When Poplar Bluff had its own Navy

In case you didn’t know, there is a museum here in Poplar Bluff. It has tales of us, our family, and our history. I want to tell you some of those tales found within the museum walls.
Did you know Poplar Bluff had its own Navy?
In 1966, the Chamber of Commerce adopted the ship “St. Francis River LSM(R) 525” during the Vietnam War. It was known as the smallest ship in the Navy at only 207 feet long.
The “St. Francis River” was named after the river in Missouri that borders Butler and Stoddard County. It was an LSM(R) Landing Ship Medium (Rocket). Originally designed as a landing ship, it was outfitted with rocket launchers to bombard the shore during amphibious landings. She was built in 1945, too late to participate in World War II. The “St. Francis River” was decommissioned in San Diego, California.
In 1950, the ship was recommissioned for the Korean War. The “St. Francis River” earned three battle stars providing fire support at Wonsan, Sok To, and the Tachen Islands. At wars end she was decommissioned again.
In 1965, the ship was recommissioned for the Vietnam War. In 1966, the Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce adopted the “St. Francis River” and sent it to Vietnam. It was the only ship of her kind in Vietnam. The ship’s home port was Yokosuka, Japan, but operated out of Danang and Cam Rahn Bay. On her first patrol, the “St. Francis River’ fired the first rocket to shore bombardment mission in combat since the Korean War. The ship earned 10 battle stars, including the Mekong Delta and Tet. In 1969, the “St. Francis River” left Vietnam and was decommissioned for the last time in 1970 in Japan.
Photos of the USS St. Francis River are on display in the Kanell Hall Veterans Museum, located in the Poplar Bluff Museum. The Museum is open every Sunday free of charge from 1 to 3 p.m. at 1010 Main Street, Poplar Bluff (Formerly the Old Mark Twain School). Tell them Mike sent you!
Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and boardmember for the Poplar Bluff Museum.