Navy boat finds its home port on a wall

Painting of Orange County, a transport ship that was sunk in 1958, is donated to nautical museum.By all accounts, the U.S. Navy transport ship Orange County never docked in the California county for which it was named.

“The ship was bigger than what this harbor could handle,” said Newport Harbor Nautical Museum Executive Director David Muller.

Thanks to a gift from a Newport Beach resident and retired National Guard general, the vessel -- in framed form -- is finally home.

David C. Henley on Thursday presented the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum with an oil panting of Orange County that had been hanging in his house.

Henley, a military historian and member of the museum’s board of advisors, said he wanted future generations to learn about the U.S. Navy warship.

“It’s an important facet of Orange County history,” Henley said. “People think of Orange County as a playground, with yachting and sailing ... The whole coast has served an important military and commercial purpose.”

The painting, completed more than 10 years ago by retired Navy Cmdr. Ricardo Dias, shows the 328-foot ship maneuvering through choppy Pacific Ocean waters.

The vessel earned five battle stars for service during the Korean War. It also was used to move allied troops and equipment, such as tanks, during World War II.

LST-1068, as the ship was called, was wide enough for a small plane to land on it, Henley said.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of Orange County’s commissioning. According to historical reports, the vessel first took off from Hingham, Mass., on March 27, 1945. Henley has rounded up photos of the ship’s launching, which also have been donated to the museum.

Henley said this was the only vessel to use the name Orange County. The ship was named for all of the country’s Orange counties.

“Every county in the nation tried to get its name on a ship,” Henley said. “The other Orange counties weren’t interested in adopting it.”

Orange County often docked in San Diego. That’s where Victor Burt, then a Navy chief hospital corpsman, boarded in 1955.

“It was a good ship. I enjoyed my year on it,” said Burt, who lives in Napa. “It had a great skipper. The morale was good. Everyone was happy to be on there.”

The ship was able to travel at about 11.6 knots and had a crew of 110 sailors.

In 1958, after being deemed superfluous, Orange County was purposefully sunk off the coast of San Diego during military target practice.

Future attempts by politicians -- including recently deceased Rep. Robert Badham of Newport Beach -- to rename another vessel Orange County have failed.

Muller said the donated painting will become part of the docents tour at the museum.

“There’s so much of a story here,” he said. “This is dedicated to the valor of the men who were on the ship.”

* ELIA POWERS is the enterprise and general assignment reporter. He may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or by e-mail at [email protected].

20051216irkeuqncDOUGLAS ZIMMERMAN / DAILY PILOT(LA)David W. Muller, of the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, hangs a painting of Orange County donated by Brig. Gen. David C. Henley.