USS LST-20

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USS LST 20 Guam 1945.jpeg
USS LST-20 beached at Guam, Marianas Islands in 1945, while loading/unloading an M4 medium tank.
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameLST-20
Builder Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down5 October 1942
Launched15 February 1943
Sponsored byMiss Anne B. Sylvester
Commissioned14 April 1943
Decommissioned3 April 1946
Stricken19 June 1946
Identification
Honors and
awards		 Bronze-service-star-3d.png 4 × battle stars
Fate
Flag of Panama.svgPanama
Owner Pan Ore Steamship Company
Acquired21 December 1948
StatusFate 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
Length328  ft (100  m) oa
Beam50 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
Propulsion
Speed12 kn (22 km/h; 14 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 or 6 x LCVPs
Capacity
  • 2,100 tons oceangoing maximum
  • 350 tons main deckload
Troops16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament
Service record
Part of:LST Flotilla 14
Operations:
Awards:

USS LST-20 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used exclusively in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II and manned by a United States Coast Guard crew. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.

Contents

Construction

LST-20 was laid down on 5 October 1942, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Dravo Corporation; launched on 15 February 1943; sponsored by Miss Anne B. Sylvester. [2] She was floated down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and entered commissioned service on 14 May 1943. [3]

Service history

During the war, LST-20 served exclusively in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from November 1943 until November 1945. [2]

On 27 July 1943, LST-20 departed with six other LSTs escorted by Oracle, Charleston, and Hutchins for Adak Island in the Aleutians. [3]

LST-20 participated in operations in the Gilbert Islands during November and December 1943. [1]

In October 1944, LST-20 moved to the Philippines to participate in General Douglas MacArthur's promised liberation of the islands from the Japanese occupation. LST-20 participated at the Leyte landings and the Battle of Luzon Lingayen Gulf landings in January 1945. [1]

LST-20 finished her combat career with the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in April 1945. [1]

Postwar career

Following the war, LST-20 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early November 1945. [2] She returned to San Diego on 23 December 1945. She departed San Diego on 11 January 1946, for Galveston, Texas, via the Canal Zone, arriving there on 1 February 1946, and was decommissioned on 3 April 1946. [3] She was struck from the Navy list on 19 June 1946, and was transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARCOM) on 8 October 1947. [2]

Merchant service

On 8 October 1947, MARCOM sold LST-20 to Southern Shipwrecking Company that in turn resold her to Pan Ore Steamship Company who reflagged her for Panama, her final disposition is unknown. [1]

Honors and awards

LST-20 earned four battle stars for her World War II service. [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Navsource 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 DANFS.
  3. 1 2 3 Coast Guard.

Bibliography

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