USS LST-347 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy during World War II. She was later sold to France as Vire (L9003).[1]

USS LST-347 on 6 June 1944
History
United States
NameLST-347
BuilderNorfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth
Laid down10 November 1942
Launched7 February 1943
Sponsored byMrs. J. M. Farrin
Commissioned7 February 1943
Decommissioned19 December 1944
Stricken28 April 1949
Identification
Honors and
awards
See Awards
FateTransferred to Royal Navy, 19 December 1944
History
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
NameLST-347
Commissioned19 December 1944
Decommissioned23 January 1946
FateTransferred to France, 23 January 1948
History
FranceFrance
NameVire
NamesakeVire
Commissioned23 January 1948
DecommissionedJanuary 1957
ReclassifiedL9003
IdentificationPennant number: LST-347
FateScrapped, 1957
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-347 was laid down on 10 November 1942 at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. Launched on 7 February 1943 and commissioned on 7 February 1943.[2]

Service in the United States

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During World War II, LST-347 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East theater. She took part in the Invasion of Sicilian from 9 to 15 July 1943 and the Salerno landings from 9 to 21 September 1943.

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

LST-347 was decommissioned on 19 December 1944 and transferred to the Royal Navy.

She was struck from the Navy Register on 28 April 1949.[1]

Service in the United Kingdom

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HMS LST-347 was commissioned on 18 December 1944 and was part of W Task Force which participated in the recapture of Rangoon, before proceeding to the eventual invasion of Malaya at Morib and Port Swettenham, and to Singapore and Bangkok doing relief work repatriating ex P.O.W.s of the Japanese.

She was paid off at Singapore on 23 January 1946 and leased to France on 23 January 1948.

Service in France

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She was transferred to the French Navy and commissioned on 23 January 1948 with the same name LST-347.[3]

In 1950, she was given the name Vire (LST-347).

Liamone took part in the First Indochina War between 19 December 1946 to 1 August 1954.

She was later redesignated as L9003 in the later years of her service in the 1950s.

The ship was out of service and sold for scrap in early 1957.

Awards

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LST-347 have earned the following awards:

Citations

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  1. ^ a b "Tank Landing Ship LST". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  2. ^ "LST-347". NHHC. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  3. ^ "LST Vire". lst.france.free.fr. Retrieved 14 November 2021.

Sources

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