LST-31 was laid down on 2 February 1943 at Pittsburgh by the Dravo Corporation; launched on 5 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Maurice Endres;[2] accepted by the Navy and placed in reduced commission on 10 July 1943; and sailed to New Orleans, where she was placed in full commission on 21 July 1943.[3]
Service history
The new tank landing ship got underway on 29 July, for Panama City, Florida, where she conducted a series of beaching exercises. LST-31 returned to New Orleans, on 7 August, to take on cargo for transportation to the Pacific. After a brief port call at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, she transited the Panama Canal, on 24 August, and joined the US Pacific Fleet. She then continued on to San Diego, where she arrived on 13 September.[3]
After participating in beaching exercises in the San Diego area, the ship stopped at Port Hueneme, and at San Francisco, to take on cargo. She left the west coast on 15 October, bound for Hawaii, reached Pearl Harbor on 25 October, and began unloading. When this task was completed, LST-31 again weighed anchor on 5 November, and shaped a course for the Gilbert Islands. As a member of 5th Amphibious Force, the ship was slated to take part in the assault on Makin Island. LST-31 arrived off Makin, on 20 November, and began discharging troops and cargo ashore. She remained off that atoll until 3 December, when she got underway to return to Pearl Harbor. Shortly after her arrival, the vessel entered the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard for repairs and alterations. While her engines were being overhauled, additional 40mm (1.57in) Bofors guns and 20mm (0.79in) Oerlikon cannons were installed. The yard period ended in early January 1944, and the refurbished vessel then took part in training exercises off Maui, in preparation for the forthcoming invasion of the Marshall Islands.[3]
The tank landing ship left Pearl Harbor on 19 January and set a course for Kwajalein. She anchored off that atoll on 1 February, and began discharging her cargo in support of operations in the Marshalls. On 12 February, the ship began embarking troops for the invasion of Eniwetok and, five days later, sortied with LST Group 8. She beached at Eniwetok, on 20 February, and began landing her soldiers and discharging cargo ashore. LST-31 remained there until 20 March, when she got underway for Hawaii. She stopped en route at Kwajalein and Tarawa, to take on cargo and passengers and finally reached Pearl Harbor on 15 April. Following repairs in dry dock there, she resumed operations on 10 May, with a series of training exercises in Hapuna Bay, Hawaii. On 25 May, LST-31 left Hawaiian waters, bound for Eniwetok. Upon her arrival at that atoll on 7 June, she refueled and took on cargo in preparation for operations against Saipan. The vessel arrived off Saipan, on 14 June, and began discharging troops and supplies ashore. She cleared the area on 23 June, and returned to Eniwetok to replenish her cargo.[3]
LST-31 arrived back at Saipan on 17 July; unloaded supplies and small craft; and, during the next few weeks, served as a hospital ship. At night, she anchored off Saipan to receive casualties and was underway off Tinian, during daylight hours. This assignment occupied the ship through 21 August, when she began a round-trip voyage to Eniwetok. After returning to Saipan, the vessel underwent three days of voyage repairs and got underway on 23 September, for the west coast of the United States. En route, she touched at Eniwetok; Apamama and Makin Islands, Gilbert Islands; and Pearl Harbor. She left the latter port on 6 November, and reached San Francisco on 17 November 1944. After one day in port there, LST-31 sailed to San Pedro, to enter the West Coast Shipbuilding Company yards for extensive alterations and repairs.[3]
The ship left the yard in early February 1945, conducted sea trials, and arrived at the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California, on 18 February, to take on an amphibious craft. She then visited Seattle for additional repair work. On 10 March, the vessel got underway for Hawaii and reached Pearl Harbor on 23 March.[3]
LST-31 off-loading over the beach at Okinawa, July 1945.
LST-31 left Hawaii on 4 April, for Okinawa. She embarked passengers and loaded supplies at Eniwetok and Guam, before proceeding on to the Ryūkyūs, and anchoring in waters off southwestern Okinawa on 3 May. She remained in the area for approximately three weeks providing logistic support to troops fighting on Okinawa. The ship arrived at Ulithi on 28 May; took on cargo; and, on 2 June, set a course for the island of Leyte, in the Philippines. During the months of June, July, and August, LST-31 operated between the Philippines and Okinawa, transporting supplies and troops between the two points to build up Okinawa as a base for the conquest of the Japanese home islands. However, this invasion was obviated when Japan capitulated on 15 August. The ship then began moving occupation troops and equipment to Japan from various points in the Philippines. She first arrived in Japanese waters on 15 September, when she dropped anchor in Tokyo Bay.[3]
On 30 November, LST-31 was assigned to duty in Japan with the 5th Fleet, Amphibious Group 11, LST Flotilla 35. However, these orders were superseded late in December; and the ship was slated for decommissioning. She was scheduled to be turned over to the Japanese merchant marine to be manned by a Japanese crew under American control for use in repatriating Japanese citizens and shuttling supplies between Japanese ports.[3]
Post-war service
After the ship was stripped of all armament and other wartime equipment, LST-31 was decommissioned on 8 January 1946, and transferred to the Japanese. The vessel operated under Japanese control into May 1948, when she was returned to US Naval custody. She left Yokohama on 3 May, and shaped a course for the west coast of the United States. The tank landing ship was later berthed in the Seattle area. On 1 July 1955, LST-31 was named Addison County. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 August 1955, and she was subsequently sunk as a target.[3]
Awards
LST-31 earned five battle stars for her World War II service.[2]
Related Research Articles
USS Anthony (DD-515), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Marine Sergeant Major William Anthony (1853–1899).
USS Terror (CM-5) was a fleet minelayer of the United States Navy, the only minelayer of the fleet built specifically for and retained for minelaying during World War II.
USS Storm King (AP-171) was a Storm King class auxiliary transport of the United States Navy. She was designed as a troop carrier, and named after Storm King Mountain.
USS Whiteside (AKA-90) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship named after Whiteside County, Illinois. She served as a commissioned ship for 13 years and 4 months.
USS Aurelia (AKA-23) was an Artemis-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1972.
USS Athene (AKA-22) was an Artemis-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946.
USS Arenac (APA-128) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.
USS Braxton (APA-138) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.
USS Barrow (APA-61) was a Gilliam class attack transport serving in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scuttled in 1948.
USS Bayfield (APA-33) was a Bayfield-class attack transport built for the United States Navy during World War II, the lead ship in her class. Named for Bayfield County, Wisconsin, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Sederstrom (DE-31) was a Evarts-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy during World War II. She was promptly sent to the Pacific Ocean to escort convoys and to protect other ships from Japanese planes and submarines. Her assignments took her from one battle area to another, but she was fortunate in remaining almost unscathed by the end of the war. For her efforts in battle areas, she was awarded five battle stars by war's end.
The USS Hampden County (LST-803) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Hampden County, Massachusetts, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Henry County (LST-824) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for counties in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia.
USS Hickman County (LST-825) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in Kentucky and Tennessee, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Lawrence County (LST-887) was a LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in eleven U.S. states, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Auriga (AK-98) was an Auriga-class cargo ship, the only ship in her class, commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II, named after the constellation Auriga. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
USS Adria (AF-30) was an Adria-class stores ship in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1954. She was scrapped in 1977.
USS Alpine (APA-92) was a Bayfield-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946.She was sold into commercial service in 1947 and was scrapped in 1971.
USS Audrain (APA-59) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.
USS Sheridan (APA-51) was an Ormsby-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.
"LST-31". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"Addison County (LST-31)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"USS LST-31". NavSource Online. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS LST-31.
Photo gallery of USS LST-31 at NavSource Naval History
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
United States
5 × battle stars 
Japan
