USS Spartanburg County

USS Spartanburg County (LST-1192) was the fourteenth of twenty Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). Named after a county in South Carolina, the ship was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California. The LST was launched in 1970 and was commissioned in 1971. Assigned to the United States Atlantic Fleet, Spartanburg County deployed regularly to the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. In 1983 and 1985, the vessel was present in Lebanese waters. In 1990, the LST was deployed to the Persian Gulf in the Gulf War, returning to the United States in 1991. Spartanburg County was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1994.

USS Spartanburg County (LST-1192)
History
United States
Name	Spartanburg Country
Namesake	Spartanburg County, South Carolina
Ordered	15 July 1966
Builder	National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, California
Laid down	7 February 1970
Launched	7 November 1970
Commissioned	1 September 1971
Decommissioned	16 December 1994
Stricken	16 December 1994
Identification	Hull number: LST-1192
Fate	Sold to Malaysia, 16 December 1994
Malaysia
Name	KD Sri Inderapura
Acquired	16 December 1994
Decommissioned	21 January 2010
Identification	L 1505
Fate	Destroyed by fire while in harbor on 8 October 2009
General characteristics as built
Class and type	Newport-class tank landing ship
Displacement	4,793 long 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) over derrick arms
Beam	69 ft 6 in (21.2 m)
Draft	17 ft 6 in (5.3 m) max
Propulsion	2 shafts 6 Alco diesel engines (3 per shaft) 16,500 shp (12,300 kW) Bow thruster
Speed	22 knots (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 and processing systems	2 × Mk 63 GCFS SPS-10 radar
Armament	2 × twin 3"/50 caliber guns
Aviation facilities	Helicopter deck

Transferred to the Royal Malaysian Navy and commissioned as KD Sri Inderapura in 1995, the LST was deployed off the coast of Somalia in anti-piracy operations in 2008. The ship suffered two major fires, the first in 2002 after which Sri Inderapura was repaired and returned to service. The second took place in 2009 after which the vessel sank. The ship was raised and decommissioned on 21 January 2010.

Design and description

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

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

Spartanburg County was fitted with six Alco 16-645-ES diesel engines turning two shafts, three to each shaft. The system was rated at 16,500 brake 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) of diesel fuel for a range of 2,500 nautical 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 a bow thruster to allow for better maneuvering near causeways and to hold position while offshore during the unloading of amphibious vehicles.^[3][5]

The Newport 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 the superstructure 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 a utility 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] The Newport class has the capacity for 500 long tons (510 t) of vehicles, 19,000 sq ft (1,800 m²) of cargo area and could carry up to 431 troops.^[1][7] The vessels also have davits for four vehicle and personnel landing craft (LCVPs) and could carry four pontoon causeway sections along the sides of the hull.^[2][3]

Spartanburg County was initially armed with four Mark 33 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns in two twin turrets. The vessel was equipped with two Mk 63 gun control fire systems (GCFS) for the 3-inch guns, but these were removed in 1977–1978.^[3] The ship also had SPS-10 surface search radar.^[8] Atop the stern gate, the vessels mounted a helicopter deck. They had a maximum complement of 213 including 11 officers.^[6]

Construction and career

US service

The LST was ordered as the fifth hull of the third group of the Newport class in Fiscal Year 1967 and a contract was awarded on 15 July 1966.^[6][9] The ship was laid down on 7 February 1970 at San Diego, California by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. Named after a county in South Carolina, Spartanburg County was launched on 7 November 1970, sponsored by the wife of Neville Holcombe. The LST was commissioned into the United States Navy on 1 September 1971 and assigned to the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet.^[10]

Spartanburg County transited the Panama Canal and arrived at the LST's new home port, Little Creek, Virginia. From there the tank landing ship alternated routine operations along the east coast of the United States and in the Caribbean Sea with deployments to the Mediterranean Sea. Spartanburg County maintained this pattern into 1980.^[10] In 1983, while in port at Beirut, Lebanon, crew from Spartanburg County aided in extinguishing a fire aboard the Lebanese freighter Aziz.^[11] In June 1985, Spartanburg County was among the ships deployed off the Lebanese coast in response to the terrorist hijacking of TWA Flight 847 and the dispersal of some hostages around Beirut.^[12]

During the Gulf War, Spartanburg County was part of Amphibious Group 2 (PhibGru2). Tasked with transporting part of the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (4th MEB) via the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf, the group was divided up into transit groups, with Spartanburg County joining Transit Group 1.^[13][a] Along with elements of the 4th MEB, the LST transported the aviation command and control equipment of Marine Air Control Group 28, Det 1. Transit Group 1 departed Morehead City, North Carolina on 17 August 1990 and united with the other transit groups off Masirah Island on 16 September. Transit Group 1 rejoined PhibGru2. PhibGru2 was split back into respective transit groups on 24 March 1991 and Transit Group 1 returned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina on 17 April after a ceasefire had been declared on 1 April.^[14] Spartanburg County was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 16 December 1994.^[9]

Malaysian service

Spartanburg County was acquired by Malaysia in a cash sale as part of the Security Assistance Program on 16 December 1994.^[9][15] The ship was commissioned into the Royal Malaysian Navy as KD Sri Inderapura. The vessel was refit between 1995 and 1998 at Johore. On 15 December 2002, the ship was damaged by fire.^[15] Sri Inderapura was subsequently rebuilt and returned to service which included deployments to Somalian waters in September 2008 as part of international anti-piracy efforts.^[16] On 8 October 2009, while berthed at the Lumut Naval Base, Sri Inderapura caught fire and sank. The vessel was later raised. Sri Inderapura was decommissioned by the Royal Malaysian Navy on 21 January 2010.^[17][18]

Notes

1. Transit Group 1 was composed of USS Gunston Hall, USS Shreveport, USS Trenton, USS Portland and Spartanburg County.^[13]

Citations

1. Blackman 1972, p. 504.
2. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 621.
3. Couhat 1986, pp. 655–666.
4. Moore 1975, p. 486.
5. Moore 1976, p. 614.
6. Moore 1974, p. 467.
7. Moore 1978, p. 690.
8. Sharpe 1990, p. 761.
9. Naval Vessel Register
10. DANFS.
11. "Surface Sitrep". Surface Warfare Magazine. Vol. 8, no. 3. Arlington, Texas: Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. May–June 1983. OCLC 58922770.
12. Saad, Diana (22 June 1985). "Newly arrived U.S. warships carrying 1,800 Marines cruised off..." United Press International. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
13. Brown 2000, p. 28.
14. Brown 2000, pp. 25, 28, 31, 227–228, 230.
15. Saunders 2004, p. 459.
16. "Three Malaysian navy ships arrive off Somalia". Asiaone.com. 8 September 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
17. "KD Sri Inderapura fire: Commanding Officer's service terminated". Borneo Post Online. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
18. "Sri Inderapura blaze started from tank stowage area". The Star Online. 18 October 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2020.

References

• 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. p. 11. 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.
• "Spartanburg County (LST-1192)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 14 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 includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
• Sharpe, Richard, ed. (1990). Jane's Fighting Ships 1990–91 (93 ed.). Surrey, United Kingdom: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-0904-3.
• Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2004). Jane's Fighting Ships 2004–2005 (107 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.

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