USS Branch County (LST-482)

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Career
LST-482 in Berth 12 at Mare Island Navy Yard, 22 March 1943. It seems that LSTs would leave Kaiser Steel at Richmond and come to Mare Island for some type of certification. The submarine USS Skipjack (SS-184) is docked in the foreground; note also the barrage balloons in the background.
Laid down:	14 September 1942
Launched:	17 December 1942
Commissioned:	20 March 1943
Decommissioned:	23 February 1946
Fate:	Sunk as a target
Struck:	11 August 1955
General characteristics
Displacement:	1,625 tons (light), 4,080 tons (full)
Length:	328 ft 0 in
Beam:	50 ft 0 in
Draft:	Bow 2'-4", stern 7'-6" (unloaded) bow 8'-2", stern 14'-1" (unloaded)
Propulsion:	Two General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed:	12 knots
Depth:	8' fwd; 14'-4" aft (full load)
Complement:	7-9 officers, 104-120 enlisted men
Troop capacity:	14-16 officers, 131-147 enlisted men
Boats:	Two or six LCVPs
Armament:	Two twin 40MM gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors, four single 40MM gun mounts, twelve single 20MM gun mounts

The USS Branch County (LST-482) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Branch County, Michigan, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

LST-482 was laid down on 14 September 1942 at Richmond, California by Kaiser, Inc.; launched on 17 December 1942; and commissioned on 20 March 1943 with Lieutenant R. L. Eddy, USNR, in command. During World War II, LST-482 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following operations: the Gilbert Islands Operation (November and December 1943); the Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls (January and February 1944); the Hollandia Operation (April 1944); the Capture and Occupation of Guam (July 1944) the Leyte landings (October 1944); and the Lingayen Gulf landing (January 1945). Following the War, LST-482 was redesignated LSTH-482 on 15 September 1945. She performed occupation duty in the Far East in November and December 1945. Upon her return to the United States, she was decommissioned on 23 February 1946 and redesignated LST-482 on 6 March 1952. The tank landing ship was subsequently named USS Branch County (LST-482) on 1 July 1955. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 August 1955. In early March, 1956 the ship was sunk by naval gunfire and submarine-launched torpedoes in an exercise off San Diego, California.

LST-482 earned six battle stars for World War II service.

[edit] References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

LST-482. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved on April 6, 2007.
LST-482 / LSTH-482 Branch County. Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved on April 6, 2007.