| USS LST-345 | |
|---|---|
| Career |  |
| Name: | USS LST-380 |
| Builder: | Norfolk Navy Yard |
| Laid down: | 17 October 1942 |
| Launched: | 15 December 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 21 January 1943 |
| Decommissioned: | 5 December 1945 |
| Struck: | 3 January 1946 |
| Honours and awards: | 3 battle stars (WWII) |
| Fate: | Sold for scrapping, 23 March 1948 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | LST-1-class tank landing ship |
| Displacement: |
1,780 long tons (1,809 t) light 3,880 long tons (3,942 t) full |
| Length: | 328 ft (100 m) |
| Beam: | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Draft: |
Unloaded: Bow: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) Stern: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) Loaded : Bow: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) Stern: 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders |
| Speed: | 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Boats & landing craft carried: | 2-6 × LCVPs |
| Troops: | approx. 140 officers and enlisted |
| Complement: | 8-10 officers, 100-115 enlisted men |
| Armament: |
• 1 × single 3"/50 caliber gun mount • 5 × 40 mm gun mounts • 6 × 20 mm gun mounts • 2 × .50-cal machine guns • 4 × .30-cal machine guns |
USS LST-345 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship of the United States Navy during World War II.
History[]
LST-345 was laid down on 17 October 1942 at the Norfolk Navy Yard; launched on 15 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. John B. Brown; and commissioned on 21 January 1943.
LST-345 departed US shores for northern Africa on 1 May 1943.
During World War II, LST-345 was assigned to the European theater and participated in the following operations:
- Sicilian occupation — July 1943
- Salerno landings — September 1943
- Invasion of Normandy — June 1944
While operating out of Bizerte, Tunisia, LST-345 was exposed to German air raids every night for three months. Sailing to Britain from the Mediterranean, LST-345 encountered a Nazi Wolf pack in the Atlantic. LST-345 made 56 cross-channel voyages between Britain and France in support of the Allied offensive in Europe.
Decommissioned on 5 December 1945 and struck from the Naval Register on 3 January 1946, she was sold on 23 March 1948 to the Ships & Power Equipment Co. of Barber, New Jersey for scrap.
LST-345 earned three battle stars for World War II service.
References[]
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- Photo gallery of LST-345 at NavSource Naval History
- George Henderson, Valley Patriot, Andover, North Andover
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The original article can be found at USS LST-345 and the edit history here.