USS LST-937

USS LST-937 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-937 beached at Labuan Island, Borneo, while offloading Royal Australian Air Force trucks, 11 June 1945.
History
United States
Name:	LST-937
Builder:	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number:	3407[1]
Laid down:	11 July 1944
Launched:	12 August 1944
Commissioned:	6 September 1944
Decommissioned:	24 May 1946
Stricken:	3 July 1946
Identification:	Hull symbol: LST-937 Code letters: NVRZ
Honors and awards:	1 × battle star
Fate:	Transferred to the State Department, 24 May 1946
Status:	Transferred to the Republic of China
Republic of China
Status:	Fate unknown
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:	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,800 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion:	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
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:	Varied, ultimate armament 2 × twin 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns 4 × single 40 mm Bofors guns 12 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons
Service record
Operations:	Consolidation and capture of Southern Philippines Mindanao Island landings (17–23 April 1945)
Awards:	China Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Liberation Medal

Construction

LST-937 was laid down on 11 July 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 12 August 1944; and commissioned on 6 September 1944,[3] with Lieutenant George W. Mitchell, USN, in command.[2]

Service history

During World War II, LST-937 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the Mindanao Island landings in April 1945.[3]

Following the war, LST-937 performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until late May 1946. The ship was decommissioned on 24 May 1946, and transferred to the State Department on that date.[3] She was transferred to the Republic of China by the State Department.[2] She was struck from the Navy list on 3 July 1946.[3]

Awards

LST-937 earned one battle star for World War II service.[3]

Notes

Citations

1. Bethlehem-Hingham 2011.
2. Navsource 2015.
3. DANFS 2015.

Bibliography

Online resources

• "LST-937". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "Bethlehem-Hingham, Hingham MA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
• "USS LST-937". Navsource.org. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2017.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS LST-937 at NavSource Naval History