USS LST-475

USS LST-475 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. As with many of her class, the ship was never named. Instead, she was referred to by her hull designation.

USS LST-475 while under construction at Kaiser, Inc., Vancouver, WA. She was built in record time, 71 hours and 50 minutes from keel laying to launching, 16 November 1942.
History
United States
Name: LST-475
Ordered: as a Type S3-M-K2 hull, MCE hull 995[1]
Builder: Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington
Yard number: 179[1]
Laid down: 14 November 1942
Launched: 16 November 1942
Commissioned: 20 March 1943
Decommissioned: 24 April 1946
Struck: 5 June 1946
Identification:
Honors and
awards:		 6 × battle stars
Fate: sold, 31 October 1946
Status: fate unknown
General characteristics [2]
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 (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
Part of: LST Flotilla 7
Operations:
Awards:

Construction

The ship was laid down on 14 November 1942, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 995, by Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington; launched 16 November 1942; and commissioned on 20 March 1943, Lieutenant Commander Thomas D. Blake, USNR, in command.[2]

Service history

During the war, LST-475 was assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations. She took part in the Eastern New Guinea operations, the Lae occupation in September 1943, and the Saidor occupation in January 1944; the Bismarck Archipelago operations, the Cape Gloucester, New Britain landings in December 1943; Hollandia operation in April 1944; the Western New Guinea operations, the Noemfoor Island operation in July 1944, the Cape Sansapor operation in July and August 1944, and the Morotai landing in September 1944; the Leyte operation in October and November 1944; the Lingayen Gulf landings in January 1945; and theBorneo operation, the Balikpapan operation in June and July 1945.[3]

Following the war, LST-475 performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-October 1945. Upon her return to the United States, the ship was decommissioned on 24 April 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 5 June, that same year. On 31 October 1946, she was sold to the Suwannee Fruit & Steamship Co., Jacksonville, Florida.[3]

Honors and awards

LST-475 earned six battle stars for her World War II service.[3]

Notes
    Citations
    1. Kaiser Vancouver 2010.
    2. Navsource 2014.
    3. DANFS.

    Bibliography

    Online resources

    • "LST-475". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 18 April 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
    • "Kaiser Vancouver, Vancouver WA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 27 November 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
    • "USS LST-475". Navsource.org. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2017.


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