USS LST-177 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy during World War II. She was later sold to France as Laita (K05).[1]

History
United States
NameLST-177
BuilderMissouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co., Evansville
Laid down5 February 1943
Launched16 May 1943
Sponsored byMrs. James Gibson
Commissioned22 June 1943
Decommissioned17 February 1946
Stricken12 April 1946
Identification
Honors and
awards
See Awards
FateTransferred to France, 13 March 1947
History
FranceFrance
NameLaita
NamesakeLaita
Commissioned13 March 1947
DecommissionedJanuary 1962
ReclassifiedL9001
IdentificationPennant number: K05
FateScrapped, December 1977
General characteristics
Class and typeLST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement
  • 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full load
  • 2,160 long tons (2,190 t) landing
Length328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam50 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
Propulsion
Speed12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range24,000 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
Troops16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament

Construction and career

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LST-177 was laid down on 5 February 1943 at Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co., Evansville, Indiana. Launched on 16 May 1943 and commissioned on 22 June 1943.[2]

Service in the United States

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During World War II, LST-177 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East theater. She took part in the Convoy UGS-36 on 1 April 1944 and Operation Dragoon from 15 August to 25 September 1944.

LST-277 was decommissioned on 17 February 1946.

She was struck from the Navy Register on 12 April 1946.[1]

Service in France

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She was transferred to the French Navy and commissioned on 13 March 1947 with the name Laita (K05). The ship was reclassified L9001 later in her career.[3]

Laita 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.

During the 10th Anniversary of the Landing in Provence, Southern France, she was present in the event.

The ship took part in the Marseille-Bizerte crossing from 7 January to 9 January 1958 but was caught in a storm which forced the captain to take shelter between Corsica and Sardinia. Sick people were present in the ship's holding compartment and was packed with people. In sight of Bizerte, the ship disembarked at night.[4]

The ship was out of service in January 1962 and sold for scrap later in December 1977.[4]

Awards

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LST-177 have earned the following awards:

Citations

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  1. ^ a b "Tank Landing Ship (LST)". Navsource.org. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. ^ "LST-177". NHHC. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Batellerie". Flottille amphibie de Toulon (in French). Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b "LST Laita". LST Français (in French). Retrieved 13 November 2021.

Sources

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