(LST-1089: displacement 1,625; length 328-; beam 50-; draft 13-; speed 11 knots; complement 119; troop 121; armament 8 40mm.; class LST-511)
Counties in Kansas and Minnesota.
LST-1089 was laid down by the American Bridge Co., Ambridge, Pa., 20 December 1944; launched 17 February 1945; and commissioned 28 March 1945, Lt. Marvin A. Cohen in command.
Commissioned as Operation "Iceberg," the last full-scale invasion in the path toward victory in the Pacific, was getting underway, LST-1089 completed shakedown in the Gulf of Mexico and in early May departed Mobile, Ala., for the Panama Canal and duty with the Pacific Fleet. On 5 June she arrived at Pearl Harbor, whence, 2 days later she steamed west for 7 months of duty as a general troop and cargo transport in the central and western Pacific. Completing her last run, Saipan to Pearl Harbor, at the end of the year, she continued on to San Francisco in mid-January 1946. There until May she underwent preliminary inactivation procedures, then shifted to Oregon, where she decommissioned 16 August and was berthed with the Columbia River Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet.
Activated with the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, LST-1089 recommissioned 6 September 1950 and during two tours, 23 January to 6 June 1951 and 6 April to 22 October 1952, provided transportation for men and equipment over the last stretches, from Japan and Okinawa to Korea and along the Korean coast, of the transpacific supply line supporting the U N. forces. In addition, soon after her arrival in 1952, she participated in the troop lift to and the relocation of prisoners of war from Koje Do.
After Korea and through 1958, the LST, renamed Rice County 1 July 1955 continued to deploy annually to the western Pacific. While with the 1st Fleet she engaged in training exercises and provided transport services in Hawaiian waters and along the west coast from California to Alaska. On rotation to the 7th Fleet, she conducted similar operations, ranging from Japan to the Philippines. During 1959, she remained in the eastern Pacific, primarily off the coast of southern and lower California. Sailing north in November, she completed her last Alaskan run at San Diego in early December and again prepared for inactivation. In February 1960, she returned to the Columbia River where she decommissioned 9 March. She was sold to the Government of West Germany in October and although her name was struck from the U.S. Navy list 1 November 1960, she continued her naval career as the West German minelayer Bochum (N-120) until retired in 1972.
LST-1089 earned four battle stars during the Korean Conflict.
29 September 2005
