{ ° S ' ' {;t:« ' ' r t; ' : s ' t:-J T Conir cutdGA ' Brief History of the USS Harlan County (LST-1I96) ■■: United States Ship HARLAN COUNTY (LST-1I96), a Tank Landing Ship, is the 18th ship of her class, and the first of the Fleet to bear the name. She is named for the city and county of that name in Ken- tucky. The keel was laid at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, California on 7 November 1970. HARLAN COUNTY was launched and christened July 24, 1971. She was sponsored by Mrs. Richard G. Capen, Jr., wife of a former assist- ant to the Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs. (Commissioning as a unit of the Fleet followed on April 8, 1972. On 23 May 1972, HARLAN COUNTY completed her initial fitting out in Long Beach, ( alifornia and sailed for her homeport of Little (reek, Virginia. During her first voyage, HARLAN COUNTY and her crew members gained from his excellency Neptunus Rex and his Court, transiting the Panama ( anal, and traveling up the Mississippi River to New Orleans, Louisiana. In New Orleans, HARLAN COUNTY delivered three Inshore Patrol Craft (PCF) and five River Patrol Boats fPBR) to the newly formed Coastal River Division Twenty-Two. On 3 July 1972 HARLAN COUNTY entered her homeport of Little Creek, Virginia for the first time. Her first stay in her homeport ended on 25 July 1972 when HARLAN ( OUNTY and her crew sailed for their first trans-Atlantic voyage together. Her desti- nation was Kiel, Ciermany where her cargo of twelve sailboat.s, to be used by the United States Olympic Team in the sailing competition of the 1972 Summer Olympic dames, were safely delivered. After a brief -1 stop in the Mediterranean Sea and the Azores for opportune lifts HARLAN COUNTY returned to her homeport to prepare for shakedown training. HARLAN COUNTY arrived in Guantanarao Bay, Cuba on October 1, I9 ' 2 ready to commence her shakedown training. Four weeks later, after a record setting performance in Guantanamo Bay, HARLAN COUNTY and her crew returned to her homeport where training continued as she underwent three weeks of Amphibious Operational Training in the waters of Chesapeake Bay and Onslow Bay, North Carolina. Once again outstanding performance was cited for HARLAN COUNTY and her crew. On February 2, 1973 HARLAN COUNTY entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for her final step to complete operational readiness Post Shakedown Availability. She completed her PSA on 8 March 1973 and reported as a fully operational ready unit of the Fleet. After three months of preparation, on 7 June 1973 HARLAN COUNTY departed on her first deployment. As a unit of Amphibious Squadron SIX with units of Marine Battalion Landing Team 2 6 embarked, HARLAN COUNTY deployed for duty with the SIXTH Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. In addition to amphibious landings conducted throughout the Mediterranean, HARLAN COUNTY took part in the NATO Fxercise Deep Furrow 73 and was on station during the 1973 Middle Fast Contingency operation. On February 25, 1975, after several months of various Western Atlantic operations HARLAN COUNTS ' departed on her second Mediterranean deployment. Under the command of Commander, , . ' Ainplubious Sqii.ulron SIX w nli units of Marine Haii.ilion l.aniiing Tt-am 8 cmbarktil, ll. l LAN (X)l ' Nr ' reported for duty on 8 March with the SIXTH Ileet. This deplovnient included participa- tion in the NATO Kxercisc Dasvn Patrol - i. A third Mediterranean deployment, with Amphibious Squadron SIX and units from Marine Matt.ilion Land- ing Team 1 6, from November 19 6 to May 19 , included participation in Lixercise National Seek XXll. Significant operations on the I . S. Atlantic ( Dast have included [{xercise Solid Shield in I9 -1, 19 ' ' i and I9 6, particip.vtion in the 2()()th birthday of the Navy at Washington, I). ( ., and a trip lo New ork ( ' ity in July I9 ' 6 for the celebration of the N.ition ' s fiiccntennial including the International Naval Review with the Tall Ships. In her first four years in the Fleet, MAKLAN ( Ol TV was awarded three Uattle lifficiency L ' s, three Lngineering L ' s, four ( ommunication ( ' s, two Amphibious Assault awards and one Damage ( ontrol aw.iri The significance of amphibious warfare has not waned and the lank Landing Ships have proven to be the most versatile asset in the mobility and flexibilitv of amphibious assault forces. MARl.A.N ( Ot ' N r ' and other ships of her class afford the swiftest and most efficient means of landing tanks, artillery and assault vehicles under combat condi- tions. The normal method of unloading will be over the ramp to pontoon causeways, then on to the beach. A stern ramp is also provided for launching amphibian vehicles in deep water, underway. HARLAN ( OINIV has a greatly increased combat vehicular lift and l.inding capability over the Tank Landing .Ships of World War II. .Ships of her class provide the I ' . S. Navy with JO knot ships to mod- ernize the- amphibious forces and thus help meet the requirement to reach the worlcf ' s trouble spots at the right time with the right .imount of equipment .md number of troops. Commanding Officer COMMANOl-R R. R. THOMAS, USN Commander Ronald R. Thomas was born in Spokane, Washington. He attended grade school and high school in Spokane and he attended the University of Idaho as an NROTC C ontract student. I ' pon grad- uating and commissioning in 1959, he served as Enlisted Personnel Officer on the Headquarters, Thir- teenth .Naval District Reserve .Supplement Staff. From September 1962 to December 1964, he served on board L ' SS Rli.WlLLK (.■P. ' 22 ' ) as . mphibious Boat Group Commander and Navigator. .Augmentation to the U. S. Navy occurred in 1963. During calendar year 1965, Commander Thomas served as Navigator on board L ' SS PREBLE (DLG 15). In January 1966, he assumed duties as Operations Officer of USS SHIELDS (DD 596). In .March 19 0, following a period of instruction at Naval Postgraduate School, he was assigned to the Headquarters, U. S. Military . ' Assistance Command Thailand Joint LI. S. Military Advisory Group Thailand Staff where he served as Anti-Submarine Warfare .Advisor to the Royal Thai Navy. In November 19 1, Commander Thomas assumed duties as Executive Officer of USS CAYUGA (LST 1186). Before being detailed to assume command of USS HARLAN COUNTY, Commander Thomas completed a two-year tour with the Manned Spacecraft Recovery Force, Pacific (( TF 130) Staff where he performed duties as Recovery Operations Officer- and Assistant Project Officer for the recovery of the astronauts and command modules of the Skylab I and Apollo Soyuz Project missions, respectively. ( ommander Thomas is not married. He has two children by a previous marriage. I.u uii ii.iiit ( oimiiaiiJcr Ktmicr aitcndcil Officer ( andidaie School upon graduation from the University of Illinois and served in numerous ships and afloat staffs both in the Atlantic and Pacific Meets. He is a graduate of the I. ' . S. Naval Destroyer School, U. S. Naval )iar C olle e and received a Masters of Science Degree in International Relations from tieorpe Washing- ton University. ( ommander Reader and his wife live in Virginia Beach with their children Meth. Amv Jo, and John. ( DK KOHI K I J. Kl ADi 1 Executive Officers I ( DK (.corjic W. eend, Ir. w.is bom in Mobile, M.ibama. He attended Notre Dame University when In reieiveil .i degree in sociology and an ROIC commission in the Unites .States Navy. I,( DR ' eend served aboard minesweepers, l.PD ' s, and as Chief Staff Officer prior to serving on board HAKl.AN ( OUNTV. lU is married to the fornu r Inula l.ightcap and has five chil- dren. l.( DR Yeend also has Ins pilot ' s license. I I DK .l DKc.l U. I 1 I ND.jK. During Our Six Months in the Med, the Golden Gator ' ' did a Great Many Things Like Amphibious Operations . • • • I.VT launch Porto Scudo (Dec 76) Photo by EM3 White ' ' Sp - -:««fltit . .irsr Manning the Uavc Guide Boat (Carboneras, Spain April 77) IU« (Morehcad City N.L.. May 77) L ' .l ' ;ii.i;i ;. HI . ' uui .-.u Ml ( .uik.i l.ir Mar 77j Photo by 11 I 3 Griemann I ' rcp.iriii i; fnr ( aiiseway ()pfr.iru n The Causeways move by boat : f 4 f r Aerial view of bow marria e (o causeways oiiloa.iini; via sii-rnr.irr Causeways ' marry ' our s(ern mi ( aiisrwdvs movr uul S ' arines and Helots to Ride Their Landing Vehicles the Beaches • • • • LVT splashes into the water (Monte Romano Italy Jan 77) ' You are dispatched ' •!;■I r. h ' (Carboneras. Spain Apr 77) Phixo bv I.CPi. Martarano ,r . m i LVT ' s forming up for assault (Porto Scudo Sardinia Feb 77) Photo by LCPL Gamble —  . ■TiJ ' A.-  L iHL T- ' ' ,■- - . . It ' s a long drive back (Vatika Cir Mar ) Photo by PIC Rapp ilflo pick up some cquiptiu-ru All L r awaiting furthtT iiistruc(ii ns I. 1 ' s passitij; the rotks ol I ' orto Scudo Sardinia (Dec 76) Photo by LCPl. South V s5t ' . Heading back Co HARI.AN (UN I ■ Iclos iikc this Larfif-ii M.iniM-s (o thr bt-ath luring aerial assaults In order lo replenish underway, one has to get close. ...Very close (Alongside USNS U ' accamaw) Photo by MT3 Gricmann The Messenger line in hand Photo by MT3 Ciriemann lliioking up aft It takes many hands to do it right h tl I .uu- and his cargo haii ; ... I 1 itic approachcth When at Sea Supplies Came From Other Ships Over Water or . • . Thru the Air . . . . . . And Everyone Helps I- li jhl yii.ltlirs I iir 1 c A Practice Ship . • • iJ Ir USS FORT SNELLING approaches and Throws us a line For A Towing Exercise FT SWELLING moves out and... Off we go Harlan County did all These Many Times Launthlnf; LVT ' - at Monte Romano Italy (Jan 77) Photo by IM3 White Preparing; ( auseways (Monte Komano Italy Jan ) Hooking: up a (uel rig Mamlling bow ramp line Uow ratnp partially extended Seal I cam on secret mission I ' hoio by I.T Robertson I .it.idin si4 ■■, liMHH«t i Mit i i ■I I m! t :i,. ••• ' Ellilli U...( i;.t !i)i L,- Jul Anollit-r I ' nrcp We had our Normal Work in Order to be Ready Sor Special Evolutions 1 hi- Uavf (.luidi- Hoai «as always ready Doc Quick i;ivi ' .s a shot Mi i Nariin inspfLis tli hc lictk iitv fijthtinf; equipment Marines cleaning tlulr m ij ,SN Naik au liclps paini the anchor chai I ' li.Ko l.v 11 I ' . liiii ni.um Liberty Call - Villclranche , France and the Riviera •v-fl.. How sweet it is! Ircnch Riviera „ Nice Harbor, Nice France Lc (asuHi SaUe Monaco HARLAN COUNTY snup in Villefranche Photo by fIT3 Griemann Christinas and New Years in Naples 
