USS Jerome County ( LST - 848 ) USS " Jerome County " ( LST - 848 ) was an built for the United States Navy during World War II . Named after Jerome County , Idaho , she was the only U . S . Naval vessel to bear the name . USS " LST - 848 " was laid down on 6 November 1944 at Ambridge , Pennsylvania by the American Bridge Company ; launched on 21 December 1944 , sponsored by Mrs . F . D . Porter ; and commissioned on 20 January 1945 with Lieutenant R . P . Bentley , USNR , in command . Service history . World War II , 1945 . Following shakedown off Florida , LST - 848 departed New Orleans on 24 February for the $ 3 . After touching Balboa , Panama in the Canal Zone and West Coast ports , she proceeded to Hawaii , arriving at Kalua Harbor on 9 April . For the next six weeks , she engaged in amphibious exercises in the Hawaiian Islands before sailing to the Marianas . Arriving at Guam on 11 June , " LST - 848 " shuttled troops and equipment from the Marianas to Okinawa for the duration of World War II . 1945 – 1946 . When Japan accepted Allied peace terms , thereby ending the war , the landing ship was assigned to transport occupation forces in the Far East . Operating between the Philippines and Japan , " LST - 848 " carried troops , vehicles , and cargo to support American forces in the Pacific . She departed Japan in early December and , after stays at Saipan and Pearl Harbor , arrived at San Francisco on 11 February 1946 . Following operations along the West Coast , she sailed to Astoria , Oregon early in April and decommissioned at Vancouver , Washington on 10 August 1946 . While berthed with the Columbia River group , Pacific Reserve Fleet , " LST - 848 " was named USS " Jerome County " ( LST - 848 ) on 1 July 1955 . 1959 – 1965 . " Jerome County " recommissioned on 7 December 1959 with Lieutenant Kenneth H . Ruecker in command , then completed a shakedown along the Pacific coast . On 14 May 1960 she departed from San Pedro , California for mid - Pacific missile operations out of Midway Island . After five months in support of the U . S . missile program , she returned to San Diego late October . During 1961 , " Jerome County " participated in amphibious training exercises along the California coast ; then on 12 January 1962 she sailed for the mid - Pacific . Assigned to " Operation Dominic " , she performed weather studies , charting , and communications during the U . S . nuclear tests of that year . The veteran LST returned to San Diego on 18 August to resume amphibious training exercises . From August 1962 until August 1965 " Jerome County " usually operated along the West Coast in addition to two mid - Pacific deployments . Vietnam War , 1965 – 1970 . Following the increased American commitment to assist the South Vietnam ese government in their struggle against Communist aggression , " Jerome County " sailed for Southeast Asia on 10 August 1965 . Arriving Chu Lai , South Vietnam on 11 September , she supported U . S . operations in Asia for the next three months . The landing ship returned San Diego on 22 December . " Jerome County " sailed again for the Far East on 3 March 1966 and arrived at Da Nang , South Vietnam , on 8 April . She unloaded her cargo and continued shuttling supplies , ammunition , and equipment in and out of the war zone until departing from Subic Bay on 1 September for home . She arrived at San Diego on 13 October and operated along the West Coast for the remainder of the year and into 1967 preparing for future action . Transfer to South Vietnam , and the Philippines . In mid - 1969 a planned fourth Southeast Asia n deployment was cancelled , and " Jerome County " was instead prepared for transfer abroad . Decommissioned again on 1 April 1970 she was turned over , via lease , to the Republic of Vietnam Navy that same month . She became the Republic of Vietnam Navy ship RVN " Nha Trang " ( HQ - 505 ) in April 1970 . Five years later , at the fall of South Vietnam , she escaped to the Philippines and subsequently became the Philippine Navy ' s RPS " Agusan Del Sur " ( LT - 54 ) . The ship was decommissioned by 1986 , and was discarded by the Philippine Navy about 1992 . Her final fate is unknown . Awards . " LST - 848 " earned one award of the Presidential Unit Citation , one award of the Meritorious Unit Commendation , and five battle star s for the Vietnam War .