Barbour County (LST 1195) - Naval Cruise Book

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SHIP ' S HISTORY Construction of USS BARBOUR COUNTY (LST-1195) was begun on 15 August 1970 in keel-laying ceremonies at Na- tional Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, Cali- fornia. She was christened and launched on 15 May 1971. BARBOUR COUNTY was delivered to the Navy on 3 Feb- ruary 1972, commissioned on 12 February 1972, and as- signed to the Amphibious Forces of the Pacific Fleet. BARBOUR county ' s history is one of regular sustained deployments to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. Pri- or to this deployment the ship had made a goodwill visit to Callo, Peru; a special operations mission in North Pacific (Aug-Oct 1982); and seven extended deployments. Past Westpac Deployments: - September 1973 — March 1974 -March 1975 — November 1975 (evacuated refugees from South East Asia) - September 1977 — April 1978 - April 1979 — October 1979 - October 1980 — April 1981 (Jan Feb Indian Ocean Contingency) -January 1983 - January 1986 July 1983 July 1986 WESTPAC PERSIAN EXCURSION SO- PAC SWING - 87 88 On 22 August 1987 BARBOUR COUNTY commenced her eighth deployment with lit- tle advance notice or forewarning. The cur- rent global realities made it necessary for our nation ' s leaders to call upon the Navy to sup- port our national interests. In turn the Navy called upon BARBOUR COUNTY, in large part because of her superlative reputation, to bear the burden of a very important mission. Aug 22 — Underway for Arabian Gulf: Tasked to ' enhance tow ' USS CONQUEST (MSO-488), USS ESTEEM (MSO-438), AND USS ENHANCE (MSO-437). Sept 01 — 04: port visit Pearl Harbor, Ha- waii. On 03 Sept ADM James Lyons; CINC- PACFLT; and VADM Diego Hernandez; COMTHIRDFLT; visit ship. Sept 10 — USS CONQUEST collided with BARBOUR COUNTY during refueling oper- ations. Sept 26 — Oct 04: port visit Subic Bay Phil- ippines. On 29 Sept RADM Richardson; COMNAVSURFGRUWESTPAC; visited ship for award ceremony. Oct 11 — 12: port visit Singapore. Oct 25 — conducted ammo VERTREP and alongside refueling with USS KANSAS CITY (AOR-3) Oct 28 — Transited Straits of Hormuz with USS ENHANCE and USS ESTEEM. Entered Persian Gulf in company of USS CARR (FFG-52) and USS ELROD (FFG-54). First two oceangoing minesweepers to transit into the Persian Gulf. 12,300 nautical mile transit from the U.S. is believed to be the longest trip by minesweepers in U.S. history. Oct 30 — Moored alongside USS MOUNT VERNON (LSD-39) at anchor Bahrain Bellj Persian Gulf. Oct 31 — Nov 01: port visit Manama, Bah- rain. Nov 03 — exited Persian Gulf in companyj with USS RENTZ (FFG-46). Nov 05 — conducted alongside refueling with USS HASSAYAMPA (TAO-145) Nov 15 — 17: port visit Phuket, Thailand Nov 25 — Dec 01: port visit Subic Bay, Phil- ippines. Underway 26 and 27 Nov to evade typhoon ' Nina ' . Dec 05 — 06: port visit Koror, Republic of Palau. Dec 08 — Crossed the Equator at 114-36E. 83 pollywogs initiated as SHELLBACKS. Dec 10 — 12: port visit Manus, Admiralty Islands, Papau New Guinea. Dec 14 — 15: port visit Rabaul, New Brit- ain, Papau New Guinea. Dec 21 — 27: port visis Brisbane, Australia. Dec 30 — Jan 05: port visit Sydney, Austra- lia. Jan 11 — 15: port visit Honiara, Guadalca- nal, Solomon Islands. Jan 17 — Disaster relief to Nendo Island (0600 — 1115). Jan 18 — Disaster relief to Tikopia Island] (0430 — 1800). Jan 19 — Disaster relief to Anuta Islanc (0630 — 1100). Jan 22 — 25: port visit Nuku ' alofa, Tonga. Jan 27 — 30: port visit Pago Pago, Ameri- can Samoa. Feb 07 — 08: port visit Pearl Harbor, Ha- waii. Feb 17 — Arrived in home port; San Diego MILES STEAMED SINCE 22 AUGUST: 30,490 NAU-J TICAL MILES