USS LST-59

USS LST-59 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship which earned one battle star for service in World War II.

History
United States
Name:	USS LST-59
Builder:	Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down:	7 November 1943
Launched:	18 December 1943
Commissioned:	31 January 1944
Decommissioned:	21 January 1946
Stricken:	25 February 1946
Honours and awards:	1 battle star (WWII)
Fate:	Sold for scrapping, September 1947
General characteristics
Class and 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)
Depth:	8 ft (2.4 m) forward, 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) aft (full load)
Propulsion:	2 General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed:	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried:	Two or six LCVPs
Troops:	14-16 officers, 131-147 enlisted men
Complement:	7-9 officers, 104-120 enlisted men
Armament:	2 × twin 40 mm gun mounts w/Mk.51 directors 4 × single 40 mm gun mounts 12 × single 20 mm gun mounts

The ship was laid down by the Dravo Corporation of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 7 November 1943. Launched on 18 December 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Richard A. Lewis. Commissioned on 31 January 1944, Lt. R. J. Mayer, USNR, in command.

Between 6–25 June 1944 LST-59 participated in the invasion of Normandy. On 29 June 1944 the 5th Naval Beach Battalion returned from Normandy to England aboard.

The ship was decommissioned on 21 January 1946, and struck from the Navy List on 25 February 1946. Subsequently sold to Southern Shipwrecking Company of New Orleans in September 1947, and scrapped.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.