USS LST-25

USS LST-25 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the European Theater of Operations and Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.

History
United States
Name: LST-25
Builder: Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, Delaware
Laid down: 12 October 1942
Launched: 9 March 1943
Sponsored by: Miss Dolly Hemphill
Commissioned: 3 May 1943
Decommissioned: 2 August 1946
Identification:
Honors and
awards:		 2 × battle stars
Fate: sold for scrapping, 31 March 1948
General characteristics
Class and type: LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement:
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:
  • 1 × Falk main reduction gears
  • 2 × screws
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 st (22,000–27,000 lb; 10,000–12,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
Troops: 16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement: 13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament:
Service record
Part of: LST Flotilla Thirty-Five (Asiatic-Pacific Theater)
Operations:
Awards:

Construction and commissioning

LST-25 was laid down on 12 October 1942 at Wilmington, Delaware, by the Dravo Corporation. She was launched on 9 March 1943, sponsored by Miss Dolly Hemphill, and commissioned on 3 May 1943,[1] with Lieutenant J. B. Holmes, USCG, in command.[2]

Service history

1943 convoys

She was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater. During her transit of the Atlantic, LST-25 was manned by the United States Coast Guard.[2] It is not clear when LST-25 crossed the Atlantic but there are records of some of the convoys that she participated in. She sailed with Convoy KMS 23, in August 1943, during part of its journey from Gibraltar, to Port Said, Egypt, sailing from Oran, Algeria, to Bizerta, Tunisia.[3] She was handed over to a US Navy crew in Bizerte, Tunisia, on 23 August 1943.[2] LST-25 sailed from Algiers, Algeria, to Port Said, Egypt, in October 1943, this time joining with Convoy UGS 19.[4]

She left Bombay, India, 11 November 1943, for Colombo, British Ceylon, arriving on 16 November.[5] At the end of December she left Calcutta, with 11 LSTs headed for Colombo, British Ceylon, arriving 27 December 1943.[6]

LST-25 joined Convoy MKS 38 at Bizerta, Tunisia, in January 1944, as it was en route to Gibraltar, arriving 1 February.[7] Forming Convoy MKS 38G[8] she rendezvoused with Convoy SL 147 and sailed for Liverpool on 2 February, arriving on 13 February 1944.[9]

Normandy invasion
Main article: Normandy landings

LST-25 took part in the Normandy landings during June 1944.[2]

1945 convoys

LST-25 left from New York City, on 17 January 1945, as part of Convoy NG 484 bound for Guantanamo, Cuba, where she arrived on 23 January.[10] She then left the next day as part of Convoy GZ 117 en route to the Panama Canal Zone and Cristóbal, Colón, where she arrived on 27 January.[11]

Okinawa Gunto operation
Main article: Battle of Okinawa

LST-25 was then transferred to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater where she participated with the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto during May 1945.[2]

Following the war, LST-25 performed occupation duty in the Far East from September 1945 through March 1946.[1] She was decommissioned on 2 August 1946, and was struck from the Navy list on 8 October 1946. On 31 March 1948, she was sold to the Kaiser Co., Inc., Seattle, Washington, for scrapping.[2]

Honors and awards

LST-25 earned two battle stars for her World War II service.[1]

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References
  1. DANFS-LST-25.
  2. NS LST-25 2014.
  3. Convoy KMS 23.
  4. Convoy UGS 19.
  5. Convoy BM 74.
  6. Convoy CJ 9A.
  7. Convoy MKS 38.
  8. Convoy MKS 38G.
  9. Convoy SL 147/MKS 38.
  10. Convoy NG 484.
  11. Convoy GZ 117.

Bibliography
  • "LST-25". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • "USS LST-25". NavSource Online. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  • "Convoy KMS.23". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  • "Convoy UGS.19". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  • "Convoy BM.74". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  • "Convoy CJ.9A". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  • "Convoy MKS.38". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  • "Convoy MKS.38G". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  • "Convoy SL 147/MKS 38". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  • "Convoy NG.484". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  • "Convoy GZ.117". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
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