USS LST-559

Summary

USS LST-559 was a United States Navy LST-542-class tank landing ship in commission from 1944 to 1946.

History
United States
NameUSS LST-559
BuilderMissouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company, Evansville, Indiana
Laid down14 February 1944
Launched18 April 1944
Sponsored byMrs. Carl J. Futter
Commissioned9 May 1944
Decommissioned1 June 1946
Stricken19 June 1946
Honors and
awards
Four battle stars for World War II
Fate
General characteristics
Class and typeLST-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
Length328 ft (100 m)
Beam50 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 power1,800 horsepower (1.34 megawatts)
PropulsionTwo 900-horsepower (0.67-megawatt) General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range24,000 nautical miles (44,448 kilometerss) at 9 knots while displacing 3,960 tons
Boats & landing
craft carried
2 x LCVPs
Capacity1,600-1,900 tons cargo depending on mission
Troops16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement7 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament

Construction and commissioning edit

LST-559 was laid down on 14 February 1944 at Evansville, Indiana, by the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company. She was launched on 18 April 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Carl J. Futter, and commissioned on 9 May 1944.

Service history edit

During World War II, LST-559 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 and invasion of at Lingayen Gulf in January 1945. She then participated in the assault on and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in April 1945.

Following the war, LST-559 performed occupation duty in the Far East and service in China until mid-May 1946.

Decommissioning and disposal edit

LST-559 was decommissioned on 1 June 1946 at Naval Station Subic Bay on Luzon in the Philippines. She stricken from the Navy List on 19 June 1946. On 5 December 1947, she was sold to Bosey in the Philippines, where her hulk was sunk to extend the breakwater in Subic Bay.[1]

Honors and awards edit

LST-559 earned four battle stars for her World War II service.

References edit

  1. ^ "USS LST-559". NavSource Naval History. Retrieved February 13, 2020. Final Disposition, sunk in Subic Bay to form an extension to the bay's breakwater