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USS LST-939

USS LST-939 under way in San Francisco Bay, c. early 1946.
History
United States
Name	LST-939
Builder	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number	3409[1]
Laid down	21 July 1944
Launched	23 August 1944
Commissioned	14 September 1944
Decommissioned	22 June 1946
Stricken	31 July 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-939 Code letters: NKDG
Honors and awards	1 × battle star
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 12 June 1948
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	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,800 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
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	16officers, 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 21
Operations:	Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (1 April–30 June 1945)
Awards:	China Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp Philippine Liberation Medal

USS LST-939 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.

Construction[edit]

LST-939 was laid down on 21 July 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 23 August 1944; sponsored by Mrs. William Lovett; and commissioned on 14 September 1944.^[3][2]

Service history[edit]

During World War II LST-939 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto from April through June 1945.^[3]

Following the war, she performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until mid-March 1946. Upon her return to the United States, she was decommissioned on 22 June 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 31 July, that same year. On 12 June 1948, the ship was sold to the Walter W. Johnson Co., for scrapping.^[3]

Awards[edit]

LST-939 earned one battle star for World War II service.^[3]

Notes[edit]

Citations[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• "LST-939". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 1 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 1 June 2017.
• "USS LST-939". Navsource.org. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.

External links[edit]

• Photo gallery of USS LST-939 at NavSource Naval History