Kane County LST-853

Kane County

Counties in Illinois and Utah.

(LST-853: dp. 1,625; 1. 328'; b. 50'; dr. 11'; s. 12 k.; cpl. 268; a. 8 40mm., 12 20mm.; cl. LST-542)

LST-853 was laid down by Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Seneca, Ill., 30 August 1944; launched 17 November; sponsored by Mrs. Ellen Scott DeCoursey; and commissioned 11 December, Lt. Charles B. Salsbury in command.

After shakedown off Florida, LST-853 departed New Orleans for the Pacific 19 January 1945. She loaded troops and equipment on the West Coast before steaming from Seattle 10 March. Sailing via Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, and Guam, she arrived Saipan 25 April. The landing ship embarked units of the 1878th Engineer Aviation Battalion, then sailed on the 27th for Okinawa. Arriving 6 days later in the midst of enemy air raids, LST-853 discharged men and equipment on this strategic base which lay at the gateway to Japan.

She returned Saipan 24 May and, during the remaining months of the war, shuttled troops and equipment among the Marinas, Philippines, and Okinawa staging areas for the planned invasion of Japan. The enemy's acceptance of Allied peace terms obviated an invasion, so LST-853 then operated in the Far Fast, transporting occupation forces until early December.

Arriving Saipan 13 December, she embarked veterans of the Pacific fighting in the Marianas and sailed for the United States in January 1946. After arrival on the West Coast, LST-853 then sailed to Astoria. Oreg.; and decommissioned at Vancouver, Wash., 24 July. While berthed in the Columbia River with the Pacific Reserve Fleet, she was named Kane County I July 1955.

Under provisions of the Military Assistance Program, she was transferred to the Republic of Korea 22 December 1958, and serves the ROK navy as Su Yong (LST-813).

LST-853 received one battle star for World War II service;