USSLa Moure County (LST-1194) underway
History
United States
Name	USSLa Moure County
Namesake	LaMoure County, North Dakota
Builder	National Steel and Shipbuilding Company,San Diego, California
Laid down	22 May 1970
Launched	13 February 1971
Commissioned	18 December 1971
Decommissioned	17 November 2000
Stricken	17 November 2000
Identification	LST-1194
Fate	Sunk as a target, 10 July 2001
General characteristics as built
Class & type	Newport-classtank landing ship
Displacement	4,793long tons (4,870 t) light 8,342 long tons (8,476 t) full load
Length	522 ft 4 in (159.2 m)oa 562 ft (171.3 m) overderrick arms
Beam	69 ft 6 in (21.2 m)
Draft	17 ft 6 in (5.3 m) max
Propulsion	2 shafts 6 Alcodiesel engines (3 per shaft) 16,500 shp (12,300 kW) Bow thruster
Speed	22knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) max
Range	2,500 nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Troops	431 max
Complement	213
Sensors & processing systems	2 × Mk 63 GCFS SPS-10radar
Armament	2 × twin3"/50 caliber guns
Aviation facilities	Helicopter deck

USSLa Moure County (LST-1194) was the sixteenth of twentyNewport-classtank landing ship of theUnited States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditionalbow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The second vessel named after acounty inNorth Dakota, the LST was constructed byNational Steel and Shipbuilding Company ofSan Diego,California. The vessel waslaunched and wascommissioned into the USN in 1971.La Moure County alternated deployments in theCaribbean Sea with those to theMediterranean Sea. During theGulf War,La Moure County transported elements of the4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade to thePersian Gulf. In 2000, the LST was taking part in a training exercise off Chile when the vessel ran aground. Considered beyond repair,La Moure County wasdecommissioned that year and towed out to sea in 2001 and sunk as atarget ship.

La Moure County was aNewport-classtank landing ship which were designed to meet the goal put forward by the United Statesamphibious forces to have a tank landing ship (LST) capable of over 20knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). However, the traditionalbow door form for LSTs would not be capable. Therefore, the designers of theNewport class came up with a design of a traditionalship hull with a 112-foot (34 m)aluminum ramp slung over the bow supported by twoderrick arms. The 34-long-ton (35 t) ramp was capable of sustaining loads up to 75 long tons (76 t). This made theNewport class the first to depart from the standard LST design that had been developed in earlyWorld War II.^[1][2][3]

The LST had adisplacement of 4,793 long tons (4,870 t) when light and 8,342 long tons (8,476 t) at full load.La Moure County was 522 feet 4 inches (159.2 m)long overall and 562 ft (171.3 m) over thederrick arms which protruded past the bow.^[2][3] The vessel had abeam of 69 ft 6 in (21.2 m), adraft forward of 11 ft 5 in (3.5 m) and 17 ft 5 in (5.3 m) at the stern at full load.^[4]

La Moure County was fitted with sixAlco 16-645-ESdiesel engines turning twoshafts, three to each shaft. The system was rated at 16,500brake horsepower (12,300 kW) and gave the ship a maximum speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) for short periods and could only sustain 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) for an extended length of time. The LST carried 1,750 long tons (1,780 t) ofdiesel fuel for a range of 2,500nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at the cruising speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). The ship was also equipped with abow thruster to allow for better maneuvering near causeways and to hold position while offshore during the unloading of amphibious vehicles.^[3][5]

TheNewport class were larger and faster than previous LSTs and were able to transport tanks, heavy vehicles and engineer groups and supplies that were too large for helicopters or smaller landing craft to carry.^[6] The LSTs have a ramp forward of thesuperstructure that connects the lower tank deck with the main deck and a passage large enough to allow access to the parking area amidships. The vessels are also equipped with a stern gate to allow the unloading of amphibious vehicles directly into the water or to unload onto autility landing craft (LCU) or pier. At either end of the tank deck there is a 30 ft (9.1 m) turntable that permits vehicles to turn around without having to reverse.^[1][2] TheNewport class has the capacity for 500 long tons (510 t) of vehicles, 19,000 ft² (1,800 m²) of cargo area and could carry up to 431 troops.^[1][7] The vessels also havedavits for fourvehicle and personnel landing craft (LCVPs) and could carry four pontoon causeway sections along the sides of the hull.^[2][3]

La Moure County was initially armed with four Mark 333-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns in two twinturrets. The vessel was equipped with two Mk 63gun control fire systems (GCFS) for the 3-inch guns, but these were removed in 1977–1978.^[3] The ship also had SPS-10 surface searchradar.^[8] Atop the stern gate, the vessels mounted ahelicopter deck. They had a maximum complement of 213 including 11 officers.^[6]

The LST was ordered as the seventh hull of the third group of theNewport class inFiscal Year 1967 and a contract was awarded on 15 July 1966.^[6][9] The ship waslaid down on 22 May 1970 by theNational Steel and Shipbuilding Company inSan Diego,California. Named for acounty inNorth Dakota,La Moure County waslaunched on 13 February 1971 andcommissioned into theUnited States Navy (USN) on 18 December 1971.^[9] The ship was assigned to Amphibious Force,Atlantic Fleet and transited thePanama Canal to arrive at the vessel's new home port ofLittle Creek,Virginia.La Moure County alternated between training operations along the east coast of the United States and theCaribbean Sea and active deployments in theMediterranean Sea and European waters.^[10]

During theGulf War,La Moure County was part of Amphibious Group 2 (PhibGru2). Tasked with transporting part of the4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (4th MEB) via the Mediterranean to thePersian Gulf, the group was divided up into transit groups, withLa Moure County joining Transit Group 3.^[11][a] Transit Group 3 departedMorehead City,North Carolina on 21 August 1990 and united with the other transit groups offMasirah Island on 16 September. Transit Group 3 rejoined PhibGru2. PhibGru2 was split back into respective transit groups on 24 March 1991 and Transit Group 2 returned to Little Creek on 17 April after a ceasefire had been declared on 1 April.^[12][13] In 1995 the ship was transferred to theNaval Reserve Force.^[14]

The ship was run aground near the coast of Caleta Cifuncho Bay, Chile, in the pre-dawn hours of 12 September 2000 during a routine amphibious training operation with asister vessel, theChilean Navy'sValdivia. A combination of the speed of the ship at impact and the incoming tide resulted in extensive damage to the bow, keel, screws, and rudders. Extensive internal flooding and the dumping of 40,000 US gallons (150,000 L; 33,000 imp gal) of diesel fuel only served to complicate matters.^[15] No injuries were suffered by the crew or marines aboard the ship.^[16]

Following the grounding, it was found that the captain of the ship had failed to chart his position correctly. This incident led to a complete standdown by all USN vessels to assess their safety and navigation protocols.La Moure County's grounding, along with several navigational mishaps by other USN vessels led to the USN re-assessing its training in navigation. The USN ordered new simulation training for bridge officers.^[17]

La Moure County was deemed damaged beyond repair.^[14] The ship wasdecommissioned and struck from theNaval Vessel Register on 17 November 2000.^[9] After five weeks of work by divers stabilizing the vessel,La Moure County was towed by theChilean icebreaker Almirante Óscar Viel toTalcahuano, Chile where further repairs were deemed uneconomical. Having been stripped of all usable material, the damaged hulk ofLa Moure County was towed out to sea and sunk as a target on 10 July 2001 duringUNITAS 2001.^[18]

• Bartholomew, Charles A. & Milwee, William I Jr. (2009).Mud, Muscle, and Miracles: Marine Salvage in the United States Navy (Second ed.). Washington, D.C.: Naval History & Heritage Command.ISBN 978-0-945274-60-5.
• Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1972).Jane's Fighting Ships 1972–73. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company.OCLC 28197951.
• Brown, Ronald J., ed. (2000).U. S. Marines in the Persian Gulf, 1990–1991: With Marine Forces Afloat in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Washington, D.C.: History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.ISBN 978-0-7881-8563-2.
• Couhat, Jean Labayle, ed. (1986).Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 0-85368-860-5.
• "La Moure County (LST-1194)".Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.Navy Department,Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved15 February 2020.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Moore, John, ed. (1974).Jane's Fighting Ships 1974–75 (77th ed.). New York: Franklin Watts Incorporated.ISBN 0-531-02743-0.
• Moore, John, ed. (1975).Jane's Fighting Ships 1975–76 (78th ed.). New York: Franklin Watts Incorporated.ISBN 0-531-03251-5.
• Moore, John, ed. (1976).Jane's Fighting Ships 1976–77 (79th ed.). New York: Franklin Watts Incorporated.ISBN 0-531-03261-2.
• Moore, John, ed. (1978).Jane's Fighting Ships 1978–79 (81st ed.). New York: Franklin Watts Incorporated.ISBN 0-531-03297-3.
•  This article incorporatespublic domain material fromLa Moure County (LST-1194) at theNaval Vessel Register.
• Polmar, Norman (2005).The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet (18th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-59114-685-2.
• Sharpe, Richard, ed. (1990).Jane's Fighting Ships 1990–91 (93 ed.). Surrey, United Kingdom: Jane's Information Group.ISBN 0-7106-0904-3.

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• Newport-class tank landing ships
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• LaMoure County, North Dakota
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