LST-839 Iredell County

• USS Iredell County (LST-839) was a tank landing ship (LST) built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named after Iredell County, North Carolina. • Construction: LST-839 was laid down on 20 September 1944 at Ambridge, Pennsylvania, by the American Bridge Company and launched on 5 November 1944. • World War II Service: Commissioned on 29 November 1944, she participated in Pacific Theater operations, including the transport of occupation forces to Japan after the war ended. • Post-War Occupation Duties: After Japan’s surrender, LST-839 was active in the occupation of the Far East, transporting troops and equipment to Japan, China, and Korea until April 1946. • Korean War Service: Reactivated for the Korean War, she served as a supply and transport vessel, supporting United Nations forces in Korea from 1950 through the end of the conflict. • Renaming: On 1 July 1955, the ship was officially named USS Iredell County, becoming one of the few LSTs to receive a county name designation. • Vietnam War: Iredell County supported U.S. and South Vietnamese operations, ferrying troops, vehicles, and supplies along the coast and into the Mekong Delta. • Notable Rescue: During the Vietnam War, the ship is credited with rescuing several downed aviators and civilian refugees during evacuation operations. • Transfer to South Vietnam: In April 1970, Iredell County was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Navy and renamed RVNS My Tho (HQ-800). • Fate after Vietnam: Following the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, My Tho fled to the Philippines with other former South Vietnamese Navy ships and was eventually scrapped.