| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS LST-172 |
| Builder | |
| Laid down | 24 December 1942 |
| Launched | 12 May 1943 |
| Commissioned | 11 June 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 8 June 1946 |
| Fate | Sold 5 November 1947 [1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | LST-2-class tank landing ship |
LST-172 was an American World War II Landing Ship, Tank.
On 23 April 1946, while LST-172 was in the Yangtze River near Shanghai, China, a teenaged Seaman 2d Class, William Vincent Smith, [2] of Asheville, North Carolina, described as a silent, introspective individual, went berserk at 0300 hrs. and shot to death nine of the 30 shipmates in the berthing space before stabbing himself. Smith was only two months out of the United States at the time of his attack.
One of his mortally wounded victims managed to disarm him of the carbine and pistol he used, firing 20 rounds in all, whereupon Smith stabbed himself three times in the abdomen. He, and one of his victims, Seaman 2d Class George E. Simpson, 18, were taken to the hospital ship USS Repose, where Smith was initially given a 50/50 chance of surviving. Simpson, of Waterbury, Connecticut, was struck on the left side of his chest by one of the rounds fired by Smith.
Rear Admiral Bertram J. Rodgers, commander of the Seventh Fleet amphibious forces, ordered an immediate court of inquiry and made a flying trip to the LST for a personal investigation.
"The Navy said that Smith had stood a two-hour watch just before midnight and sometime in the quiet hours before 3 a.m., obtained a carbine from the cabin of the gunnery officer, who was on watch. Then with the carbine and a 22-caliber pistol which he had concealed among his effects, he went to the compartment, switched on the lights, and opened up. He fired until the magazines of both carbine and pistol were emptied, then leaped among the seaman with a flashing knife." [3]
The names of the victims were withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The dead were buried in the U.S. Military Plot of the Shanghai Cemetery. [4]
While awaiting court martial for the slayings of his fellow crew members, Smith, was found hanged in his cell at the Anacostia Naval Receiving Station, Washington, D.C., on 1 August 1947. He was being held in solitary confinement pending trial on 19 August, officers said. [5]
A landing ship, tank, (LST) is a ship first developed during World War II (1939–1945) to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto a low-slope beach with no docks or piers. The shallow draft and bow doors and ramps enabled amphibious assaults on almost any beach.
USS LST-991 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.
USS Gendreau (DE-639) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort in the United States Navy. She was commissioned on 17 March 1944 and decommissioned on 13 March 1948. She served throughout the Pacific during World War II.
USS Dufilho (DE-423), was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort.
USS San Bernardino County (LST–1110) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for San Bernardino County, California, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Armstrong County (LST-57) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for counties in Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Benton County (LST-263) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for nine counties of the United States, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS LST/LST(H)-482/Branch County (LST-482) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Later renamed for Branch County, Michigan, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Pandemus (ARL-18) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II and was in commission from 1945 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1968. Named for Pandemus, she has been the only U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name.
USS Stentor (ARL-26) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Stentor, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Amphitrite (ARL-29) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Amphitrite, she was the third U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
Johnnie David Hutchins was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. He enlisted in the Navy from Houston in November 1942.
USS LST-689 was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Late in her career she was renamed Daggett County (LST-689)—after Daggett County, Utah, the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name—but never saw active service under that name.
USS San Bernardino (LST-1189) was the eleventh of twenty Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The second USN ship to be named after the city in California, the ship was constructed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California. The LST was launched in 1970 and was commissioned in 1971. San Bernardino participated in the Vietnam War, earning one battle star and took part in operations in the Middle East. The ship was decommissioned 1995 and transferred to the Chilean Navy. In Chilean service, the vessel was renamed Valdivia (LST-93) for a battle during the Chilean War of Independence. The LST was recommissioned that year and during its service, took part in humanitarian efforts following earthquakes in Chile in 2010. In 2011 the Chilean Navy took Valdivia out of service due to repairs to the ship no longer being economical.
USS Jennings County (LST-846) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Jennings County, Indiana, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS LST-568 was a United States Navy LST-542-class tank landing ship in commission from 1944 to 1946.
USS Yokes (APD-69), ex-DE-668, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1944 to 1946.
USS LST-766 was an LST-542-class Landing Ship, Tank in the United States Navy during World War II that took part in the amphibious landings during the war in the Far East.
USS LST-463 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-1008 was an LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy during World War II. She was transferred to Republic of China and then taken over by People's Liberation Army and renamed Dabie Shan.
