USS Luzerne County (LST-902) - Vietnam War

Vietnam War

Late in December Luzerne County was assigned to duty in the Pacific in support of naval operations in Southeast Asia. Departing Norfolk on 19 January 1966, she loaded an Landing Craft Utility (LCU) at Charleston; transited the Panama Canal on 1 February; touched at Pearl Harbor and Subic Bay; and arrived Saigon on 21 April. There she offloaded the LCU before steaming to Da Nang the next day. During the next two weeks she operated in the South China Sea and took part in freeing SS Excellency, an American merchant freighter, from a reef on Triton Island in the Paracels. Although damaged during salvage operations, Luzerne County carried the merchantman's cargo of ammunition to Bangkok, Thailand, where she arrived on 16 May; thence, she steamed to Sasebo, Japan for repairs and overhaul. Departing Sasebo on 2 July, Luzerne County resumed supply runs to South Vietnamese ports in support of the American war effort. During July, August, and September she carried military stores from Okinawa to Nha Be, Yung Tau, and Nha Trang, and during the next two months she hauled cement from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to Phan Rang. After departing Cam Ranh Bay on 26 November, she returned to Sasebo via Okinawa on 13 December.

She returned to South Vietnam early in 1967, and during February, March, and April she shuttled cargo to South Vietnamese ports. She operated out of Sasebo during much of May, but on 4 June she returned to Da Nang. While at Da Nang, she was ordered to Triton Island to aid an American merchantman that had grounded on the islands surrounding reef. While working alongside, Luzerne County was damaged when a sudden swell caused the ships to roll together. As soon as possible, she sailed for Sasebo to undergo repairs. Upon completion of repairs, she spent the remainder of the year hauling supplies to Vietnam from Taiwan and Okinawa. Excluding periods of upkeep and refresher training, Luzerne County remained in this capacity until 1969.

During the first part of 1970, Luzerne County was part of Landing Ship Squadron 2 (LANSHIPRON2) which in turn was part of the Mobile Riverine Force. Operating out of Vũng Tàu, Republic of Vietnam, her mission was "Armed Logistic Support" where she was utilized to resupply U.S. Army bases in the Mekong Delta. She had her last combat incident in April, 1970, where she went to general quarters in response to hostile fire in the vicinity of Dong Tam, RVN. This incident resulted in injury to one member of the crew, who was evacuated by medical helicopter. Later she went to Bangkok, Thailand before returning for one last mission in Vietnam.

Luzerne County departed the Mekong Delta for Đà Nẵng at the end of April, 1970 along with the other three ships of LANSHIPRON2, the Monmouth County, Iredell County and Clarke County. All four ships then began a six week voyage from Đà Nẵng to Guam, Pearl Harbor, San Diego and finally to the mothball fleet in Vallejo after which they were removed from active service.

Decommissioned (date unknown), she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 12 August 1970. Her final fate is unknown.