USS LST-926

USS LST-926 was an LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.

USS LST-926 center, USS LST-598 at left, and USS LST-826 at right beached, in the South Pacific, circa 1944-45.
History
United States
Name	LST-926
Builder	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number	3396
Laid down	13 May 1944
Launched	24 June 1944
Commissioned	20 July 1944
Decommissioned	14 June 1946
Stricken	31 July 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-926 Code letters: NVOY
Honors and awards	2 × battle star
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 13 June 1948
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) (light) 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) (full (seagoing draft with 1,675 short tons (1,520 t) load) 2,366 long tons (2,404 t) (beaching)
Length	328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward; 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Full load: 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft Landing with 500 short tons (450 t) load: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft Limiting 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) Maximum navigation 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m)
Installed power	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,800 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
Speed	11.6 kn (21.5 km/h; 13.3 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 x LCVPs
Capacity	1,600–1,900 short tons (3,200,000–3,800,000 lb; 1,500,000–1,700,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
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
Service record
Part of:	LST Flotilla 6
Operations:	Lingayen Gulf landings (9 January 1945) Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (1 April–30 June 1945)
Awards:	American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Liberation Medal

Construction

LST-926 was laid down on 13 May 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 24 June 1944; and commissioned on 20 July 1944.

Service history

During World War II, LST-926 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater. She took part in the Lingayen Gulf landings in January 1945, and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in April and June 1945.

The morning after the Japanese surrender on 15 August, the ship's crewmen found the cockpit of a Yokosuka D4Y aircraft that had launched an unsuccessful kamikaze attack. It is speculated that Japanese Admiral Matome Ugaki was one of the three bodies inside. All three were buried on a nearby beach.

After the war, she performed occupation duty in the Far East until late March 1946. The ship was decommissioned on 14 June 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 31 July, that same year. On 13 June 1948, the tank landing ship was sold to the Walter W. Johnson Co., for scrapping.

Awards

LST-926 earned two battle star for World War II service.

Bibliography

• "LST-926". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 25 May 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "Bethlehem-Hingham, Hingham MA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
• "USS LST-926". Navsource.org. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
• "D4Y Judy Manufacture Number ???? Tail Code 701-122". Pacific Wrecks. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS LST-926 at NavSource Naval History