USS LST-973

USS LST-973 was an LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.

History
United States
Name: LST-973
Builder: Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number: 3443[1]
Laid down: 25 November 1944
Launched: 27 December 1944
Commissioned: 27 January 1945
Decommissioned: 24 May 1946
Stricken: 29 September 1947
Identification:
Fate: Transferred to US Army custody
Status: Reinstated in the Naval Register, 6 September 1950
Commissioned: 6 September 1950
Decommissioned: 7 November 1951
Stricken: 20 November 1951
Honors and
awards:		 4 × battle stars
Fate: Transferred to France, 7 November 1951
France
Name: Golo
Acquired: 7 November 1951
Stricken: 1960
Identification:
Fate: sold for scrapping, 1959
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: LST-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 short tons (1,520 t) load)
  • 2,366 long tons (2,404 t) (beaching)
Length: 328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam: 50 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 3 in (2.51 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
  • Landing with 500 short tons (450 t) load: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft
  • Limiting 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
  • Maximum navigation 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 11.6 kn (21.5 km/h; 13.3 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 x LCVPs
Capacity: 1,600–1,900 short tons (3,200,000–3,800,000 lb; 1,500,000–1,700,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
Troops: 16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement: 13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament:
Service record
Awards:

Construction

LST-973 was laid down on 25 November 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 27 December 1944; and commissioned on 27 January 1945,[3] with Lieutenant George I. Purdy, USNR, in command.[2]

Service history

Following World War II, LST-973 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early February 1946. She was decommissioned on 24 May 1946, and transferred to the US Army. The ship was struck from the Navy list on 29 September 1947, but reinstated on 6 September 1950, for service during the Korean War. Decommissioned again on 7 November 1951, LST-973 was transferred to the French Navy that same date. She was struck from the Navy list for the second time on 20 November 1951.[3]

Awards

LST-973 earned four battle stars one award of the Navy Unit Commendation for Korean service.[3]

Notes

    Citations
    1. Bethlehem-Hingham 2011.
    2. Navsource 2016.
    3. DANFS.

    Bibliography

    Online resources

    • "LST-973". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 22 June 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
    • "Bethlehem-Hingham, Hingham MA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
    • "USS LST-973". Navsource.org. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2017.


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