USS LST-556

USS LST-556 was a United States Navy LST-542-class tank landing ship in commission from 1944 to 1946.

LST-556 and LST-559.
History
United States
Name: USS LST-556
Builder: Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company, Evansville, Indiana
Laid down: 4 February 1944
Launched: 7 April 1944
Sponsored by: Mrs. James C. Bradshaw
Commissioned: 1 May 1944
Decommissioned: 14 March 1946
Stricken: 12 April 1946
Honors and
awards:		 Five battle stars for World War II
Fate: Sold for scrapping 26 April 1948
General characteristics
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-ton load
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
  • Full load: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
  • Landing with 500-ton load: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft
Installed power: 1,800 horsepower (1.34 megawatts)
Propulsion: Two 900-horsepower (0.67-megawatt) General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range: 24,000 nautical miles (44,448 kilometerss) at 9 knots while displacing 3,960 tons
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 6 x LCVPs
Capacity: 1,600-1,900 tons cargo depending on mission
Troops: 14 officers, 131 enlisted men
Complement: 9 officers, 120 enlisted men
Armament:
  • 2 × twin 40 mm gun mounts
  • 4 × single 40-millimeter gun mounts
  • 12 × 20 mm guns

Construction and commissioning

LST-556 was laid down on 4 February 1944 at Evansville, Indiana, by the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company. She was launched on 7 April 1944, sponsored by Mrs. James C. Bradshaw, and commissioned on 1 May 1944.

Service history

During World War II, LST-556 was assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations. She participated in the capture and occupation of the southern Palau Islands in September and October 1944. She then took part in the Philippines campaign, participating in the Leyte landings in October and November 1944, the landings at Ormoc Bay in December 1944, the landings at Mindoro in December 1944, and the landings at Zambales and Subic Bay in January 1945. She then participated in the assault on and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in April and May 1945.

Following the war, LST-556 returned to the United States.

Decommissioning and disposal

LST-556 was decommissioned on 14 March 1946 and stricken from the Navy List on 12 April 1946. On 26 April 1948, she was sold to the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company of Chester, Pennsylvania, for scrapping.

Honors and awards

LST-556 earned five battle stars for her World War II service.

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References
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