Memories In April of 1968, I checkout out of my duty station in DaNang and proceeded to my new duty assignment- The USS Whitfield County LST 1169 which was home ported out of Yokosuka, Japan.
I was real glad be out out Nam, and had 3o days leave to spend with my wife in Yokosuka "We were just married when I received orders to Nam" When dropping off my bags, the ship canceled my leave, and Guess What?
Whitfield County departed Yokosuka in mid-April and arrived at Dong Tam on 8 May 69. She relieved her sister ship Windham County as support LST for River Assault Flotilla 1, TF 117. As before, the ship operated alternately at Dong Tam, Song Ham Loung (Ben Tre), and My Tho. At 0205 on 6 June, while the ship was at Dong Tam, four rounds of hostile fire landed between 50 and 300 yards from the ships of the MRF. Whitfield County immediately set general quarters; and, in the next 35 minutes, her guns hurled some 140 rounds of 3-inch counter battery fire at the enemy artillery. The riverine force again came under enemy fire that morning, Whitfield County again blasted the enemy positions with 170 more rounds of 3-inch projectiles.
Whitfield County subsequently shifted to Ben Tre but returned to Dong Tam by 13 June. While the ship lay anchored there, Storekeeper 3d Class L. E. Smith, assigned as roving sentry on the port side of the ship, spotted a swimmer in the water at 0100 on the 15th. Since Viet Cong sappers were known to have been active in that area, Storekeeper Smith promptly opened fire. Within a short time, the water around the ship was thoroughly grenaded. Later that morning, a Vietnamese body that had been shot was found floating nearby. For his prompt action, Storekeeper Smith received the recommendation for the Navy Commendation Medal for "effectively thwarting an attempt to mine the ship."
Three days later, rocket fire landed within 50 yards of the ship, at 1405 on 18 June. Unable to return the fire because of the presence of "friendly" forces in the area, Whitfield County shifted her anchorage to avoid being hit. Later that afternoon the riverine force shifted its anchorage back to My Tho.
The LST was relieved by Tom Green County on Independence Day, 4 July. Between 8 May and 4 July, Whitfield County had expended some 2,982 rounds of 3-inch projectiles on call-fire and counter battery fire, conducted some 850 helicopter landings; and traveled 394 miles within the Mekong Delta. She had also witnessed the gradual turnover of all River Assault Flotilla 1 assets to the Republic of Vietnam Navy, the beginning of the redeployment of the 9th Infantry Division from the Mekong Delta; and the gradual disbanding of TF 117. When she sailed on 5 July, she left the Delta region for the last time.
Returning to Yokosuka via Keelung, Taiwan, Whitfield County soon commenced a badly needed overhaul, one that lasted into the autumn. For the remainder of the year, the tank landing ship operated locally in Japanese waters.
