USS LST-35 was an LST-1-class tank landing ship of the United States Navy built during World War II. She was transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy on 18 August 1943, before being commissioned into the USN, and was renamed Chios.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | LST-35 |
| Builder | Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Laid down | 20 March 1943 |
| Launched | 30 June 1943 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. Samuel G. Cooper |
| Stricken | 23 June 1947 |
| Identification | Hull symbol: LST-35 |
| Fate | Transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy, 18 August 1943 |
 Greece | |
| Name | Chios |
| Namesake | Chios |
| Acquired | 18 August 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 10 May 1977 |
| Identification | Hull symbol: L195 |
| Fate | Sold to Greece, January 1947 |
| Status | Fate unknown |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Type | LST-1-class tank landing ship |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 328 ft (100 m) oa |
| Beam | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Draft |
|
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| 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 |
|
| Troops | 16 officers, 147 enlisted men |
| Complement | 13 officers, 104 enlisted men |
| Armament |
|
Construction
editLST-35 was laid down on 20 March 1943, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Dravo Corporation; launched on 30 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Samuel G. Cooper; and transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy on 18 August 1943, and renamed Chios (L195).[2]
Service history
editChios, ex-LST-35, sailed from Galveston Bar for Key West, Florida, on 28 August 1943, with convoy HK 125, arriving in Key West, 1 September 1943.[3]
On 11 October 1943, Chios left Halifax, Nova Scotia, in convoy SC 144,[4] en route she joined convoy WN 497 that had departed Loch Ewe, on 26 October. She arrived in Methil, Scotland, on 28 October with a load of lumber.[5]
Chios departed Methil, on 3 December 1943, in convoy EN 314 (series 2), arriving in Loch Ewe, on 5 December.[6] She departed Liverpool, England, in convoy OS 63/KMS 37, on 25 December 1943.[7] The convoy split on 7 January 1944, with Chios continuing on in convoy KMS 37G, arriving in Gibraltar, on 9 January.[8] However, the same records show that she departed Liverpool, England, in convoy OS 64/KMS 38, on 3 January 1944.[9] The convoy split on 15 January 1944, with Chios continuing on in convoy KMS 38G, arriving in Gibraltar, on 17 January.[10] It's possible that she was delayed from sailing in the first, here intended convoy, and had to travel in the proceeding convoy.
Post-war service
editShe was sold to the government of Greece in January 1947. She was struck from the Navy list on 23 June 1947.[2] She served until 1971, when she was placed in reserve. Reactivated in 1974, she was finally decommissioned from the Greek navy on 10 May 1977.
References
editBibliography
edit- "LST-35". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - "LST-35". Navsource. Navsource.org. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- "Convoy EN.314 (Series 2)". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- "Convoy HK.125". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- "Convoy KMS.37G". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- "Convoy KMS.38G". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- "Convoy OS.63/ KMS.37". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- "Convoy OS.64/ KMS.38". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- "Convoy SC.144". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- "Convoy WN.497". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
External links
edit- Photo gallery of USS LST-35 at NavSource Naval History
- Χίος L-195 (1943-1977) (in Greek), Hellenic Navy website
