USS LST-491

USS LST-491 was the lead ship of her class of tank landing ships built for the United States Navy during World War II.

LST-491 at Plymouth, England, with a calculated list in preparation for launching LCT-554, after completing the North Atlantic crossing
History
United States
Name: USS LST-491
Builder: Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Company, Evansville, Indiana
Laid down: 29 July 1943
Launched: 23 September 1943
Commissioned: 3 December 1943
Decommissioned: 12 January 1946
Stricken: 13 September 1976
Honours and
awards:		 3 battle stars (World War II)
Fate: Sold to the Philippines, 13 September 1976
Philippines
Name: BRP Lanao del Sur (LT-503)
Commissioned: 13 September 1976
Decommissioned: 1988
Fate: Converted to commercial barge after 1988
General characteristics
Class and type: LST-491-class tank landing ship
Displacement:
  • 1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light
  • 3,640 long tons (3,698 t) full
Length: 328 ft (100 m)
Beam: 50 ft (15 m)
Draft:
  • Unloaded :
  • 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward
  • 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft
  • Loaded :
  • 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward
  • 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
Depth:
  • 8 ft (2.4 m) forward
  • 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) aft (full load)
Propulsion: 2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 2 LCVPs
Troops: Approximately 130 officers and enlisted men
Complement: 8-10 officers, 89-100 enlisted men
Armament:

Construction and commissioning

LST-491 was laid down on 29 July 1943 at Evansville, Indiana by the Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Company; launched on 23 September 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Barton Cook; and commissioned on 3 December 1943.

Service history

During World War II, LST-491 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the Invasion of Normandy in June, 1944 and the invasion of southern France in August and September 1944. She was then assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and took part in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in May and June 1945.

Following the war, LST-491 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early January 1946. The tank landing ship returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 12 January 1946. She was loaned to the Japanese government on 31 March 1952 and operated under the Shipping Control Authority, Japan.

The ship was later operated by Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), later the Military Sealift Command (MSC), Pacific and redesignated USNS T-LST-491.

The ship was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in June 1975 and transferred to the Philippine Navy on 13 September 1976. Her final fate is unknown.

LST-491 earned three battle stars for World War II service.

References
  • This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
  • "LST-491". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 6 April 2007.

See also
USNS T-LST-491 at anchor, date and place unknown.


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