USS LST-512

USS Burnett County (LST-512) was an LST-491-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Burnett County, Wisconsin, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS LST-512 in 1945.
History
United States
Name	LST-512 (1943–1955) Burnett County (1955–1957)
Namesake	Burnett County, Wisconsin
Builder	Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, Seneca, Illinois
Laid down	22 July 1943
Launched	10 December 1943
Commissioned	8 January 1944
Decommissioned	28 March 1947
Renamed	Burnett County, 1 July 1955
Stricken	18 February 1957
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-512 Code letters: NDYH
Honors and awards	1 × battle stars (WWII)
Fate	Sold to Peru, 11 October 1957
Peru
Name	Paita
Acquired	11 October 1957
Decommissioned	1983
Identification	LT-35
Fate	Deleted 1983
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	LST-491-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) (light) 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) (full (seagoing draft with 1,675 short tons (1,520 t) load) 2,366 long tons (2,404 t) (beaching)
Length	328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward; 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Full load: 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft Landing with 500 short tons (450 t) load: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft
Installed power	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,700 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
Speed	12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range	24,000 nmi (44,000 km; 28,000 mi) at 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) while displacing 3,960 long tons (4,024 t)
Boats & landing craft carried	6 x LCVPs
Capacity	1,600–1,900 short tons (3,200,000–3,800,000 lb; 1,500,000–1,700,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
Troops	16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement	13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament	Varied, ultimate armament 2 × twin 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns 4 × single 40 mm Bofors guns 12 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons

Construction

LST-512 was laid down on 22 July 1943, at Seneca, Illinois by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company; launched on 10 December 1943; and conducted her trial runs in the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Sponsored by Mrs. Gerry DeWane, she was sent to New Orleans, Louisiana, for her final fitting out and was commissioned on 8 January 1944.

Service history

LST-512 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the Invasion of Normandy, in June, 1944.^[2]

A poster from the World War II era featuring LST-512. The poster is now in the collections of the Library of Congress.

In October 1944, a severe storm in the English channel broached the ship on the beach, "breaking her back." She was towed to England, for temporary repairs, made by welding railroad iron alongside the damaged keel, then returned to the United States, where she was repaired and outfitted to do a war bond tour in the Great Lakes, Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Leaving Norfolk, Virginia, in April 1945, the ship sailed to Miami, Florida, where soil and palm trees were loaded aboard to create a Pacific Island Jungle on a portion of the tank deck. She then moved to New Orleans, and was in that city on VE Day, 8 May 1945. She then began the journey up the Mississippi River to the Illinois River, and was the first LST to make the trip up both those rivers, and was the first and only LST to return to the inland shipyard where she was built. She arrived in Chicago, Illinois, on 21 May 1945, for additional preparation for the tour. The tour commenced in Detroit, Michigan, on 12 June. Displays on the tank deck included a Pacific Island jungle complete with enemy snipers concealed in trees, a map with miniature models of LSTs making amphibious landings in the Pacific, a captured Kamikaze "Baka" plane, and film footage of the war in the Pacific. Visitors could also look into the engine rooms, and tour crew quarters. On the main deck were displays of US armor, vehicles and artillery alongside captured Japanese artillery and vehicles. In addition to the static displays, the ship gave live demonstrations of amphibious landings, which included simulated bombardment and air strikes, followed by Marines landing in LCVPs and Amtracs. Once the landing zone was "secured", the ship would approach the beach and offload additional Amtracs, tanks and vehicles. Invasions were demonstrated in several cities, including Detroit, Rochester, Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo, Duluth, Milwaukee, and Chicago. The ship was returning from Duluth, and was passing through the Soo Locks, at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, on V-J Day. The tour concluded on 13 January 1946, in New Orleans. During the tour, over two million visitors came aboard.^{[citation needed]}

Decommission

On 28 March 1947, LST-512 was decommissioned and assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet. On 1 July 1955, the ship was redesignated Burnett County (LST-512), and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 18 February 1957. LST-512 received one battle star for World War II Service.^[2]

Peru service

On 11 October 1957, she was sold to Peru. Renamed BAP Paita (LT-35), and commissioned in the Peruvian Navy. Employed as a training ship for the Peruvian Naval Academy.^[3][4] Later renumbered DT-141. Deleted 1983.^[5]

References

1. Navsource 2017.
2. DANFS.
3. Couhat 1978.
4. Janes'.
5. Gardiner 1995.

Bibliography

• "USS LST-512". NavSource Online. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
• "LST-512". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 10 May 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Couhat, Jean Labayle (1978). Combat Fleets of the World 1978/79. Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 0-85368-282-8.
• Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1963). Janes' Fighting Ships 1963-64. Publisher: Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.
• Gardiner, Robert (1995). Chumbley, Steven (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Conways. ISBN 0-85177-605-1.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS LST-512 at NavSource Naval History