USS LST-970

USS LST-970 was an LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.

History
United States
Name: LST-970
Builder: Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number: 3440[1]
Laid down: 14 November 1944
Launched: 16 December 1944
Commissioned: 13 January 1945
Decommissioned: 10 July 1946
Stricken: 15 August 1946
Identification:
Honors and
awards:		 1 × battle star
Fate: Sold for operations, 25 April 1947
United States
Name: New York
Owner:
  • American Overseas Chartering
  • Trailerships, Inc.
Route: New York City to Albany, New York
Acquired: 25 April 1947
Out of service: September 1955
Fate: Confiscated by US Marshals, September 1955
United States
Name: New York
Owner: McAllister Brothers
Acquired: September 1955
Status: Sold, March 1957
United States
Name: Old Point Comfort
Owner: Chesapeake Bay Ferry District
Acquired: March 1957
Status: Sold
United States
Name: Old Point Comfort
Owner: Chesapeake Bridge and Tunnel District
Status: Sold, 16 December 1964
Uruguay
Name: Atlantico
Owner: Navegacion, Atlantida, S.A.
Route: Buenos Aires, Argentina and Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
Acquired: 16 December 1964
Identification: IMO number: 5262081
Status: abandoned c. 1993–1994
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: LST-542-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 3 in (2.51 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
  • Limiting 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
  • Maximum navigation 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 11.6 kn (21.5 km/h; 13.3 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:
Service record
Part of: LST Flotilla 31
Operations: Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (21 May–30 June 1945)
Awards:

Construction

LST-970 was laid down on 14 November 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 16 December 1944; sponsored by Major Anne B. Cowan, WAC; and commissioned on 13 January 1945,[3] with Lieutenant William W. Rader, USNR, in command.[2]

Service history

During World War II, LST-970 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in May and June 1945.[3]

Following the war, she performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until late February. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 10 July 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 15 August, that same year. On 25 April 1947, the ship was sold to Trailerships, Inc., for operation.[3]

Awards

LST-970 earned one battle star for World War II service.[3]

Notable crew

Character actor Harry Dean Stanton, famous for roles in films like Alien and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, was assigned to the 970 for the whole of his wartime service.[4]

Notes

    Citations
    1. Bethlehem-Hingham 2011.
    2. Navsource 2016.
    3. DANFS.
    4. "Navy Muster Roll for USS LST-970". www.fold3.com. November 1945.

    Bibliography

    Online resources


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