Laid down, 26 May 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 663) at Kaiser Shipbuilding Corp. Vancouver, WA.
Launched, 11 September 1944
Commissioned USS Lenawee (APA-195), 11 October 1944, CDR. Carson R. Miller, USN in command
During World War II USSLenawee was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater: TransRon Sixteen, COMO J.R. McGovern USN; TransDiv Forty-Eight CAPT. C. L. Andrews Jr. USN (19), and participated in the following campaigns:
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Campaign and Dates
Campaign and Dates
Iwo Jima operation
Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 to 27 February 1945
Okinawa Gunto operation
Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 9 to 14 April 1945
Following World War II USS Lenawee was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:
Navy Occupation Service Medal
China Service Medal (extended)
2 to 10 September 1945
21 June to 5 July 1951
5 to 11 October 1945
17 to 20 October 1951
4 to 9 December 1945
6 to 14 February 1955
Decommissioned, 3 August 1946, at Stockton, CA.
Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Stockton, CA.
Recommissioned, 30 September 1950, Capt. Eliot M. Brown in command
During the Korean War USS Lenawee and participated in the following campaigns:
Korean War Campaigns
Campaign and Dates
Campaign and Dates
Communist China Spring Offensive
5 to 6 June 1951
Korean Summer-Fall 1953
7 to 17 May 1953
3 June 1953
15 June to 2 July 1953
UN Summer-Fall Offensive
29 to 31 August 1951
During the Vietnam War USS Lenawee and participated in the following campaigns:
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Campaigns and Dates
Campaigns and Dates
Vietnam Advisory Campaign
4 to 12 September 1963
9 December 1964 to 9 January 1965
10 to 11 April 1965
15 to 19 April 1965
7 to 12 May 1965
24 to 30 May 1965
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
7 to 10 October 1966
26 October to 7 November 1966
10 to 16 December 1966
Decommissioned, 20 June 1967
Returned to the Maritime Administration, 29 June 1967, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
Struck from the Naval Register, 23 April 1968
USS Lenawee earned two battle stars for World War II service, three battle stars for Korean War service, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with one campaign star for Vietnam War service
Final Disposition, sold for scrapping to Nicolai Joffe, 17 July 1975, for $129,039.78, removed, 28 July 1975, scrapped by NASSCO, Terminal Island, San Pedro, CA.
Specifications: Displacement 6,873 t. (lt) 14,837 t (fl) Length 455' Beam 62' Speed 17.7 kts (trial) Complement
Officers 52
Enlisted 673 Troop Accommodations
Officers 86
Enlisted 1,475 Largest Boom Capacity 35 t. Cargo Capacity 2,900 DWT
non-refrigerated 150,000 cu. ft. Boats
two LCMs
one open LCPL
one covered LCPL (Captain's Gig)
two LCPRs
eighteen LCVPs Armament
one single 5"/38 cal dual-purpose gun mount
four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
one quad 40mm AA gun mount
ten single 20mm AA gun mounts Fuel Capacities
NSFO - 7,780 - Bbls
Diesel - 970 Bbls Propulsion
one Allis-Chalmers geared turbine
two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 465psi 750°
double Falk Main Reduction Gears
three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
single propeller, 8,500shp
Content
Beginning in 1963 the South China Sea became a regular scene of operations for Lenawee. Following the North Vietnamese PT boat attacks on USS Maddox (DD-731) and USS Turner Joy (DD-951) in August 1964, she prepared for her 10th Far Eastern tour since recommissioning. The people-to-people project was not neglected as a result of this new crisis, for the ship carried 10,000 pounds of textbooks and medical supplies to the Philippines and Vietnam after she departed San Diego 7 November 1964. With TF 76, she stood-by laden with marines in the South China Sea from 12 December until 10 April 1965, when 3rd Division Marines were landed at Da Nang. Five days later, her boats landed men of the 4th Marines at Hue. Reloading at Okinawa, Lenawee returned to debark additional troops of the 4th Marines in an assault landing at Chu Lai 7 May. On the 24th she brought 2,001 tons of ammunition to these same men. One month later she was en route for a short stay in her home port. On 9 August 1965 she departed California with Battalion Landing Team 1/1 on the first nonstop voyage made by an attack transport direct to Da Nang, arriving the 28th. Returning to San Diego 28 October, Lenawee spent the remainder of the year and the first 8 months of 1966 off the West Coast. She conducted type training and participated in various amphibious exercises until departing on her last deployment 4 September 1966.
Lenawee carried marines to Okinawa, successfully weathering typhoon "Ida" on the way; then, after a stop in Japan, transported Republic of Korea troops from Pusan to Da Nang. She ferried U.S. servicemen from Okinawa to Vietnam and back in December, before returning to the West Coast, arriving at San Diego 8 January 1967 to begin preparations for inactivation.