From Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,
Vol. IV (1969), pp. 6
A county in southeastern North Dakota.
(LST-883: dp. 1,625, l. 328'; b. 50'; dr. 14'1" s. 12 k.; cpl. 226;
a. 8 40mm., 12 20mm.; cl. LST-511)
LST-883 was laid down by Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co., Evansville,
Ind., 16 November 1944, launched 30 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. L.
D. McBride, and commissioned at New Orleans, La., 23 January 1945, Lt. Winfield
H. Cook in command.
After shakedown off the Florida coast, LST-883 departed New Orleans
for the west coast 28 February and arrived San Pedro 26 March. Steaming
via Seattle, Wash., the landing ship reached the Hawaiian Island 1 May and
trained there until sailing for the western Pacific the 24th. She carried
Seabees via the Marshalls and the Marianas to battle-torn Okinawa where
she arrived 26 June. After discharging men and equipment, she embarked veterans
of the 6th Marine Division and sailed 10 July. Steaming via Guam, she reached
Pearl Harbor 5 August.
During the rest of August she joined in amphibious training operations in
the Hawaiian Islands. Following the surrender of Japan, she departed Pearl
Harbor 3 September, with occupation forces for Japan. She debarked troops
at Sasebo, Kyushu, 25 September, before sailing for the Philippines the
28th. She arrived Lingayen Gulf 5 October, and between 26 October and 4
November transported Army engineers to Nagoya, Honshu. From Japan she arrived
Saipan 14 November and operated in the Marianas during the remainder of
the year.
LST-883 steamed to San Pedro Bay, Leyte, between 15 and 20 January
1946. During the next 3 months she made cargo and passenger runs to Mindoro,
Mindanao, Luzon, and Samar. She decommissioned at Samar 20 April 1946, was
placed in an in-custody status, and was transferred to the Army 26 August
for use in Japan.
Reacquired by the Navy 1 July 1950, LST-883 recommissioned at Yokosuka,
Japan, 26 August, Lt. Charles M. Miller in command. In response to President
Truman's order to repel Communist aggression in Korea, she embarked Marines
and Army troops, loaded combat stores, and departed Kobe, Japan, 10 September.
She sailed for Inchon, South Korea, as part of an amphibious attack force.
Assigned to TG 90.3 LST-883 arrived off the Inchon seawalls 15 September
while a concentrated air-sea bombardment pounded enemy shore installations.
Later that afternoon, she closed the beaches and, despite heavy mortar and
machinegun fire, debarked troops on Red Beach. As American naval and ground
forces carried out the vital Inchon invasion, which spearheaded an Allied
offensive northward, LST-883 discharged emergency supplies and dueled
with enemy guns. She remained off Inchon until sailing for the eastern coast
of Korea 15 October. For daring bravery and heroic performance of duty off
Red Beach, the aggressive and intrepid LSTs of TE 90.32, including LST-883,
received the Navy Unit Commendation.
Arriving Wonsan 25 October, LST-883 made coastal troop and cargo
runs from Wonsan to Humgnam until returning to Yokosuka 22 November. After
Chinese Communist armies moved southward into North Korea later that month,
she departed Japan 9 December for the massive amphibious evacuation of Hungnam.
Between 15 and 27 December she completed two runs out of Hungnam to carry
men and equipment to Pusan, thence, she returned to Japan New Year's Eve.
She continued operations between Yokosuka and Pusan until 31 March 1951
when she sailed for the United States.
After arriving San Diego 29 April, LST-883 underwent overhaul at
Bremerton from 16 May to 22 July. During August and September she operated
along the west coast and on 2 October she departed San Francisco for the
Far East, arriving Yokosuka 5 November. After operating aloug the Japanese
coast, she arrived Inchon 28 December with a cargo of military vehicles.
Between 28 December and 18 July 1952, she made numerous troop and cargo
runs along the western coast of Korea, and between Korea and Japan. In addition,
she joined in amphibious training exercises off Japan and Okinawa. Departing
Yokosuka 25 July, she arrived San Diego 22 August, and during tbe next 10
months operated off the California coast.
Carrying men of the 3d Marine Division, LST-883 again deployed to
Korean waters 15 June 1953. Steaming via Pearl Harbor and Yokosuka, she
reached Pusan 27 July as the uncertain armistice which halted hostilities
in this stalemated conflict was signed at Panmunjom. During August and September
she carried troops and supplies from Korea to Japan and transported enemy
prisoners from U.N. POW camps to Inchon. After returning to Yokosuka 24
September, she made coastal runs to Kobe and Kure and supported amphibious
operations off Okinawa during the next 5 months. Between 26 February 1964
and 27 March, she sailed from Japan to California via Pearl Harbor. She
operated along the California coast out of San Diego during the remainder
of 1954.
Departing San Diego 17 February I955, LST-883 arrived Japan 17 March
to begin a 6-month deployment in the Far East. Renamed La Moure County
1 July, she operated with peacekeeping forces between Japan and Korea until
sailing for the west coast 20 September. Following her return to San Diego
19 October, she resumed coastal operations and amphibious training duty
off southern California. She served out of San Diego during the next 2 years
and in 1956 completed two amphibious training cruises to Hawaii.
La Moure County departed San Diego 9 January 1958 on her third deployment
to the Far East since the Korean conflict. She arrived Okinawa 12 February
for duty with the mighty 7th Fleet. Over the next 4 months she steamed to
the Philippines, Korea, and Japan while operating with this powerful and
highly mobile seaborne force for freedom. Departing the western Pacific
25 June, she operated along the west coast until deploying to the Far East
29 January 1959. Based at Yokosuka, she cruised the Japanese coast and participated
in amphibious exercises off Okinawa and South Korea. She then sailed from
Yokosuka for the United States 19 May and arrived Long Beach 14 June. La
Moure County decommissioned there 7 December 1959; her name was struck
from the Naval Register 1 January 1960, and she was sold for scrapping to
Zidell Explorations Corp., 30 November 1960.
La Moure County received one battle star for World War II service
and seven battle stars for Korean service.