USS LST-916

USS LST-916 moored to a buoy in the Philippines, c. early-1946, waiting for final disposition.
History
United States
Name	LST-916
Builder	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number	3386[1]
Laid down	22 March 1944
Launched	29 April 1944
Commissioned	25 May 1944
Decommissioned	5 April 1946
Stricken	29 September 1947
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-916 Code letters: NVPG
Honors and awards	3 × battle star
Fate	transferred to the US Army, 28 June 1946, lost 4 October 1948
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	LST-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)
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 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	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,800 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
Speed	11.6 kn (21.5 km/h; 13.3 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	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
Part of:	LST Flotilla 14
Operations:	Leyte landings (20 October 1944) Lingayen Gulf landings (4–18 January 1945) Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (2–16 April 1945)
Awards:	Combat Action Ribbon American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Liberation Medal

USS LST-916 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

LST-916 was laid down on 22 March 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 29 April 1944; and commissioned on 25 May 1944.[3][2]

Service history

During World War II, LST-916 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the Leyte landings in October 1944, the Lingayen Gulf landings in January 1845, and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in April 1945.[3]

Following the war, LST-916 performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-November 1945. She was decommissioned on 5 April 1946, and transferred to the US Army on 28 June, that same year. On 29 September 1947, she was struck from the Navy list;[3] and, on 4 October 1948, LST-916 was lost in typhoon Libby near Naha Reef, near Naha, Okinawa.[4]

Awards

LST-916 earned three battle star for World War II service.[3]

Notes

Citations

1. Bethlehem-Hingham 2011.
2. Navsource 2015.
3. DANFS.
4. Stars and Stripes 1948, p. 1.

Bibliography

Online resources

• "LST-916". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 20 May 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "Bethlehem-Hingham, Hingham MA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
• "USS LST-916". Navsource.org. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2017.

Printed resources

• "West Coast ports in the Pacific and Far East mand Fleet and \vcrs caught SOSs Sent By LSTs Off Okinawa Coast". Pacific Stars and Stripes. 4 October 1948. p. 1.

External links

• Photo gallery of LST-916 at NavSource Naval History