Harlan County (LST 1196) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS HARLAN COUNTY LST 1 196 United States Ship HARLAN COUNTY (LST 1 196), a Tank Landing Stiip, is the 18th ship of her class and the first of the fleet to bear the name. She is nanned for, the city and county of that nanne in Kentucky. The keel was laid at the National Ship- building Company San Diego, California, on 7 November 1970. HARLAN COUNTY was launched and christened July 24, 1971. She was sponsored by fVlrs. Richard G. Capen, Jr., wife of the former assistant to the Secretary of Defense for legisla- tive affairs. Commissioning as a unit of the fleet followed on April 8, 1972. Since commissioning, HARLAN COUNTY has been awarded five Battle Efficiency E ' s; nine Engineering E ' s, eight Command Control and Communications awards, eight Operations E ' s, six Amphibious Assault awards, six Damage Control awards, five Navigational Deck Seamanship awards, two Supply E ' s, two Retention R ' s, three Gunnery E ' s, a Navy Unit Commendation, a Navy Meritorious Unit Citation and a U.S. Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Citation with Operational Distin- guishing device. The significance of amphibious warfare has not diminished and the Tank Landing Ships have proven to be the most versatile asset in the mobility and flexibility of Amphibious Assault forces. HARLAN COUNTY and other ships of her class ore the most efficient means of landing tanks, amphibious and assault vehicles under combat conditions. The normal method of unloading is over the bowramp to pontoon causeways then on to the beach. The stern ramp is also provided for launching vehicles in deep water both at anchor or underway. HARLAN COUNTY has a greatly increased combat vehicular lift and landing capability over Tank Landing Ships of World War 1 1 Ships of her class provide the Navy with 20 knot ships to modernize the amphibious forces and thus help meet the requirements to reach the world ' s trouble at the right time with the right amount of equipment and number of troops.