One Ship, Two Wars tells the story of the USS Greer County (LST-799), the most decorated LST to serve in the Korean War. It follows the life of this ungly ship from its launching, in 1944, to final decommissioning in 1960, and captures the history of her times. The ship was part of the great invasion force that overpowered determined, dug-in Japanese soldiers on Okinawa. The story places the 799 in dangerous waters as she landed a heavy cargo of ammunition on the Okinawan beaches while kamikazes threatened from overhead.
Pressed into service early in the Korean War, the USS Greer County once again rises to the occasion of excellence by participating in the invasion at Inchon and the Hungnam evacuation. Then in early 1951, she was converted to a mine squadron flagship, in which capacity the 799 operated for nearly thirty months as part of the "Siege of Wonsan." For her Korean service, the 799 was awarded nine of the ten Korean Battle Stars.
The book deals extensively with mine warfare and the actions of the ship's helicopter, which was instrumental in saving twenty-five downed United Nations pilots downed at sea or over enemy held territory in Korea.
A true history book, written like a novel, it's a fascinating read for all generations.
