Senate Resolution No. 5871

BY: Senator MURPHY

COMMEMORATING October 31, 2018, as "USS
Westchester County (LST 1167) Day"

WHEREAS, It is of utmost importance for the State of New York to
commemorate the anniversaries of significant events in its distinguished
history; and

WHEREAS, The 50th Anniversary of the mining of the USS Westchester
County (LST 1167) will be commemorated in 2018; and

WHEREAS, The USS Westchester County (LST 1167) was a Terrebone
Parish Class LST, laid down on January 11, 1952, at the Christy
Corporation shipyard in Wisconsin; she had a waterline length of 384
feet in length and a beam of 56.5 feet; and

WHEREAS, The USS Westchester County (LST 1167) was launched on April
18, 1953, and joined the fleet in 1954; and

WHEREAS, The USS Westchester County (LST 1167) was transferred to
the Pacific Fleet in 1958 and conducted routine operations throughout
the Western Pacific for several years before providing sealift for
Marines going into Danang in March of 1965; she participated in the
amphibious landing at Chu Lai in April of that year; and

WHEREAS, The USS Westchester County (LST 1167) resumed duty with the
Mobile Riverine Forces on September 22, 1968; and

WHEREAS, The USS Westchester County (LST 1167) was anchored in the
My Tho River on November 1, 1968; she had crew, embarked soldiers, over
10,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, large quantities of other
explosives, and five Army helicopters on board; and

WHEREAS, A Viet Cong demolitions team attached two mines to her
hull, causing two underwater explosions; and

WHEREAS, The explosions wounded 27 men and killed 25, including 23
Americans; and

WHEREAS, The USS Westchester County (LST 1167) received temporary
repairs at Dong Tam, then went into dry dock at the United States Naval
Ship Repair Facility in Yokusuka until February 5, 1969; she returned to
Vietnam on March 10, 1969; and

WHEREAS, The brave men who perished aboard the USS Westchester
County (LST 1167) must never be forgotten; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate October 31, 2018, as "USS Westchester County (LST 1167)
Day"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to survivors of the mining of the USS Westchester County
(LST 1167).