USS LST-20

USS LST-20 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used exclusively in the 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 LST-20 beached at Guam, Marianas Islands in 1945, while loading/unloading an M4 medium tank.
History
United States
Name: LST-20
Builder: Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down: 5 October 1942
Launched: 15 February 1943
Sponsored by: Miss Anne B. Sylvester
Commissioned: 14 April 1943
Decommissioned: 3 April 1946
Stricken: 19 June 1946
Identification:
Honors and
awards:		 4 × battle stars
Fate:
  • transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARCOM), 8 October 1947
  • Sold, 8 October 1947
  • Resold, 21 December 1948
Panama
Owner: Pan Ore Steamship Company
Acquired: 21 December 1948
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:
Service record
Part of: LST Flotilla 14
Operations:
Awards:

Construction

LST-20 was laid down on 5 October 1942, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Dravo Corporation; launched on 15 February 1943; sponsored by Miss Anne B. Sylvester.[2] She was floated down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and entered commissioned service on 14 May 1943, with Lieutenant Charles W. Smith, USCG, in command.[3]

Service history

During the war, LST-20 served exclusively in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from November 1943 until November 1945.[2]

On 27 July 1943, LST-20 departed with six other LSTs escorted by Oracle, Charleston, and Hutchins for Adak Island in the Aleutians.[3]

LST-20 participated in operations in the Gilbert Islands during November and December 1943.[1]

In October 1944, LST-20 moved to the Philippines to participate in General Douglas MacArthur's promised liberation of the islands from the Japanese occupation. LST-20 participated at the Leyte landings and the Battle of Luzon Lingayen Gulf landings in January 1945.[1]

LST-20 finished her combat career with the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in April 1945.[1]

Postwar career

Following the war, LST-20 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early November 1945.[2] She returned to San Diego on 23 December 1945. She departed San Diego on 11 January 1946, for Galveston, Texas, via the Canal Zone, arriving there on 1 February 1946, and was decommissioned on 3 April 1946.[3] She was struck from the Navy list on 19 June 1946, and was transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARCOM) on 8 October 1947.[2]

Merchant service

On 8 October 1947, MARCOM sold LST-20 to Southern Shipwrecking Company that in turn resold her to Pan Ore Steamship Company who reflagged her for Panama, her final disposition is unknown.[1]

Honors and awards

LST-20 earned four battle stars for her World War II service.[2]

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References
  1. Navsource 2010.
  2. DANFS.
  3. Coast Guard.

Bibliography
  • "LST-20". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 16 August 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • "USS LST-20". NavSource Online. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  • "USS LST-20" (PDF). United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 16 August 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.


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