USS LST-371

Last updated

History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS LST-371
Builder Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Massachusetts
Laid down29 October 1942
Launched12 December 1942
Commissioned16 January 1943
Decommissioned16 March 1946
Out of service
  • Transferred to the Royal Navy on 17 November 1944
  • Returned on 26 February 1946
FateSold to Bosey, Philippines, on 5 December 1947
General characteristics
Class and type LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement1,625 tons standard, 4,080 tons full load
Length328 ft (99.97 m)
Beam50 ft (15.24 m)
Draught
  • Bow 2'-4", stern 7'-6" (unloaded)
  • bow 8'-2", stern 14'-1" (unloaded)
Depth8' fwd; 14'-4" aft (full load)
PropulsionTwo General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed12 knots (22 km/h)
Range24,000 miles at 9 knots (17 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried
Two LCVPs
Troops163
Complement111
Armament
  • 2 × twin 40 mm guns
  • 4 × single 40 mm guns
  • 12 × single 20 mm guns

USS LST-371 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship used by the United States Navy.

She was laid down at Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Massachusetts, on 29 October 1942 and launched on 12 December 1942. The ship and crew went from Quincy to New York City, New York for final outfitting. On 1 May 1943 they left New York for Tunis, Tunisia, on the North African coast, arriving there on 27 May 1943. While in North Africa LST-371 was based at La Goulette Bay.

Wartime career

LST-371 participated in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, on 10 July 1943, landing troops of the First Division at Gela. During Operation Avalanche, the ship arrived at Salerno on 9 September 1943 and landed British troops early on the morning of 10 September 1943.

On 22 November 1943, LST-371 departed Oran, Algeria loaded with a LCT to convoy from Gibraltar to the British Isles. They arrived at Plymouth, England, on 5 December 1944. For the rest of the winter and spring they prepared for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, France.

The ship departed her home port of Dartmouth, England, on the night of 5 June 1944 and arrived at Normandy on 6 June 1944. They unloaded on Rhino Ferries and LCTs on 7 June 1944. During the next several months they made numerous trips between Normandy, Portland, and Southampton.

LST-371 was decommissioned from the U.S. Navy and transferred to the Royal Navy on 17 November 1944. On 16 March 1946 the ship was transferred back to the U.S. Navy and on 5 December 1947 she was sold to Bosey, Philippines. LST-371 earned three battle stars for World War II service

Related Research Articles

Landing craft Seagoing watercraft

Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. Production of landing craft peaked during World War II, with a significant number of different designs produced in large quantities by the United Kingdom and United States.

USS Chickadee (AM-59) was an Auk-class minesweeper of the United States Navy, named after the Chickadee, a family of small passerine birds which appear in North America and Africa.

USS <i>Samuel Chase</i> (APA-26)

USS Samuel Chase (APA-26), launched as SS African Meteor, was an Arthur Middleton-class attack transport manned by the United States Coast Guard during World War II. She was named after Samuel Chase, a signatory to the Declaration of Independence.

USS <i>LST-494</i>

USS LST-494 was a US Navy amphibious tank landing ship that saw combat during World War II in both the European and Pacific Theaters of War. LST stands for Landing Ship, Tank.

USS <i>LST-266</i>

USS Benzie County (LST-266) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Benzie County, Michigan, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>LST-279</i>

USS Berkeley County (LST-279) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for counties in South Carolina and West Virginia, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>LST-288</i>

USS Berkshire County (LST-288) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Berkshire County, Massachusetts, she was the only U.S. naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>LST-306</i>

USS Bernalillo County (LST-306) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Bernalillo County, New Mexico, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Blanco County</i>

USS Blanco County (LST-344) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Blanco County, Texas, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>LST-389</i>

USS Boone County (LST-389) was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for counties in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, and West Virginia, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS LST-453 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. She was converted at Brisbane, Australia, into an Achelous-class repair ship, shortly after commissioning, and used in the repairing of landing craft. She was later renamed for Remus, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Middlesex County</i> (LST-983)

USS Middlesex County (LST-983) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Meeker County</i> (LST-980)

USS Meeker County (LST-980) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation. Later named after Meeker County, Minnesota, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Brant</i> (AM-24) Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Brant (AM-24) was a Lapwing-class minesweeper in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named by the U.S. Navy for the brant, a small goose.

USS <i>LST-16</i>

USS LST-16 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Like most ships in her class, she was not named and was known only by her designation. She was staffed by a U.S. Coast Guard crew throughout her service career.

USS LST-345 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship of the United States Navy during World War II.

HM <i>LST-8</i>

HM LST-8 was a Landing Ship, Tank of the Royal Navy during World War II. Built as a LST-1-class tank landing ship in the US, she was transferred to the Royal Navy in March 1943,

HM <i>LST-9</i>

HM LST-9 was an tank landing ship of the Royal Navy in World war II.

USS <i>LST-17</i>

USS LST-17 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the European Theater of Operations and 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.

USS <i>LST-21</i>

USS LST-21 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used primarily in the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater during World War II, but also transported British forces from Calcutta and landed them at Regu Beach, Burma.

References