USS Pima County

	Entering the Grand Harbour, Malta on 14 June 1955
History
United States
Name	LST-1081(1945–1955); Pima County (1955–1956); 518 N (1960–1965); Baltic Ferry (1965–1972); Sable Ferry (1972–1977); Nickel Ferry (1977–1979);
Namesake	Pima County, Arizona
Owner	United States Navy (1945–1960); United States Leasing Corporation (1960–1965); Atlantic Steam Navigation Company (1965–1972); Unknown company (1972–1977); Mareantes Mundial Armadora (1977–1979);
Operator	United States Navy (1945–1960); United States Leasing Corporation (1960–1965); Atlantic Steam Navigation Company (1965–1972); Unknown company (1972–1977); Andy International (1977–1979);
Port of registry	US Navy (1945–1960); United States (1960–1965); United Kingdom (1965–1972); Panama (1977–1979);
Builder	American Bridge Company, Ambridge, Pennsylvania
Laid down	13 November 1944
Launched	5 January 1945
Commissioned	30 January 1945
Recommissioned	2 February 1951
Decommissioned	30 July 1946
Reclassified	Reserve status from 7 August 1956; Decommissioned 12 December 1956; Sold from Naval reserve June 1960;
Identification	Maritime call sign HOFU (1977–1979); IMO number: 6604133;
Fate	Wrecked by fire 1 December 1979
General characteristics in military service
Class & type	LST-542-class LST
Displacement	4,080 long tons (4,150 t) fully laden
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	14 ft 1 in (4.29 m)
Propulsion	Two 12-cylinder 2-stroke single acting oil engines
Speed	11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph) maximum
Troops	147
Complement	119
Armament	8 × Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns;; 12 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon;
General characteristics in commercial service
Tonnage	1,909 gross register tonnage (as Baltic Ferry); 1,908 gross register tonnage (as Nickel Ferry);
Displacement	3,591 long tons (3,649 t) (as 518 N)
Length	327 ft 9 in (99.90 m) (as Baltic Ferry)
Beam	50 ft 2 in (15.29 m) (as Baltic Ferry)
Draft	10 ft 8 in (3.25 m) (as Baltic Ferry)
Speed	Around 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) maximum (as Baltic Ferry)

USS Pima County (LST-1081) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship of the United States Navy. Built as LST-1081 by the American Bridge Company in Ambridge, Pennsylvania from 13 November 1944, she was commissioned into the navy on 30 January 1945. LST-1081 saw service as a logistics vessel in the latter stages of the Pacific War, but was placed into reserve and decommissioned after the war. She was recommissioned in 1950 after the outbreak of the Korean War and served with the Atlantic Fleet, including a deployment in the Mediterranean Sea during which she was renamed USS Pima County. She returned to the reserve in 1956 and was decommissioned on 12 December of that year.

In June 1960 Pima County was sold to the United States Leasing Corporation, with whom she served as the freighter 518 N. She was acquired by the British government-owned Atlantic Steam Navigation Company (ASN) in 1965 and served as the freight vessel Baltic Ferry. The ASN carried out a refurbishment at Smith's Dock Company after which she served on routes from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and continental Europe. Baltic Ferry was laid up for a period in the late 1960s and in 1972 was sold to a company that operated her as Sable Ferry in North America. She was sold again in 1977 to Mareantes Mundial Armadora and, under the name Nickel Ferry, was operated by Andy International on routes in Central America. She caught fire off La Unión, El Salvador on 1 December 1979 and was rendered a total wreck.