HM LST-404

HMS LST-404 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship that was transferred to the Royal Navy during World War II. As with many of her class, the ship was never named. Instead, she was referred to by her hull designation.

Construction
LST-404 was laid down on 27 August 1942, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 924, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; launched 28 October 1942; then transferred to the United Kingdom and commissioned on 16 December 1942.

Service history
LST-404 was used to transport elements of the 179th Regimental Combat Team to "Beach Blue" during the Salerno landings in Italy, 10 September 1943.

On the afternoon of 15 August 1944, LST-404 was returning to England from the Normandy beachhead, as part of convoy FTM 69, with wounded personnel, casualties, and prisoners of war, when she was torpedoed by GS U-741 about 35 mi southeast of St. Catherine's Point. (50.03333°N, -0.63333°W) HMS LST-413 was able to get alongside LST-404 and take off the passengers and crew, however, eight crewmen and several POWs were killed in the torpedo explosion. USS ATR-4 took LST-404 in tow and took her to St. Helen's Roads, Isle of Wight, and then on to Lee-on-Solent, on 16 August.

LST-404 saw no active service in the United States Navy. The tank landing ship was struck from the Navy list on 14 October 1944. She was decommissioned, returned to United States Navy custody on 21 October 1945, sold through the auspices of the State Department in November 1946, and was broken up in June 1948, at Zeebrugge.