Wikipedia

USS LST-37

USS LST-37 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.

Shipyard workers hang on as USS LST-37's hull tastes water for the first time as she is launched at the Dravo Corporation shipyard at Neville Island, Pennsylvania, 5 July 1943.
History
United States
NameLST-37
BuilderDravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down1 April 1943
Launched5 July 1943
Sponsored byMrs. Jack Domb
Stricken12 August 1948
IdentificationHull symbol: LST-37
FateTransferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy, 18 August 1943
Greece
NameLST-37
Acquired18 August 1943
FateRan aground and sank, 1 June 1944
General characteristics [1]
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

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LST-37 was laid down on 1 April 1943, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by the Dravo Corporation; launched on 5 July 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Jack Domb; and transferred to the Hellenic Navy on 18 August 1943.[2]

Service history

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LST-37 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, LST-37 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]

Records do not indicate when LST-37 departed Methil, but she most likely sailed on 3 December 1943, in convoy EN 314 (series 2), arriving in Loch Ewe, on 5 December, with her sister ships USS LST-33, LST-34, and USS LST-36,[6] because she departed Liverpool, England, in convoy OS 61/KMS 35, on 8 December 1943.[7] The convoy split on 20 December 1943, with LST-37 continuing on in convoy KMS 35G, arriving in Gibraltar, on 21 December.[8] She sailed for on in convoy KMS 35, the next day, for Bizerta, Tunisia.[9] It is here that she ran aground on 1 June 1944, and sank.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Navsource 2018.
  2. ^ a b DANFS 2015.
  3. ^ Convoy HK 125.
  4. ^ Convoy SC 144.
  5. ^ Convoy WN 497.
  6. ^ Convoy EN 314(2).
  7. ^ Convoy OS 61/KMS 35.
  8. ^ Convoy KMS 35G.
  9. ^ Convoy KMS 35.

Bibliography

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  • "LST-37". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2018.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • "LST-37". Navsource. Navsource.org. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  • "Convoy EN.314 (Series 2)". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  • "Convoy HK.125". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  • "Convoy KMS.35G". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  • "Convoy OS.61/ KMS.35". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  • "Convoy KMS.35". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  • "Convoy SC.144". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  • "Convoy WN.497". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
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