page_title: USS Epping Forest (LSD-4)
section_title: Continued Far East operations
hierarchical_section_title: USS Epping Forest (LSD-4) / Continued Far East operations
caption_attribution_description: English: The U.S. Navy mine countermeasures support ship USS Epping Forest (MCS-7) at anchor with a landing craft in the water, circa the mid-1960s.
context_page_description: USS Epping Forest was an Ashland-class dock landing ship acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II for duty in the Pacific Theater. Her task was to carry and land amphibious landing craft and other equipment and to recover and repair landing craft when possible. Named for an estate in Lancaster County, Virginia where Mary Ball Washington, mother of George Washington, was born, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
  Originally authorized as USS Epping Forest, a mechanized artillery transport, the ship was reclassified as dock landing ship USS Epping Forest (LSD-4) on 1 July 1941; laid down 23 November 1942 at the Moore Drydock Company of Oakland, California; launched 2 April 1943; sponsored by Mrs. J. H. Heintz; and commissioned 11 October 1943 with Lieutenant Commander Lester Martin, USNR, in command.
context_section_description: Coastal operations preceded her return to the western Pacific in June 1959 to provide transportation and support to a division of minesweeping craft. During the Laotian crisis she joined Amphibious Squadron One at Okinawa in a state of combat readiness for any eventuality. Epping Forest returned to the States in November 1959 for another period of overhaul and upkeep. Assigned to the control of Mine Forces, Pacific, she was ordered to a new homeport, Sasebo, Japan, whence she sailed on 22 August 1960 prior to offloading quantities of supplies for "Operation Hand Clasp" in Korea. During the remainder of the year she cruised as flagship of Commander, Mine Flotilla One, and took part in mine countermeasure exercises. She was designated a mine countermeasures support ship and renamed USS Epping Forest (MCS-7) 30 November 1962.
caption: USS Epping Forest (MCS-7) in the mid-1960s.
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