A tribute to a lady .......... and her men
The Gator Navy
T
And on a sad note
The Talbot County made several beachings on Vieques Island in early January and on January 21st she proceeded to Morehead City, North Carolina to debark troops after which she returned to Little Creek and six weeks in an upkeep status .
... On March 10th she was host to more than 200 members of the Key Club of America, taking them on a brief cruise from Little Creek to NOB. In late March the Talbot County and the USS Chilton (APA 38) were at Onslow Beach, North Carolina training USMC Reservists in the launching and recovery of LVT's. On April 7th the Talbot County returned to Onslow Beach to participate in DEMOLEX, an operation which was observed by President Kennedy and the Shah of Iran.
... On June 2nd, following a repair period alongside the USS Cadmus (AR 14) the Talbot County visited her namesake county in Maryland where she received a warm welcome and from June 30th to July 5th 18,000 visitors in Arlington, Virginia viewed displays of USMC equipment and exhibits from the Naval Exhibit Center which were presented on the tank deck.
...On July 27th LCDR Robert M. Watkins was relieved as Commanding Officer of the USS Talbot County by LCDR J. R. Bres.
... The deterioration of relations between the United States and the Soviet Union concerning Cuba cancelled several scheduled training operations and the Talbot County embarked troops at Morehead City, North Carolina then steamed off the Florida coast under a condition of wartime readiness, with other amphibious force units, until the conclusion of the crisis. On December 7th she offloaded the embarked troops and sailed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in company with the USS Terrebone Parish (LST 1156) to transport USMC units from Guantanamo to Camp Lejune, North Carolina. The two ships returned to Little Creek on December 17th.
... The Talbot County again left for Guantanamo Bay, with a relief USMC Artillery Detachment embarked, on February 11th. She transported the relieved battery to Morehead City, North Carolina and on her return to the Norfolk area she went alongside the USS Tutulia (ARG 4) for two weeks to prepare for a scheduled deployment to Panama.
... On April 7th the Talbot County departed
Little Creek, in company with the USS Churchill County (LST 583), for assignment to the
Panama Canal Amphibious Unit. The two ships reached Panama on May 1st. The Commanding
Officer of the USS Talbot County assumed responsibilities as Commander, Canal Amphibious
Unit (CTU 44.4.9). The months of May and June were spent conducting amphibious training
operations with US Army troops in the vicinity of Rodman Naval Station and Rio Hato,
Republic of Panama. On June 19th the Talbot County arrived at Puerto Limon, Costa Rica for
a three-day visit. During June and July she participated in Operation Fine Comb, which
concluded on July 3rd, then a joint air sea operation at Fort Kobbe which was observed by
the Secretary of the Army and representatives of the Conference of American Armies.
The Talbot County returned to Little Creek on July 26th after being relieved in Panama by
the USS Middlesex County (LST 983) and the USS Dodge County (LST 722)
... August was spent in an upkeep status followed by a week of independent ships exercises off of the Virginia Capes after which she went alongside the USS Amphion (AR 13) for a scheduled tender availability. October 7th and 8th were spent in an INSURV inspection, which was passed satisfactorily. On October 11th she left the tender to prepare for a second deployment to Panama.
... The USS Talbot County and the USS Cheboygan County (LST 533) sailed for Panama on October 14th. and relieved the USS Middlesex County and the USS Dodge County on the 28th of October.On November 14 the Talbot County visited the liberty port of Puntarenas, Costa Rica for two days, during which time Governor Pedro Jiminez visited the ship. On November 20th the Talbot County returned to Rodman Naval Station to prepare for a combined Latin American operation, Operation America.
John F. Kennedy was killed on November 22, 1963. I Lost a friend that day!! So very very sad! "Said Joe Norton" I was on the tank deck when we went to Battle Station.
... (Except where otherwise noted the source material for this portion of this history was a written "History of the USS Talbot County" prepared by the ships company around 1967. The Executive Officer of the Talbot County at that time was kind enough to provide this sites author with a copy of the history in response to a written inquiry. This history consists of seven consecutively numbered pages. Page 5 of the copy of the history that I received was missing on receipt. I assume that the missing page contains information about the year 1964, the end of 1963 and the early part of 1965.)
Our thanks to former BM3 Bonnie Billings for the information below which consist of excerpts from letters that he wrote home during this period.
6/7/64 Talbot County tied up in Little Creek Va.
7/21/64 First letter that I have postmarked Newport News Va. Talbot County in Newport News Shipyard. ( I do not know when we got there)
8/5/64 Shipyard worker fell through a hole and broke his leg and a couple of ribs.
8/11/64 Small fire in forward pump room.
8/16/64 Standing fire watch (watching welders)
8/20/64 Small fire in forward engine room (nothing serious)
8/27/64 Inspection and change of command ceremonies (Lieutenant Commander C.J. Carmody relieved Lieutenant Commander J. H. Bres as captain of the Talbot County.
9/21/64 Steam line broke, we changed that. 0415 fire in # 2 engine room. Tested both booms today. 1600 hours had four tugs pull us up the James River about 5 miles. (Hurricane Gladys coming)
9/24/64 Went out for sea trials. (Left Newport News Shipyard)
9/25/64 Went to ammo depot and loaded the magazines with live ammo.
11/7/64 Just finished our period of training. It's been a long month.
11/11/64 Went out today but back in late afternoon.
11/18/64 Went out today but back in before noon. Same thing for tomorrow.
11/21/64 We go to NOB the 4th of Dec until 24th of Dec.
11/30/64 We move to the Army Piers Friday Dec 4 for a tender period until Dec. 24th
12/3/64 Getting under way tomorrow at 0700 for the tender period.
12/8/64 We are alongside the tender now. They are supposed to start work today. (No mention of the tenders name)
1/2/65 Getting the last minute things done before we leave for Panama. It's been real busy.
1/10/65 We pull into Puerto Rico tomorrow at 0900.
1/12/65 We are here in Puerto Rico, we pulled in yesterday (Monday Jan 11, 65) and leave the 15th for Panama.
1/21/65 We pulled into Coco Solo yesterday and transited the canal. We are tied up at pier 1 Rodman Canal Zone. I think we stay here until Wed. the 27th and then go out for helo operations.
1/24/65 We pull out Wed the 27th for helo operations, don't know if we stay out or come in each night.
1/28/65 Got underway at 0600 for helo operations. We landed 25 helo's and have the same thing for the next two days. We came in tonight because the Captain wants to practice docking. We get underway again next week for a couple of days but don't know where we are going.
1/29/65 We did 108 helicopter landings today. Finished the whole thing up today so we will not be going out tomorrow. We pull out again Tuesday for two days. I think we are going to Rio Hato.
2/4/65 Tuesday Feb. 4th Left for Rio Hato. Tried twice to make a beaching. (Too shallow) Jeeps disappeared off the ramp and sunk. Came back to Rodman and off loaded right where we loaded. (At the head of the dock) 2330 we finished tying up the ship. 2345 all hands working party loading stores. We leave tomorrow morning at 1000 for Ecuador. Rumor has it we will be back 15th of Feb.
2/7/65 Crossed the equator at latitude 00000 and longitude 81 02 'W headed south to Guayaquil Equador. Davey Jones was N.O. Gulbranson His Majesty's scribe was H.J. Frantz and Neptunus Rex was M.T. Wornack
2/16/65 We are back in Rodman, Panama. We loaded 130 mines aboard and chained them down. Each one weighs 3 tons. Getting under way tomorrow to dump the mines overboard in a deep hole. We will be back in Friday afternoon.
2/19/65 Had captains inspection today.
2/22/65 We started loading mines again today. We have 140 of them this trip. We get underway Wed 24th to dump the mines (same place that the last ones were dumped) Should be back Friday.
2/26/65 Pulled back into Rodman this morning. (from dumping the mines)
3/22/65 Just got back yesterday from Rio Hato where we spent a week loading and unloading troops and all their equipment. We would go in and pick them up and go out to sea for about 10 miles and than back in and unload them. Been doing that for six days. Twice we got stuck in the beach and had to wait 6 hours for the tide. We stay in port until the 31st of March and then get under way for Mexico. (NOTE) Something happen to one of the boilers while we were trying to get off the beach. They are trying to get that fixed before we leave for Mexico.
3/23/65. Painting main deck, portside, fantail and the tank deck. There is a guest cruise with 200 guests Sat. 27th.
3/26/65 Getting underway tomorrow at 0900. Taking 200 guests with us and will be doing all kinds of drills. Will be back in tomorrow afternoon.
3/29/65 Worked on the bow doors all day. Tomorrow we load trucks and equipment which we will be taking to Mexico. We leave Wed. 31st and should be back the 15th of April.
3/30/65 Bow doors still don't work. Loaded trucks all day with a crane, drove them down the ramp to tank deck and chained everything down. We will finish the doors in the morning before we get underway for Salina Cruz, Mexico.
4/12/65 Supposed to have gun practice today but was put off until tomorrow.
4/14/65 Pulled back in this afternoon. (from Mexico ??)
4/19/65 We will be in Little Creek 10:00 am 25th of May.
4/22/65 Getting underway tomorrow after we get loaded. Loading starts at 0430. I think we are going to Rio Hato. Will be back midnight tomorrow.
4/25/65 We get underway today to go back to Rio Hato to pick up everything that we took up the other day. We go to Coco Solo the 9th of May and stay there until we get ready to come home.
4/29/65 We have been to Rio Hato all week. We are at Rodman now to unload and then we go back to Rio Hato for another load in the morning. (Friday 30th) and take them through the canal, turn around and come back through the canal. Should be at Rodman late Sat or Sunday morning.
5/3/65 We made three round trips to Rio Hato last week. Then Saturday we went through the canal to Coco Solo with a full load of army troops and equipment and unloaded there. Came back through the canal to Rodman Monday morning. (May 3rd)
5/9/65 (Sunday) Been to Rio Hato and now on our way back to Rodman. We took a small load up there and were supposed to be back at 2000 tonight but got stuck on the beach for five hours. Used two LCVP's to tow the stern anchor out three different times before it finally held. We will be in around 0100 if we don't anchor outside of the bridge.
5/10/65 (Monday) Pulled into Rodman this morning about 0900. We anchored outside the bridge last night for some reason. I think we stay here until wed the 12th then go back to Rio Hato and pick up what we left there the last trip. Friday 14th we go through the canal and Sat. 15th we leave for Little Creek.
5/13/65 Right now on our way back to Rodman from Rio Hato with the last load of troops and equipment. Got stuck on the beach again. Had to wait 6 hours for the tide to float us. We are suppose to go through the canal tomorrow morning at 0600. We have a mule on board that we are going to take through the canal with us.
5/15/65 (Sat). In Coco Solo. Leaving tomorrow morning for Little Creek at 0800. Will be in Getmo Wed 19th for a gun shoot ( gunnery exercise ?) and should be in the Creek Monday 24th.
6/3/65 Thurs We get underway Friday 4th for a tender period over to NOB. Will be there a couple of weeks.
6/6/65 (Sunday) We moved along side the tender last Friday and will stay here until the 14th or 15th.
6/7/65 Work started from the tender crew today.
6/18/65 We leave the tender tomorrow around 1000 and go back to Little Creek. Should be in around 1600.
6/15/65 Last letter I have..... No news in it.
6/23/65 Discharged
Again, our thanks go to former BM3 Bonnie Billings for providing these
memories.
E-Mail Bonnie Billings
... On August 10th 1965 COMPHIBLANT, Vice Admiral C. K. Duncan came aboard the Talbot County to present LCDR C.J. Carmody, the Commanding Officer of the Talbot County, the Battle Efficiency Award for the second consecutive year. The Talbot County also received her second award for Gunnery Excellence, second award for excellence in the Operations Department and fourth consecutive Amphibious Assault Award.
... The Talbot County remained in an upkeep status until September 13th, getting underway on that date for Baltimore, Maryland and dry-docking at the Bethlehem Steel Shipyard for replacement of her propellers and fathometer. On September 22nd she returned to Little Creek and remained there until October 5th when she got underway for a two week Operational Readiness Administrative Inspection. Following this inspection preparations were made for a scheduled deployment to Panama.
... November 26th found the Talbot County again underway and bound for Panama in company with the USS Churchill County. The Talbot County steamed into the Limon Bay Anchorage of the Panama Canal Zone on December 10th and the following day the USS Cheboygan County (LST 533) was relieved by the Talbot County which then made a south transit of the Panama Canal and moored at the U.S. Naval Station, Rodman, where she remained until after the Christmas and New Year Holidays. For the remainder of her time on active service she conducted operations along the Atlantic coast, North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, Panama Canal Zone and the Pacific Coast of Central and South America.
Left (Top) photo USS LST 1153 under Construction at the Boston Naval Shipyard - 1947. Right (Bottom) photo - USS LST 1153 during commissioning ceremonies - September 3, 1947 - Boston, Mass.(Both photos are from the U.S. Naval Historical Center Photo Archives.)
The USS LST 1153 was commissioned a unit of the United States Navy Atlantic Fleet on September 3, 1947. Mrs. Lena Mickelson sponsored her and it was the first, and namesake ship of its class, of which only two were built. Older, smaller LST's were considered slow although they were capable of filling the role for which they were designed. With a length of 382 feet, a beam of 54 feet, displacement of 6000 tons, and a top speed of 13 knots, the 1153 class of LST's brought about an increase in speed as well as a larger load capacity.
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