Greek landing ship Chios (L195)

History
United States
Name	LST-35
Builder	Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down	20 March 1943
Launched	30 June 1943
Sponsored by	Mrs. Samuel G. Cooper
Stricken	23 June 1947
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-35
Fate	Transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy, 18 August 1943
Greece
Name	Chios
Namesake	Chios
Acquired	18 August 1943
Decommissioned	10 May 1977
Identification	Hull symbol: L195
Fate	Sold to Greece, January 1947
Status	Fate unknown
General characteristics [1]
Type	LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement	4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full load 2,160 long tons (2,190 t) landing
Length	328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Full load: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft Landing at 2,160 t: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft
Installed power	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,700 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
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 or 6 x LCVPs
Capacity	2,100 tons oceangoing maximum 350 tons main deckload
Troops	16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement	13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament	Varied, ultimate armament 2 × twin 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns 4 × single 40 mm Bofors guns 12 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons

USS LST-35 was an LST-1-class tank landing ship of the United States Navy built during World War II. She was transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy on 18 August 1943, before being commissioned into the USN, and was renamed Chios.

LST-35 was laid down on 20 March 1943, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Dravo Corporation; launched on 30 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Samuel G. Cooper; and transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy on 18 August 1943, and renamed Chios (L195).^[2]

Chios, ex-LST-35, sailed from Galveston Bar for Key West, Florida, on 28 August 1943, with convoy HK 125, arriving in Key West, 1 September 1943.^[3]

On 11 October 1943, Chios left Halifax, Nova Scotia, in convoy SC 144,^[4] en route she joined convoy WN 497 that had departed Loch Ewe, on 26 October. She arrived in Methil, Scotland, on 28 October with a load of lumber.^[5]

Chios departed Methil, on 3 December 1943, in convoy EN 314 (series 2), arriving in Loch Ewe, on 5 December.^[6] She departed Liverpool, England, in convoy OS 63/KMS 37, on 25 December 1943.^[7] The convoy split on 7 January 1944, with Chios continuing on in convoy KMS 37G, arriving in Gibraltar, on 9 January.^[8] However, the same records show that she departed Liverpool, England, in convoy OS 64/KMS 38, on 3 January 1944.^[9] The convoy split on 15 January 1944, with Chios continuing on in convoy KMS 38G, arriving in Gibraltar, on 17 January.^[10] It's possible that she was delayed from sailing in the first, here intended convoy, and had to travel in the proceeding convoy.

She was sold to the government of Greece in January 1947. She was struck from the Navy list on 23 June 1947.^[2] She served until 1971, when she was placed in reserve. Reactivated in 1974, she was finally decommissioned from the Greek navy on 10 May 1977.

• Photo gallery of USS LST-35 at NavSource Naval History
• Χίος L-195 (1943-1977) (in Greek), Hellenic Navy website