USS LST-734

USS LST-734 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.

USS LST-734 beached on Blue Beach, Banika, Russell Islands, August 1944.
History
United States
Name: LST-734
Builder: Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down: 25 January 1944
Launched: 4 March 1944
Commissioned: 22 April 1945
Decommissioned: 7 May 1946
Stricken: 5 June 1946
Honors and
awards:		 Four battle stars
Fate: Sold to Argentina, 24 May 1948
Argentina
Name: Cabo San Vincente
Namesake: Cape St. Vincent, Portugal
Acquired: 1948
Commissioned: 1948
Decommissioned: 1966
Stricken: 1969
Identification:

276-B

BDT-14
Fate: Scrapped
General characteristics [1]
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:

Construction and commissioning


LST-734 was laid down on 25 January 1944, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Dravo Corporation, Neville Island; launched on 4 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. W. P. Spofford; and commissioned on 22 April 1944.[2]

Service in United States Navy

1940s

During World War II, LST-734 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations:

Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands — September and October 1944 Leyte landings—October and November 1944 Ormoc Bay landings—December 1944 Zambales - Subic Bay — January 1945 Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto—April through June 1945

Following the war, LST-734 performed occupation duty in the Far East until late December 1945. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 7 May 1946 and struck from the Navy list on 5 June that same year. On 24 May 1948, the ship was sold to the Bethlehem Steel Co., of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and renamed McWilliams. She was then transferred to Argentina.[2][1]

LST-734 earned four battle stars for World War II service.[2]

Argentine service

1940s-1970s

She was sold to the Argentinian Ministry of Transport in 1948, and designated 276-B. She was transferred to the Argentine Navy, and acquired the designation BDT-14 (BDT: Buque Desembarco de Tanques). On 24 February 1959, she was renamed Cabo San Vincente. She was retired in 1966, and put on disposal in 1969. Cabo San Vincente was sold to May Zetone & Co., in 1971.[1]

Awards and honors

References
  1. NS LST-734 2018.
  2. DANFS.

Bibliography
  • "LST-734". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 29 July 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • "USS LST-734". NavSource Online. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2020.

Further reading
  • Friedman, Norman (2002). US Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-250-1.
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