USS_LST-447 Knowpia

	USS LST-447, being hit by a Japanese kamikaze pilot, 6 or 7 April 1945, off the Okinawa beachhead.
History
United States
Name	LST-447
Ordered	as a Type S3-M-K2 hull, MCE hull 967
Builder	Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington
Yard number	151
Laid down	10 July 1942
Launched	22 September 1942
Commissioned	13 December 1942
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-447; Code letters: NFCJ; ;
Honors and; awards	5 × battle stars
Fate	Sunk, 7 April 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement	4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full load ; 2,160 long tons (2,190 t) landing;
Length	328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Full load: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft; Landing at 2,160 t: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft;
Installed power	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines; 1,700 shp (1,300 kW);
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears; 2 × Propellers;
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 or 6 x LCVPs
Capacity	2,100 tons oceangoing maximum; 350 tons main deckload;
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
Part of:	LST Flotilla 5
Operations:	Consolidation of the southern Solomons (June 1943); Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina (11 November, 3–4 and 15 December 1943); Bismarck Archipelago operation (15–19 February 1944); Hollandia operation (21–28 April 1944); Assault and occupation of Guam (21 July–5 August 1944); Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (2–7 April 1945);
Awards:	Combat Action Ribbon; Navy Unit Commendation; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal;

USS LST-447 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.

Construction edit

LST-447 was laid down on 10 July 1942, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 967, by Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington; launched on 22 September 1942; and commissioned on 13 December 1942.^[1]^[3]

Service history edit

During the war, LST-447 was assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations. She took part in the consolidation of the southern Solomons in June 1943; the occupation and defense of Cape Torokina November and December 1943; the Green Islands landing February 1944; the Hollandia operation in April 1944; the assault and occupation of Guam July and August 1944; and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto April 1945.^[3]

The tank landing ship was sunk off Okinawa on 7 April 1945, following a kamikaze attack. She was struck from the Navy list on 2 June 1945.^[3]

Honors and awards edit

LST-447 earned five battle stars for her World War II service.^[3]

Notes edit

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c Kaiser Vancouver 2010.
^ Navsource 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d DANFS.

Bibliography edit

Online resources

"LST-447". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 1 April 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"Kaiser Vancouver, Vancouver WA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 27 November 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
"USS LST-447". Navsource.org. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2017.

External links edit

Photo gallery of USS LST-447 at NavSource Naval History

[FOOTNOTEKaiser_Vancouver2010-1] Kaiser Vancouver 2010.

[FOOTNOTENavsource2014-2] Navsource 2014.

[FOOTNOTEDANFS-3] DANFS.

[1]

[2]

[3]