USS Tioga County (LST-1158) - Vietnam War Service

Vietnam War Service

Although Tioga County was scheduled to spend Christmas 1965 in San Diego, a change of plans sent her to the Far East for her third Western Pacific deployment.

Arriving at Subic Bay, the Philippines, en route to Vietnamese waters, Tioga County loaded barbed wire and aviation fuel tanks and got underway for Danang, South Vietnam in mid-January 1966. After delivering her cargo there, she embarked troops and served as a "combat taxi" for the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division, making troop and vehicle lifts between Phan Rang and Tuy Hoa and carrying up to 1,000 troops each time.

After shifting briefly to Subic Bay for a drydocking for repair of her screws, Tioga County soon returned to Vietnamese waters to take part in Operation Double Eagle, off Quang Ngai Province. She made numerous beachings to load troops and cargo and earned her first engagement star for this action.

Following this logistics support evolution, Tioga County returned to the U.S. West Coast via Hong Kong, Yokosuka, Japan, and Pearl Harbor, and reached San Diego on 14 May 1966.

Tioga County conducted local operations along the U.S. West Coast until 2 March 1967, when she got underway for her fourth Western Pacific deployment. Proceeding via Pearl Harbor, Guam, and Subic Bay, she arrived at Danang on 28 April 1967 with 43 vehicles and other cargo.

Following a run to Okinawa, Tioga County returned to Vietnam and became the first landing ship tank of her class to participate in duty with the Mobile Riverine Assault Force.

Arriving at Vung Tau on 6 June 1967, Tioga County loaded 30,000 cases of C rations, 700 tons of U.S. Army ammunition, and 350 tons of miscellaneous cargo. She transited the Song Cua Thieu to the 9th Infantry Regiment's advanced base at Dong Tarn and took on board 369 men of "B" and "C" companies of the 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry.

Under the aegis of Commander, River Flotilla 1, Tioga County served in the Rung Sat Zone special zone of the Mekong Delta region, supporting "search-and-destroy" missions against Viet Cong (VC) troops. She acted as a "Mekong Hilton" to the men who were based on board and served as a mobile ammunition and supply depot. In addition, she accompanied the rest of the riverine warfare force up the Song Soirap to Nha Be for close support of both artillery and infantry combat operations.

Difficulty with Tioga County's generators forced her back to Subic Bay for repairs before she returned to Vietnamese waters in late July 1967. She then joined Amphibious Ready Group Alfa off the coast of Vietnam near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Here she participated in Operation Beacon Gate, Operation Beacon Guide, and Operation Beacon Point. During this period, in addition to logistics support operations, Tioga County conducted her first combat landing as her LCVPs put a U.S. Marine landing team ashore on the coastal region of Quang Ngai province, a known Viet Cong stronghold near the Demilitarized Zone, with the initial landing wave.

Detached from this duty on 6 September 1967, Tioga County sailed for the United States, steamed via Yokosuka and Pearl Harbor, and arrived back at her homeport on Navy Day, 27 October 1967. She conducted local operations and training out of San Diego into 1970, before she conducted her fifth and final Western Pacific deployment from 5 January 1970 to 7 July 1970.

Tioga County received three battle stars for Vietnam War service, for:

• Vietnamese Counteroffensive 11 January 1966-27 January 1966, 10 February 1966-22 February 1966, and 5 March 1966-19 March 1966
• Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II 29 April 1967-4 May 1967
• Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III 2 June 1967-21 June 1967, 22 July 1967-17 August 1967, and 29 August 1967-9 September 1967.