USS LST-4

USS LST-4 approaches the shore at Yellow Beach, Pampelonne Bay, France, 16 August 1944.
History
United States
Name	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
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-4 Code letters: NFEN
Honors and awards	4 × battle stars
Fate	Transferred to the Royal Navy
HM LST-4 entering Malta Harbor in 1944.
United Kingdom
Name	LST-4
Commissioned	24 December 1944
Decommissioned	1946
Fate	Returned to US Naval custody, 1946
United States
Acquired	1946
Stricken	19 June 1946
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 10 September 1947
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	6 × LCVP
Capacity	2,100 tons oceangoing maximum 350 tons main deckload
Troops	163
Complement	117
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
Service record
Operations:	Sicilian occupation (9 July 1943) Salerno landings (9–21 September 1943) Anzio-Nettuno advanced landings (22 January–2 February 1944) Invasion of southern France (15 August–25 September 1944)

USS LST-4 was an LST-1-class tank landing ship of the United States Navy built during World War II. She was transferred to the Royal Navy in December 1944. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.

LST-4 was laid down on 4 July 1942, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by the Dravo Corporation; launched on 9 October 1942; sponsored by Mrs. J. Bartolo; and commissioned on 14 February 1943.^[2][1]

LST-4 was assigned to the Mediterranean Theatre and participated in the following operations: the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943; the Salerno Landings in September 1943; the Anzio-Nettuno advanced landings on the west coast of Italy from January to February 1944; and the Invasion of southern France from August to September 1944.^[2]

LST-4 was decommissioned from the USN on 23 December 1944, in Bizerte, Tunisia, and commissioned into the Royal Navy the next day. On 14 January 1945, while sailing between Taranto, Italy, and Piraeus, Greece, she struck a mine, but was still able to make Piraeus. She transferred to Alexandria, Egypt, in June, before making way for Malta, for repairs from 10 to 24 October 1945.^[1]

She was returned to the United States in early 1946, by a Royal Navy crew. En route she lost her port side screw and had to be towed by another LST to Norfolk, Virginia. She was turned back over to USN custody.^[1]

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 scrapping.^[2]

LST-4 earned four battle stars for World War II service.^[2]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS LST-4.

• Photo gallery of USS LST-4 at NavSource Naval History