USS LST-959

History
United States
NameLST-959
BuilderBethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number3429[1]
Laid down6 October 1944
Launched4 November 1944
Commissioned29 November 1944
Decommissioned13 June 1946
Stricken3 July 1946
Identification
Honors and
awards
1 × battle star
FateStripped and destroyed, 10 June 1948
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeLST-542-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)
Length328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam50 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 3 in (2.51 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
  • Limiting 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
  • Maximum navigation 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed11.6 kn (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph)
Range24,000 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
Capacity1,600–1,900 short tons (3,200,000–3,800,000 lb; 1,500,000–1,700,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
Troops16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament
Service record
Part of: LST Flotilla 23
Operations: Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (8–18 June 1945)
Awards:

USS LST-959 was an LST-542-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.

Construction

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LST-959 was laid down on 6 October 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 4 November 1944; and commissioned on 25 November 1944.[3][2]

Service history

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During World War II, LST-959 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in June 1945.[3]

Following the war, she performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until mid-May 1946. She was decommissioned on 13 June 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 3 July, that same year. On 10 June 1948, the ship was stripped and destroyed at Subic Bay, Philippines.[3]

Awards

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LST-959 earned one battle star for World War II service.[3]

Notes

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Citations

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Bibliography

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Online resources

  • "LST-959". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 15 June 2017.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • "Bethlehem-Hingham, Hingham MA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  • "USS LST-959". Navsource.org. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
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