BRP Benguet

LST-692 unloading cargo across the beach, date and place unknown
History
Name	USS LST-692
Builder	Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company, Jeffersonville, Indiana
Laid down	7 February 1944
Launched	31 March 1944
Commissioned	10 May 1944
Decommissioned	1946
Recommissioned	1951
Renamed	USS Daviess County (LST-689), 1 July 1955
Stricken	1 June 1964
Honours and awards	1 battle star (World War II) 2 battle stars (Korea)
Fate	Transferred to the Philippines, 13 September 1976
Philippines
Name	BRP Benguet (LT-507)
Namesake	Benguet is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon.
Operator	Philippine Navy
Acquired	13 September 1976
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,780 long tons (1,809 t) light 3,640 long tons (3,698 t) full
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded : 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Loaded : 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
Propulsion	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	2 LCVPs
Troops	Approximately 140 officers and enlisted men
Complement	8-10 officers, 100-115 enlisted men
Armament	1 × single 3"/50 caliber gun mount 8 × 40 mm guns 12 × 20 mm guns

BRP Benguet (LT-507) is a LST-542-class tank landing ship currently serving the Philippine Navy.

Formerly known as USS Daviess County (LST-692), it was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name. She served in World War II and during the Korean War. The US Government transferred Daviess County to the Philippine Navy in 1976, which renamed her BRP Benguet (LT-507).

Service History

United States Service

LST-692 was laid down on 7 February 1944 at Jeffersonville, Indiana by the Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company; launched on 31 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Alma D. Voelker; and commissioned on 10 May 1944 with Lieutenant R. B. Carothers, USNR, in command.

During World War II, LST-692 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the invasion of southern France in August and September, 1944. Decommissioned in 1946, she was placed in the reserve fleet at Green Cove Springs, Florida until reactivated in 1951. She performed active service during the Korean War and thereafter. LST-692 was redesignated USS Daviess County (LST-692) on 1 July 1955.

LST-692 earned one battle star for World War II service and two battle stars for Korean service.

Daviess County was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1964 and transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) where she operated as T-LST-692.

Philippine Service

The US Government transferred Daviess County to the Philippine Navy on 13 September 1976, which renamed her to BRP Benguet (LT-507). In 1999, the Philippines stationed Benguet on Scarborough Shoal. China then urged the Philippines to remove her and the Philippines immediately replied that it would do so. However, the Philippines only removed BRP Benguet from Scarborough Shoal shortly before the official visit of Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji to Manila. After the Philippines removed BRP Benguet, she went aground again on Pag-asa Island in 2004, but was removed again and still serves the Philippine Navy today.

References

• "LST-692". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
• "LST-692 Daviess County". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 12 June 2007.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs