USS LST-978

USS LST-978 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-978 under way, 1 April 1945, in the Atlantic Ocean bound for the Pacific via the Panama Canal with disassembled landing craft LCT-1441 and LCT-1448 on deck.
History
United States
Name	LST-978
Builder	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number	3448
Laid down	15 December 1944
Launched	20 January 1945
Sponsored by	Mrs. Anna H. Phelan
Commissioned	15 February 1945
Decommissioned	6 June 1946
Stricken	3 July 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-978 Code letters: NKXN
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 10 December 1947
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
Awards:	American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp

Construction

LST-978 was laid down on 15 December 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 20 January 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Anna H. Phelan; and commissioned on 15 February 1945.

Service history

Following World War II, LST-978 performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-December 1945. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 6 June 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 3 July, that same year. On 10 December 1947, the ship was sold to the Salco Iron & Metal Co., for scrapping.

Notes

Bibliography

Online resources

• "LST-978". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 27 June 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 27 June 2017.
• "USS LST-978". Navsource.org. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2017.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS LST-978 at NavSource Naval History