USS LST-4

USS LST-4 approaches the shore at Yellow Beach, Pampelonne Bay, France, 16 August 1944.
History
Name: USS LST-4
Builder: Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down: 4 July 1942
Launched: 9 October 1942
Sponsored by: Mrs. John (Jennie) Bartolo
Commissioned: 14 February 1943
Decommissioned: 23 December 1944, at Bizerte, Tunisia
In service: 24 December 1944, as HM LST-4
Out of service: Early 1946, returned to US custody
Struck: 19 June 1946
Honors and
awards:		 4 battle stars (WWII)
Fate: Sold for scrap, 10 September 1947, at Baltimore, Maryland
General characteristics
Class and type: LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement:
  • 1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light
  • 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full
Length: 328 ft (100 m)
Beam: 50 ft (15 m)
Draft: Varied, depending on load
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 6 LCVP
Capacity: between 1600 and 1900 tons
Troops: 14 officers, 131 enlisted men
Complement: 129 officers and enlisted men
Armament:
  • 2 × twin 40 mm gun mounts w/Mk.51 directors
  • 4 × single 40 mm gun mounts
  • 12 × single 20 mm gun mounts

USS LST-4 was an LST-1-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation. LST-4 served in the Mediterranean and was awarded four battle stars for her services. After decommissioning, she was loaned to the Royal Navy as HM LST-4 until post-war when she was returned to the US Navy, decommissioned, and sold at public auction for scrapping.

Construction

LST-4 was laid down on 4 July 1942 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Dravo Corporation; she was launched on 9 October 1942, sponsored by Mrs. J. Bartolo; and commissioned on 14 February 1943.

World War II service

Mediterranean operations

LST-4 was assigned to the European theater and participated in the following operations for which she received battle stars:

Decommissioning

LST-4 was decommissioned sometime in 1944 and was placed on loan in December 1944 with the British Navy as HM LST-4 for the duration of the war.

Service under British command

HM LST-4 was commissioned 24 December 1944, at Bizerte. Despite striking a mine 14 January 1945, while on passage between Taranto and Piraeus, she was able to stay afloat until temporary repairs could be made in Greece and more substantial repairs made at Malta 10 to 24 October 1945.

In early 1946, her wartime Mediterranean operations completed, she sailed for the United States. During the transit she lost one of her screws and had to be towed by another LST to Norfolk, Virginia, where she was returned to the US Navy.

Post-war decommissioning and disposal

LST-4 was struck from the Navy list on 19 June 1946. On 10 September 1947, she was sold to the Boston Metals Company, of Baltimore, Maryland, for scrap.

References



This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/10/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.