USS LST-39

USS LST-39 and USS LST-480 still ablaze on 22 May 1944.
History
United States
Name: LST-39
Builder: Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down: 23 April 1943
Launched: 29 July 1943
Commissioned:
  • 2 September 1943 (Partial commission)
  • 8 September 1943 (Full commission)
Struck: 18 July 1944
Identification:
Fate: Sunk, 21 May 1944
Status: Lost in the West Loch Disaster, later refloated.
In service: Unkown
Out of service: c. July 1945 – January 1946
Renamed: YF-1079
Reclassified: Spare Parts Issue Barge
Struck: 25 February 1946
Identification: Hull symbol: YF-1079
Fate: Destroyed, 1946
General characteristics [1]
Type: LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement:
  • 1,625 long tons (1,651 t) (light)
  • 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) (full (seagoing draft with 1,675 short tons (1,520 t) load)
  • 2,366 long tons (2,404 t) (beaching)
Length: 328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam: 50 ft (15 m)
Draft:
  • Unloaded: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward; 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft
  • Full load: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
  • Landing with 500 short tons (450 t) load: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range: 24,000 nmi (44,000 km; 28,000 mi) at 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) while displacing 3,960 long tons (4,024 t)
Boats & landing
craft carried:
2 x LCVPs
Capacity: 1,600–1,900 short tons (3,200,000–3,800,000 lb; 1,500,000–1,700,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
Troops: 16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement: 13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament:
Service record
Awards:

USS LST-39 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used exclusively in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.

Construction

LST-39 was laid down on 23 April 1943, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by the Dravo Corporation; launched on 29 July 1943; sponsored by Mrs. L. A. Mertz; and commissioned on 8 September 1943.[2]

Service history

During World War II, LST-39 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater, but saw no combat action.[2] She sank 21 May 1944, as part of the West Loch disaster and she was struck from the Navy list on 18 July 1944.[1]

YF-1079 beached and damaged in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, after Typhoon Louise ravaged that port in October 1945. Photographed in November 1945. The image shows the after portion of her starboard side, which was damaged by a collision with another YF during the storm. Another service craft, possibly YF-757, lies sunken to the left.

She was later refloated, converted to a spare parts issue barge, and redesignated YF-1079.[2] In early October 1945, YF-1079 was in Buckner Bay, when typhoon Louise passed over. She was one of over 200 US military vessels to be grounded or severely damaged. During the storm she was struck by another ship, severely damaging her starboard side. She was again struck from the Navy list 25 February 1946, and destroyed August 1946.[1]

See also

References

Bibliography

  • "LST-39". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • "USS LST-39". NavSource Online. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2018.



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