Design and Construction
The two Talbot County class tank landing ships had a displacement of 6,000 long tons (6,096 t), a length of 382 feet (116 m), a beam of 54 feet (16 m), and a draft of 14 feet 5 inches (4.39 m). They were fitted with two 450 psi (3,100 kPa) Babcock and Wilcox boilers connected to two geared turbines; a Westinghouse in the forward engine room, and a General Electric in the after engine room. These were intended to provide a top speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph), although 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) was a more realistic flank speed.
The landing ships were capable of transporting 197 troops, and were equipped with three LCVPs and one LCPL. The ship's company was 190-strong, and consisted of about six or seven line officers, a supply officer, the Captain and Executive Officer, and about 115–125 enlisted men. Talbot County was initially armed with two single 5"/38 caliber guns, two twin 40 mm Bofors guns, and two single 20 mm Oerlikon guns. The 20 & 40 mm guns were removed prior to 1958.
The ship was laid down as LST-1153 on 19 July 1945 at the Boston Navy Yard. She was launched on 24 April 1947 with Mrs. Lena Mickelson as sponsor, and commissioned on 3 September 1947. She was not named until 1955.
The Talbot County and her sister-ship, Tallahatchie County (LST-1154), were the only steam-driven LST's ever commissioned into the United States Navy, and were considered experimental due to their propulsion and armament. Apparently the experiment was not a success because no other steam driven LST's were ever built and no others had 5-inch guns.
Read more about this topic: USS Talbot County (LST-1153)
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