USS LST-472

LST-472 LST-472 on fire just prior to sinking on 21 December 1944
History
Name:	USS LST-472
Laid down:	31 October 1942
Launched:	7 December 1942
Commissioned:	13 March 1943
Struck:	19 January 1945
Honours and awards:	6 battle stars Navy Unit Commendation
Fate:	Sunk in action, 15 December 1944
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 : 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Loaded : 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
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:	2 or 6 LCVPs
Troops:	Approximately 140 officers and enlisted men
Complement:	8-10 officers, 100-115 enlisted men
Armament:	5 × 40 mm guns 6 × 20 mm guns 2 × .50-cal machine guns 4 × .30-cal machine guns

USS LST-472 was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II.

LST-472 was laid down on 31 October 1942 at Vancouver, Washington by Kaiser, Inc.; launched on 7 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Frank C. Huntoon; and commissioned on 13 March 1943.

Service history

During World War II, LST-472 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations: the consolidation of the southern Solomons (June 1943); the New Georgia-Rendova-Vangunu occupation (July 1943); the occupation and defense of Cape Torokina (November and December 1943); the Green Islands landings (February 1944); and the Hollandia operation (April 1944).

LST-472 also took part in the Western New Guinea operations: the Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area operations (May 1944); the Biak Island operation (June 1944); the Noemfoor Island operation (July 1944); the Cape Sansapor operation (August 1944); the Morotai landings (September 1944) and the Mindoro landings (December 1944). LST-472 was sunk by Kamikaze aircraft off Mindoro Island, Philippines on 21 December 1944, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 19 January 1945.

LST-472 earned six battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation for World War II service.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs
• List of United States Navy losses in World War II