You can say that again. The little "Counties" were posted on the flanks of our ARGs, and in rough weather, it was amazing to watch them, as they tried to keep up.
Ironically, those little County-class LSTs were diesels, and they had super "long legs" ie fuel range. As a result, and due to their empty vehicle holds when not carrying the Marines, they were used for long-endurance intel missions. They could spend months at sea in places like the Bering Sea in winter, loaded with commo and intell containers and spooks. Imagine what a ride that must have been....for months.
That would stink because with the intel gear you would be limited as to where you could go while on ship.
Imagine what a ride that must have been....for months.
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Hardship tours are all the same - awful. Then again, there were a few swabbies I worked with who claimed sea duty hardship tours were more endurable than land ones - the land ones were longer.