USS Whitfield County (LST-1169) - Vietnam War

Vietnam War

In mid-1964, the tempo of operations for the tank landing ship began to change, reflecting the increased role that the United States was playing in Vietnam. On 22 July 1964, Whitfield County departed Yokosuka for a routine trip to Okinawa, but was called away for duty off the coast of Vietnam. She remained at sea for 41 days with Marines embarked, on station off the coast of South Vietnam and ready for contingencies. During that time, the Tonkin Gulf Incident occurred early in August 1964 and further escalated tensions between the United States and communist North Vietnam.

Whitfield County, her services not needed in Vietnam at that time, returned to Yokosuka early in October 1964 for much-needed leave and upkeep. She next conducted type training, made a troop lift from Numazu to Okinawa, and underwent more upkeep in November and December 1964, before rounding out the year in readiness to operate in South Vietnamese waters once more if the situation demanded it.

With a logistical support load on board, Whitfield County departed Okinawa, bound for South Vietnam. She arrived at Danang on 5 January 1965 and offloaded part of the cargo before shifting to Chu Lai to discharge the remainder. She sailed for Subic Bay on 6 January 1965, as part of the Subic-Republic of Vietnam shuttle force. Arriving at Subic Bay on 9 January, she took on a load of cargo earmarked for Vietnamese ports and sailed for Danang, South Vietnam, on 16 January with another logistical support load on board.

After unloading that cargo at Danang, Whitfield County shifted to Camranh Bay, South Vietnam, to load cargo for transport to Phan Rang and Saigon, South Vietnam. Ultimately reaching Saigon on 28 January and unloading the remaining cargo, she took on board cargo to be lifted to Qui Nhon, South Vietnam. Subsequently routed onward to Okinawa after loading cargo at Danang, she reached Okinawa on 10 February.

Taking on board elements of the U.S. Army's 4th Cavalry Regiment, Whitfield County proceeded to Saigon, reaching that port on 20 February. After returning to Okinawa, via Danang, Vietnam, and Keelung, Taiwan, Whitfield County subsequently steamed back to Vietnamese waters with elements of the 1st Marine Division embarked and put the Marines ashore at Chu Lai. She continued her busy pace of operations, carrying return cargo from Danang to Okinawa, arriving at Okinawa on 2 April, before she embarked U.S. Marine Corps elements for maneuvers at Numazu. Reaching her destination on 6 April, she immediately disembarked the Marines and returned to Yokosuka for overhaul.

Following that yard work and the ensuing refresher training, Whitfield County remained at Yokosuka through much of the summer before sailing for Iwakuni, Japan, and arriving there on 27 August to load equipment and embark men of Marine Air Group (MAG) 13 for transfer to South Vietnam. Underway on 29 August, Whitfield County reached Chu Lai on 6 September. She then returned to Japan and made a second trip from Iwakuni to Chu Lai, bringing in the second element of MAG-13.

Whitfield County proceeded thence to Danang to embark elements of Marine Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/9 for passage to Okinawa. She then proceeded to Naha, where she took on board the men and equipment of the Army's 526th Engineering Detachment. Offloading at Qui Nhon, the ship shifted to Chu Lai and Danang, where she loaded return equipment and sailed for Okinawa. Upon delivering her equipment to Okinawa, she pushed on for Japan and reached Yokosuka on 24 October.

Whitfield County's upkeep period in Japan lasted into November, when she headed for Hong Kong and six days of rest and recreation. Departing the British Crown Colony on 23 November, Whitfield County proceeded to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, where she loaded 600 tons of cement slated for transport to South Vietnam. Reaching Phan Rang on 30 November, she offloaded her cargo and departed on 1 December, bound for Danang. The normally short trip became a four-day voyage after she ran into heavy weather soon after leaving Phan Rang, but she finally reached Danang on 5 December, and took on board equipment for lift to Okinawa. After first offloading the retrograde cargo at Naha, Whitfield County reached her home port of Yokosuka on 15 December, and remained there into late December.