USS LST-223

USS LST-223 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy during World War II. She was later sold to France as Rance (L9004).

USS LST-223 (middle) at Leyte, October 1944
History
United States
Name	LST-223
Builder	Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Seneca
Laid down	31 March 1943
Launched	24 August 1943
Sponsored by	Mrs. George S. Trees
Commissioned	17 September 1943
Decommissioned	1 May 1946
Reclassified	LST(H)-223, 15 September 1945
Identification	Callsign: NQCL
Honors and awards	See Awards
Fate	Transferred to France, March 1947
History
France
Name	Rance
Namesake	Rance
Commissioned	March 1947
Decommissioned	8 March 1961
Identification	Pennant number: L9004
Fate	Scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement	4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full load 2,160 long tons (2,190 t) landing
Length	328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Full load: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft Landing at 2,160 t: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft
Installed power	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,700 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
Speed	12 kn (22 km/h; 14 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 or 6 x LCVPs
Capacity	2,100 tons oceangoing maximum 350 tons main deckload
Troops	16 officers, 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

Construction and career

LST-223 was laid down on 31 March 1943 at Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Seneca, Illinois. Launched on 24 August 1943 and commissioned on 17 September 1943.

Service in the United States

During World War II, LST-223 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater. She took part in the Battle of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls from 31 January to 8 February 1944 and the Leyte landings from 20 October and 19 to 29 November 1944. She also participated in the invasion of Saipan from 15 to 24 June 1944.

On 15 September 1945, she was redesignated as LST(H)-223.

LST-223 was decommissioned on 1 May 1946 and later struck from the Navy Register.

Service in France

She was transferred to the French Navy and commissioned in March 1947 with the name Rance (L9004).

The ship was beached at the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis on 8 November 1956.

Rance took part in the Algerian War between 1 November 1954 to 19 March 1962 and the First Indochina War between 19 December 1946 to 1 August 1954.

The ship was out of service on 8 March 1961 and later sold for scrap.

Awards

LST-223 have earned the following awards:

• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3 battle stars)
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
• Philippines Presidential Unit Citation
• Philippines Liberation Medal (1 award)

Sources

• United States. Dept. of the Treasury (1962). Treasury Decisions Under the Customs, Internal Revenue, Industrial Alcohol, Narcotic and Other Laws, Volume 97. U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Moore, Capt. John (1984). Jane's Fighting Ships 1984-85. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710607959.
• Saunders, Stephen (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710628886.
• Fairplay International Shipping Journal Volume 222. United Kingdom: Fairplay Publishing Limited. 1967.