>From the "Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships," 

(1969) Vol. 4, p.416





MONMOUTH COUNTY





	A county in New Jersey.





LST-1032

Displacement:  2,366 t.

Length:  328'

Beam:  50'

Draft:  14'1"

Speed:  11.6 k.

Complement:  119

Armament:  8 40mm; 12 20mm

Class:  LST-511



	LST-1032 was laid down 9 June 1944, by the Boston Navy 

Yard, Boston, Mass.; launched 9 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. 

Jennie M. Kneeland, and commissioned 1 August 1944, Lt. J. 

M. Medina in command.



	Following shakedown, LST-1032 departed New York, 8 

September 1944, for the west coast, arriving at San Diego, 4 

October.  Continuing on to Hawaii, she embarked troops there 

and sailed 23 January 1945 to take part in the assault on 

Iwo Jima.  While debarking marines there, on 20 February, an 

enemy shell struck her bow, killing one marine and wounding 

nine.  Despite this, rough seas, and stiff Japanese 

opposition, she completed debarking her troops and supplies 

on the 22d, and proceeded to Saipan.



	She next sailed from Saipan to take part in the Okinawa 

invasion, arriving off that island 1 April. Discharging her 

cargo and men, she departed for Saipan, returning to Okinawa 

30 May with more supplies.  LST-1032 then steamed to the 

Philippines, arriving San Pedro Bay 15 June.  Until Japan's 

surrender, she ferried troops and munitions among the 

Philippines, with two additional runs to Okinawa.  Then she 

carried occupation troops to the Japanese home islands until 

19 November, when she sailed for the United States, arriving 

San Francisco 30 December.



	Sailing to the east coast, LST-1032 anchored off Little 

Creek, Va., 15 April 1946, and joined the Amphibious Force, 

U.S. Atlantic Fleet, with which she operated for the next 9 

years.  She joined expeditions to Greenland in 1951 and 

1952, and took part in training exercises in the Caribbean.  

LST-1032 was named MONMOUTH COUNTY 1 July 1955, 

decommissioned 14 October 1955, and berthed in the Florida 

Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet.



	She transferred to the Philadelphia Group in August 

1961, and recommissioned 28 May 1963 as a unit of Reserve 

LST Squadron 2, based at Little Creek, Va.  She was placed 

into full commission 21 December 1965, participating in the 

Dominican Republic crisis, again demonstrating the Navy's 

vital role in keeping the peace in a troubled world.  In 

1966, MONMOUTH COUNTY sailed to assist the people of South 

Vietnam in their struggle against Asian communism.



	Assigned to the Service Force, Pacific Fleet, she 

operated between the Demilitarized Zone and the Mekong 

Delta, carrying foodstuffs, ammunition, and construction 

equipment.  Following a visit to the Republic of China in 

February 1967, she returned to Vietnam waters, where she 

serves into 1969, offering hope and support to the people of 

Vietnam.



	LST-1032 received two battle stars for World War II 

service.



	[MONMOUTH COUNTY was stricken on 12 August 1970.]



“Jane’s Fighting Ships 1975-76,” p.487.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com