Greek landing ship Samos (L179)

USS LST-33 was an LST-1-class tank landing ship of the United States Navy built during World War II. She was transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy on 18 August 1943, before being commissioned into the USN, and was renamed Samos (Σάμος).

For other ships with the same name, see Greek ship Samos.

History
Name: LST-33
Builder: Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down: 23 February 1943
Launched: 21 June 1943
Sponsored by: Mrs. Paul J. Walsh
Stricken: 23 June 1947
Identification: Hull symbol: LST-33
Fate: Transferred to the Hellenic Navy, 18 August 1943
Greece
Name: Samos
Namesake: Samos
Acquired: 18 August 1943
Decommissioned: 25 September 1977
Identification: Hull symbol: L179
Fate: Sold to Greece, January 1947
Status: Fate unknown
General characteristics [1]
Type: LST-1-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 2 in (2.49 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
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 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:

Construction

LST-33 was laid down on 23 February 1943, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by the Dravo Corporation; launched on 21 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Paul J. Walsh; and transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy on 18 August 1943, and renamed Samos (L179).[2] Her commander was Captain Pyrros Lappas.

Service history

Samos, ex-LST-33, sailed from Galveston Bar for Key West, Florida, on 28 August 1943, with convoy HK 125, arriving in Key West, 1 September 1943.[3]

On 11 October 1943, Samos left Halifax, Nova Scotia, in convoy SC 144,[4] en route she joined convoy WN 497 that had departed Loch Ewe, on 26 October. She arrived in Methil, Scotland, on 28 October with a load of lumber.[5]

Samos departed Methil, on 3 December 1943, in convoy EN 314 (series 2), arriving in Loch Ewe, on 5 December.[6] She departed Liverpool, England, in convoy OS 61/KMS 35, on 8 December 1943.[7] The convoy split on 19 December, with Samos continuing on in convoy KMS 35G, arriving in Gibraltar, on 21 December.[8]

She sailed out of Taranto, Italy, in convoy HP 1, on 24 October 1944, arriving in Piraeus, Greece, on 27 October 1944.[9]

Her last recorded convoy was from New York City, on 2 March 1945, in convoy NG 493, arriving in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, on 9 March 1945.[10]

Post-war service

She was sold to the government of Greece in January 1947. She was struck from the Navy list on 23 June 1947.[2] She served in the Greek navy until being decommissioned on 25 September 1977.

References
  1. Navsource 2013.
  2. DANFS 2015.
  3. Convoy HK 125.
  4. Convoy SC 144.
  5. Convoy WN 497.
  6. Convoy EN 314(2).
  7. Convoy OS 61/KMS 35.
  8. Convoy KMS 35G.
  9. Convoy HP 1.
  10. Convoy NG 493.

Bibliography
  • "LST-33". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • "LST-33". Navsource.org. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  • "Convoy EN.314 (Series 2)". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  • "Convoy HK.125". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  • "Convoy KMS.35G". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  • "Convoy NG.493". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  • "Convoy OS.61/ KMS.35". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  • "Convoy SC.144". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  • "Convoy WN.497". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  • "Convoy HP.1". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.


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