USS Bernalillo County (LST-306)
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| History | |
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| Name: | USS LST-306 |
| Builder: | Todd Shipyard Company, Boston Navy Yard |
| Laid down: | 24 July 1942 |
| Launched: | 10 October 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 11 December 1942 |
| Decommissioned: | 13 June 1946 |
| Renamed: | USS Bernalillo County (LST-306), 1 July 1955 |
| Struck: | 1 February 1959 |
| Honours and awards: |
3 battle stars (WWII) |
| Fate: | Sold, 22 October 1959 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | LST-1-class tank landing ship |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 328 ft (100 m) |
| Beam: | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Draft: |
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| Depth: | 8 ft (2.4 m) forward, 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) aft (full load) |
| Propulsion: | 2 General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders |
| Speed: | 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Boats & landing craft carried: |
Two or six LCVPs |
| Troops: | 14-16 officers, 131-147 enlisted men |
| Complement: | 7-9 officers, 104-120 enlisted men |
| Armament: | |
USS Bernalillo County (LST-306) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Bernalillo County, New Mexico, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
LST-306 was laid down on 24 July 1942 at the Boston Navy Yard by the Todd Shipyard Company; launched on 10 October 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Caroline De Simone; and commissioned on 11 December 1942 with Lieutenant Joseph B. Bartram, USNR, in command.
After fitting out at Boston, LST-306 loaded supplies and ammunition before proceeding to the Chesapeake Bay for shakedown training. While there, her crew conducted beach maneuvers, practiced lowering small boats, and held communications and gunnery drills. She then took on supplies and cargo in Norfolk before proceeding independently to Bermuda in March 1943. Underway in convoy for Europe later that month, she arrived at Arzeu, Algeria on 13 April. After joining a convoy carrying supplies to Bone, Algeria in support of the Tunisian campaign, the LST spent the next six weeks ferrying troops and equipment between Oran, Mers-El-Kebir, and Bizerte. In June, the tank landing ship lay in Tunis Bay, preparing for "Operation Husky," the planned landings on Sicily.
As part of Task Group (TG) 86.1 in the "Joss" Attack Force, LST-306 got underway on 7 July and arrived off Licata, Sicily early in the morning of 11 July. Assigned to reserve transport duty, she helped relieve port congestion by transferring supplies ashore at Gela and its environs until 17 August when she sailed to Bizerte. There she began preparations for "Operation Avalanche," the landings at Salerno. After loading British troops and equipment, LST-306 departed Tunis on 7 September and joined TG 85.1, the Northern Attack Force, for the voyage to Italy. After passing into the Gulf of Salerno, and avoiding several drifting mines, the tank landing ship anchored south of Salerno at 1215 on 9 September to await a clear beach lane. After LCI-323 pulled off the beach, LST-306 dropped her bow ramp at 1655 that afternoon. Under intermittent enemy shell fire, the tank landing ship disembarked 279 British soldiers and 57 vehicles before retracting to the anchorage at 1831. During the evening, enemy bombers attacked the beachhead twice, but no bombs fell near the LST.
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