USS Clearwater County
{{Short description|US naval vessel (1944–1957)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= LST-601, LST-602 and LST-603 at the U.S. Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia (USA), on 10 May 1944.jpg |Ship caption={{USS|Clarke County|LST-601|1}}, LST-602, and {{USS|Coconino County|LST-603|1}}, at the Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia on 10 May 1944 }} {{Infobox ship career |Ship country=United States |Ship flag= {{USN flag|1972}} |Ship name= USS LST-602, later USS Clearwater County |Ship namesake= Clearwater County, Idaho, and Clearwater County, Minnesota |Ship ordered= |Ship builder= Chicago Bridge and Iron Company, Seneca, Illinois |Ship laid down= 23 October 1943 |Ship launched= 9 March 1944 |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= 31 March 1944 |Ship decommissioned= 1946 }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header=yes |Ship recommissioned= 1950 |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed=USS Clearwater County (LST-602), 1 July 1955 |Ship reclassified= |Ship struck= 1 May 1972 |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours=*1 battle star for World War II
|Ship fate=Transferred to United States Air Force 1957 |Ship notes=*Operated by U.S. Air Force 1957–1969
}} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header=title |Ship country=Mexico |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Mexico|naval}} |Ship name=Manzanillo |Ship namesake= |Ship acquired=30 May 1972 |Ship commissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification= Hull number: IA-02 |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship fate= |Ship status=Active |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class={{sclass|LST-542|tank landing ship}} |Ship displacement=*{{convert|1780|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} light
|Ship length={{convert|328|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|50|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship draft=*Unloaded :
|Ship depth= |Ship propulsion=2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders |Ship speed= {{convert|12|kn|lk=in}} |Ship range= |Ship boats= 2 LCVPs |Ship troops=140 officers and enlisted men |Ship complement=8–10 officers, 100–115 enlisted men |Ship armament=*1 × single 3-inch/50-caliber gun mount
|Ship armor= |Ship notes= }} |
USS Clearwater County (LST-602), originally USS LST-602, was a United States Navy {{sclass|LST-542|tank landing ship}} built during World War II and in commission from 1944 to 1946 and from 1950 to ca. 1957. Named after Clearwater County, Idaho, and Clearwater County, Minnesota, she was the only U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name. It was transferred to the Mexican Navy.
Construction and commissioning
LST-602 was laid down on 23 October 1943 at Seneca, Illinois, by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company. She was launched on 9 March 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Adele R. Ziehm, and commissioned on 31 March 1944.
Service history
During World War II, LST-602 was assigned to the European Theater of Operations and participated in Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France, in August and September 1944. In 1946 she was decommissioned/
When the Korean War broke out, LST-602 was recommissioned in 1950 and performed service in the Korean Theater from 26 November 1951 to 25 July 1952 and from 19 July 1953 to 26 February 1954. She participated in the following Korean War campaigns:
- Second Korean Winter (22 December 1951 to 14 January 1952, 22 February to 11 March 1952, and 20 to 28 March 1952)
- Korea, Summer-Fall 1953 (27 July 1953).
On 1 July 1955, LST-602 was renamed USS Clearwater County (LST-602). She remained in U.S. Navy service until 1957.
Post-U.S. Navy career
Clearwater County was operated by the United States Air Force from September 1957 to September 1969, when she was transferred to the temporary custody of the Maritime Administration. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 May 1972 and given to Mexico on 30 May 1972.
In the Mexican Navy, she served as ARM Manzanillo (A-402). Manzanillo helped during operations to help Hurricane Katrina victims in 2005. On 16 November 2011 she was decommissioned.
Awards and honors
LST-602 earned one battle star for World War II service and two battle stars for Korean War service.
References
:{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l21/lst-602.htm}}
- {{cite web|title=LST-602|work=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l21/lst-602.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040329024400/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l21/lst-602.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 March 2004|access-date=29 May 2007}}
- {{cite web|title=LST-602 Clearwater County|work=Amphibious Photo Archive
|url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/16/160602.htm|access-date=29 May 2007}}
{{LST-542 class tank landing ship|600}}
{{Active ships of Mexico}}
{{MARCOM ships Prairie Shipyard, Seneca Illinois}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clearwater County}}
Category:LST-542-class tank landing ships
Category:Ships built in Seneca, Illinois
Category:World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
Category:Korean War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
Category:Clearwater County, Idaho
Category:Clearwater County, Minnesota
Category:Ships transferred from the United States Navy to the Mexican Navy
Category:Amphibious warfare vessels of the Mexican Navy
Category:Amphibious warfare vessels of Mexico
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