USS LST-308

USS LST-308 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy during World War II.

History
United States
Name	LST-308
Builder	Boston Navy Yard, Boston
Laid down	15 September 1942
Launched	9 November 1942
Sponsored by	Mrs. Albert Miller Penn
Commissioned	2 January 1943
Decommissioned	17 December 1946
Identification	Callsign: NWXO
Honors and awards	See Awards
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-308 was laid down on 15 September 1942 at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts. Launched on 9 November 1942 and commissioned on 2 January 1943.

During World War II, LST-308 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle theater and later assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East. She took part in the Sicilian occupation in Italy from 9 to 15 July 1943 and 28 July to 17 August 1943. Then the Salerno landings from 9 to 21 September of the same year.

She then participated in the Iinvasion of Normandy from 6 to 25 June 1944.

After the war, she was put to occupation service and made several trips between 2 December 1945 to 7 August 1946.

She was decommissioned on 17 December 1946 and transferred to the State Department to await her disposal, 5 December 1947.

Awards

LST-308 have earned the following awards:

• American Campaign Medal
• China Service Medal
• European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (3 battle stars)
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
• World War II Victory Medal

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.