History
United States
Name	USSLST-603
Builder	Chicago Bridge & Iron Company,Seneca, Illinois
Laid down	5 November 1943
Launched	14 March 1944
Commissioned	5 April 1944
Decommissioned	12 May 1955
Recommissioned	8 June 1966
Decommissioned	1969
Renamed	USSCoconino County (LST-603), 1 July 1955
Honors & awards	1battle star (World War II) 6campaign stars and 2Meritorious Unit Commendations (Vietnam)
Fate	Transferred toSouth Vietnam, 4 April 1969
South Vietnam
Name	RVNSVung Tau (HQ-503)
Acquired	4 April 1969
Fate	Unknown
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Acquired	30 April 1975
Identification	Hull symbol: HQ-503
Fate	Active in service as of 2003
General characteristics
Class & type	LST-542-classtank landing ship
Displacement	1,780 long tons (1,809 t) light 3,640 long tons (3,698 t) full
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded : 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Loaded : 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
Propulsion	2 ×General Motors12-567diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed	12knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	2LCVPs
Troops	approx. 140 officers and enlisted
Complement	8–10 officers, 100–115 enlisted sailors
Armament	1 × single3-inch/50-caliber gun mount 8 ×40 mm guns 12 ×20 mm guns

USSCoconino County (LST-603), originallyUSSLST-603, was aUnited States NavyLST-542-classtank landing ship built for the United States Navy duringWorld War II and in commission from 1944 to 1955 and from 1966 to 1969. Named afterCoconino County, Arizona, she was the only U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name.

LST 603 featured in a WW2 movie the LST story produced by the coast guard.^[1]

LST-603 was laid down on 5 November 1943 atSeneca, Illinois, by theChicago Bridge and Iron Company. HerShip naming and launching was on 14 March 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Etla N. Hobart, andcommissioned on 5 April 1944.

During World War II,LST-603 was assigned to theEuropean Theater of Operations. She participated inOperation Dragoon, the invasion of southernFrance, in August and September 1944.

Following the war, she served in the Amphibious Force,United States Atlantic Fleet, including one deployment to theMediterranean in 1950. She wasdecommissioned on 12 May 1955. On 1 July 1955, while out of commission, she was renamedUSSCoconino County (LST-603).

Coconino County was recommissioned on 8 June 1966 forVietnam War service, and operated in theVietnam theater from 1966 until she was transferred to theRepublic of Vietnam Navy on 4 April 1969.

InSouth Vietnamese service, she served as RVNS "Vung Tau" (HQ-503). South Vietnam collapsed in April 1975, where she was taken over by theVietnam People's Navy and continues to be used as a training vessel.

Captured by theNorth Vietnamese around the time of thefall of Saigon, the ship was placed in service with theVietnamese People's Navy

LST-603 received onebattle star for World War II service, andCoconino County received sixcampaign stars and two awards of theMeritorious Unit Commendation for Vietnam War service.

• List of United States Navy LSTs

 This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• "LST-603".Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Archived fromthe original on 14 March 2004. Retrieved29 May 2007.
• "LST-603Coconino County".Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved29 May 2007.

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