From Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,
Vol. V (1979), pp. 403
Counties in Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and
Virginia.
(LST-1088: dp. 4,080,l. 328'0"; b. 50'0", dr. 14'1" s. 12
k.; cpl. 119; a. 8 40mm, 12 20mm; cl. LST-1081)
Pulaski County (LST-1088) was laid down by the American Bridge Co.,
Ambridge, Pa., 16 December 1944, launched 11 February 1945; sponsored by
Mrs. A. J. Paddock, and commissioned at Algiers, La., as LST-1088
27 March 1945, Lt. Sheldon Potter III in command.
After shakedown off Florida, LST-1088 departed the Gulf Coast 6 May
for the Pacific. She put in to Pearl Harbor Eniwetok, Guam, Saipan, Manila,
and Lingayen Gulf before landing occupation troops at Wakayama, Honshu,
Japan 28 October. She subsequently carried troops and cargo to Okinawa,
Sasebo, Saipan, Pearl Harbor, and San Francisco arriving at the last named
port 19 January 1946. In March she sailed for Portland, Oreg. where she
underwent pre-inactivation overhaul, was decommissioned 29 August 1946,
and berthed with the Columbia River Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet.
On 1 July 1955, LST-1088 was named Pulaski County (LST-1088). In
1961 Pulaski County was moved to the Reserve Group at Bremerton,
Wash. On 21 May 1963, she recommissioned and was assigned to Reserve LST
Squadron 2 homeported in Little Creek, Va. The ship underwent refresher
training at San Diego from 17 June to 2 July, then sailed 20 July via the
Panama Canal for Little Creek arriving 22 August.
In January and February 1964, Pulaski County transported obsolete
ammunition from the ammunition denpot at Earle, N.J. for disposal at sea.
She then operated along the east coast from Florida to New York, and provided
training services for the Army at Little Creek. In late February 1965 Pulaski
County supported a Project Gemini space flight. From 22 May through
25 August she supported Army troops during the Dominican Republic Operations.
In early 1966 Pulaski County deployed from Little Creek to the Pacific
via the Panama Canal. She spent most of the year in the western Pacific,
particularly off Vietnam, but also making port calls at Okinawa and Japan.
Her main duty was transporting cargo to Vietnam. She continued to operate
in Vietnam and the Far East in early 1967. In July 1967 she was transferred
to MSTS, and into 1970 remains with MSTS operated by a Civil Service crew.