USS LST-521

History

United States
Name	USS LST-521
Namesake	Cape May County
Builder	Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, Seneca, Illinois
Laid down	4 October 1943
Launched	13 December 1943
Commissioned	3 January 1944
Decommissioned	21 October 1945
Renamed	USS Cape May County (LST-521), 1 July 1955
Stricken	1 November 1959
Honors and awards	1 battle star (World War II)
Fate	Stricken 1 November 1959
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-491-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light 3,640 long tons (3,698 t) full
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded : 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Loaded : 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
Propulsion	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	Two LCVPs
Troops	approx. 130 officers and enlisted
Complement	8–10 officers, 89–100 enlisted men
Armament	1 × single 3-inch/50-caliber gun mount 8 × 40 mm gun 12 × 20 mm guns

USS Cape May County (LST-521) was an LST-491-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Cape May County, New Jersey, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

LST-521 was laid down on 4 October 1943 at Seneca, Illinois by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company; launched on 13 December 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Ruth Sexton; and commissioned on 9 February 1944.

During World War II, USS LST-521 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the Invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Upon her return to the United States, she was decommissioned on 21 October 1945.

Later reactivated (date unknown), assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and placed in service as USNS T-LST-521, the tank landing ship was placed out of service (date unknown) and redesignated USS Cape May County (LST-521) on 1 July 1955. The ship was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 November 1959.

LST-521 earned one battle star for World War II service.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
"LST-521". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
"LST-521 Cape May County". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 12 April 2007.

LST-491 / T-LST-491
LST-492
LST-493
LST-494
LST-495
LST-496
LST-497
LST-498
LST-499
LST-500
LST-501
LST-502
LST-503
LST-504 / Buchanan County
LST-505
LST-506
LST-507
LST-508
LST-509 / Bulloch County
LST-510 / Buncombe County
LST-511
LST-512 / Burnett County
LST-513 / Endymion
LST-514 / Midas
LST-515 / Caddo Parish
LST-516 / Calaveras County
LST-517
LST-518 / Nestor
LST-519 / Calhoun County
LST-520
LST-521 / T-LST-521 / Cape May County
LST-522
LST-523
LST-524
LST-525 / Caroline County
LST-526
LST-527 / Cassia County
LST-528 / Catahoula Parish
LST-529 / Cayuga County
LST-530
LST-531
LST-532 / Chase County
LST-533 / Cheboygan County
LST-534
LST-535
LST-536
LST-537
LST-538
LST-539
LST-540
LST-541

Other operators
Republic of China Navy	Chung Ting (ex-LST-537) Chung Kuang (ex-LST-503) Chung Shu (ex-LST-520) Chung Wan (ex-T-LST-535)
Colombian National Navy	Midas
French Navy	Orne (ex-LST-508)
Republic of Korea Navy	ex-LST-536
Peruvian Navy	Paita (ex-Burnett County)
Philippine Navy	Bataan (ex-Caddo Parish) Cotabato del Sur (ex-Thị Nại) Lanao del Sur (ex-T-LST-491)
Republic of Singapore Navy	ex-Chase County
Royal Navy	LST-538
Republic of Vietnam Navy	Thị Nại (ex-Cayuga County) Qui Nhơn (ex-Bulloch County)
Vietnam People's Navy	HQ-505 (ex-Qui Nhơn)