U.S.S. Colleton
APB-36
1967
(SeaVee SV-545Fa2)
- Class: Benewah - 4 self-propelled barracks ships of 1943
- Displacement: 2,180 tons light; 4,080 tons full load
- Dimensions: 328 x 50 x 11 ft.
- Machinery: 2 GM diesels, twin shaft, 1,800bhp = 12 knots
- Armament: 2-3in/50 (2x1), 8-40mm (2x4) guns, 8-.50cal MG
- Complement: 143
- Builder: Boston Naval Shipyard, Boston MA
- Keel Laid: 9 Jun 1945
- Launched: 30 Jul 1945
- Acquired: 27 Sep 1946
- Commissioned: 28 Jan 1967
- Decommissioned: Dec 1969
- Notes: Colleton (named for Colleton County in SC) was delivered too late to see service in WW2. On completion she was berthed at Boston in the custody of the United States Maritime Commission.
After extensive conversion beginning in early-mid 1966, which included a helicopter landing pad, she was commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. She arrived in Vung Tau, Vietnam on 2 May 1967 for duties in the Mekong Delta under Commander River Assault Flotilla One (also known as TF117). Elements of River Assault Squadron Eleven, and the US Army's 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry, 2nd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division embarked on 2 June 1967. During the remainder of the year, operations began taking the Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) further west in the Mekong Delta towards Cambodia, creating longer and delayed aeromedical evacuation support for the assault craft and embarked US Army units of the MRF. As a result, Colleton was refitted at U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay, Philippines, in Dec 1967 and Jan 1968 which significantly expanded the sick bay facilities. She returned to South Vietnam just days before the Tet Offensive; she handled over 800 combat casualties in the following four months. She departed Vietnam in 1969, was decommissioned at Bremerton, WA, and then scrapped in 1973. Colleton received seven battle stars for her Vietnam service.
Shown below berthing various Riverine Warfare Craft.
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