1170) under way off the coast of South Vietnam, circa 1966. Photo by Rich Krebs USS USS Washoe County (LST-1165)
    Windham County
    1016117033
    K-36234    		 277k USS Windham County (LST-1170) lays off the coast of South Vietnam with other U.S. Seventh Fleet ships waiting to offload amphibious forces and supplies, March 1967.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo #'s K-36234 and K036240 by PHC Jim F. Falk.    		 Mike Smolinski
    Windham County
    1016117034
    K-36240    		 441k
    Washoe County 179k From left to right; USS Washoe County (LST-1165), USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166) and USS Windham County (LST-1170) moored at Naval Station Yokosuka, Japan, January 1970. Bob Morrison EN2 USS Washoe County
    Windham County 1481k USS Windham County (LST-1170) moored at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, HI., circa 1973. Submitted by Derick S. Hartshorn, courtesy LT. Bob Schofield
    Windham County 114k USS Windham County (LST-1170) under way, date and location unknown. Ed Zajkowski
    Windham County 54k USS Windham County (LST-1170) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo # USN 1106155 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.    		 Robert Hurst
    Windham County 49k Photograph of oil on canvas painting of USS Windham County (LST-1170) underway, date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Windham County 242k USS Windham County (LST-1170) moored alongside another LST at Danang, South Vietnam, as a storm approaches, date unknown.
    From the US Naval Institute Color Print Gallery, Photographer R. G. Smith.    		 George Bennett
    TCG ERTUÄzRUL (L-401)
    Windham County 48k TCG ERTUÄzRUL (L-401) moored, date and location unknown. Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
    Windham County 97k TCG ERTUÄzRUL (L-401) off loading vehicles, date and location unknown. Cüneyt Demir
    USS LST-1170 / USS Windham County (LST-1170)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Wells, Max, USN15 December 1954 - ?
    03LCDR. Mowrer, Robert Acre, USN12 December 1957 - 1960
    04LCDR. Marshall Jr., Robert Curtis, USN1960 - 17 March 1962
    05LCDR. Messere, Edward James, USN (USNA 1949)17 March 1962 - 9 November 1963
    06CDR. McArthy, Richard Leland, USN9 November 1963 - 27 July 1965
    07LCDR. Dyer Jr., George Thomas, USN (USNA 1952)27 July 1965 - 28 July 1967
    08LCDR. Williams, David Edward, USN28 July 1967 - 1969
    09LCDR. Mann, John Hatch, USN1969 - 7 January 1971
    10LCDR. Rowe, Jr., Arthur Earl, USN7 January 1971 - 1 June 1973
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    For more photos and information about USS De Soto County, see;
  • USS Windham County (LST-1170) history at Mobile Riverine Association
  • The USS LST Ship Memorial
  • Mobile Riverine Force Association
  • Brownwater Navy in Vietnam Web Book
  • LST Home Port
  • State LST Chapters
  • United States LST Association
  • Turkish Navy Photo Collections by Yucel M. Umar GMC Turkish Navy Ret. and Cüneyt Demir
    • 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
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    Last Updated 24 December 2020