Harlan County (LST 1196) - Naval Cruise Book

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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,

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, . ' 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.