>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

(1976) Vol. 6, p.575.





SPARTANBURG COUNTY





	A county in the Piedmont section of South Carolina 

named for the Spartan Rifles, a militia regiment enrolled in 

the area during the American Revolution.





LST-1192

Displacement:  8,450 t.

Length:  522’3”

Beam:  69’6”

Draft:  14’8”

Speed:  20 k.

Complement:  231

Armament:  4 3”

Class:  NEWPORT



	SPARTANBURG COUNTY (LST-1192) was laid down on 

7 February 1970 at San Diego, Calif., by the National Steel 

and Shipbuilding Corp., launched on 7 November 1970; 

sponsored by Mrs. Neville Holcombe; and commissioned on 

1 September 1971, Comdr. P. R. Royse is command.



	SPARTANBURG COUNTY--a tank landing ship of a new 

design--possesses a bow ramp which is pulled over her bow 

and supported by two derrick arms.  She also has a stern 

gate which enables her to launch amphibious vehicles.  Her 

speed, almost twice as fast as that of her World War II 

predecessors, permits her to operate with high speed 

amphibious forces.



	SPARTANBURG COUNTY was fitted out at Long Beach and 

returned to San Diego for structural hull modifications.  On 

5 November, she got underway for the east coast.  After a 

stop at Acapulco, Mexico, she transited the Panama Canal on 

15 November.  The ship conducted shore bombardment exercises 

off Culebra Island on the 18th and , after making a port 

call at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, sailed for her home 

port, Little Creek, Va.  There, she was assigned to 

Amphibious Squadron (Phibron) 6, Atlantic Fleet, on 

24 November 1971.  On 6 January 1972, she sailed for 

Guantanamo Bay to begin shakedown which lasted until 

23 February.  The LST has conducted operations and 

participated in amphibious exercises along the east coast 

and in the Caribbean since that date and, into November 

1974, was still assigned to Phibron 6 at Little Creek.



	[Decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel 

Register on 16 December 1994, SPARTANBURG COUNTY was sold to 

Malaysia the same date for $18.7 million.  Renamed SRI 

INDERA PUTERA (Hull no. 1505), she was commissioned into the 

Malaysian Navy on 31 January 1995.]



Internet Web Sites:

	Naval Vessel Register

		www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/LST1192.htm

	United States Naval & Shipbuilding Museum

		www.uss-salem.org/worldnav/usa/decom.htm#amph

		www.uss-salem.org/worldnav/asiapac/malaysia.htm#2

“The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 

1998-1999,” p.498





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com