LST-601 was laid down on 21 October 1943 at Seneca, Ill., by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Co.,; launched 4 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Celia Counter Finch; and commissioned on 25 March 1944, Lt. Ledbetter in command.
During World War II, LST-601 was assigned to the European theater and participated in the invasion of southern France in August and September 1944. At the close of World War II, LST-601 remained in active service under Commander, Amphibious Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. LST-601 was redesignated Clarke County (LST-601) on 1 July 1955 after counties in Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, and Virginia. She was decommissioned on 23 November 1955. The ship was recommissioned on 28 July 1966. Clarke County performed service in the Vietnam theater during the period 1967 to 1970.
[Recalled from the Reserve fleet at Philadelphia in 1965, Clarke County went to New York Shipbuilding in Camden, N.J., for overhaul for the Vietnam conflict. Clarke County was re-commissioned in Philadelphia in July 1966 and set sail for Vietnam via 6 weeks of refresher training in Little Creek, Va. The new homeport was Guam where LANSHIPRON 13 was headquartered. There were 17 newly recommissioned 511-class LSTs assigned to this PHIBRON.
Clarke County was used in several capacities during Vietnam: as a lighter hauling supplies from Danang to small ports of Chu Lai, Qui Nhon, and up to the Qua Viet river near the DMZ. It also served as a mothership for patrol craft just off the Mekong Delta. It hauled everything from tanks to Budweiser.
On Nov 26, 1967 the ship was ordered to do an "open ocean" beaching to rescue Vietnamese Army personnel who were being pushed into the sea by the Viet Cong. The CO wanted a beach survey done before the beaching but SERVPAC ordered the beaching to continue. About 100 yards from the surf line the Clarke County's main and auxiliary engine rooms were torn opened by a couple sunken boats. The ship broached without power and in a few hours was being zeroed in by Viet Cong mortars. The ship was pulled off the beach and towed to Danang to be patched up. It then was towed to the Philippines and then given to Korea in January 1968.]
LST-601 received one battle star for World War II service, and six battle stars plus two awards of the Meritorious Unit Commendation for Vietnam service.