USS LST-247
Encyclopedia
USS LST-247 was a 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.
During World War II
, LST-247 was assigned to the Pacific theater
and participated in the following operations:
LST-247 beached at Kukum Beach, on the US-held island of Guadalcanal
on January 21, 1944 accompanied by LSTs 399 and 200. She delivered over 500 tons of deck cargo, 170 tons of rolling cargo, 14 officers
, and 235 enlisted men from the 106th Reconnaissance Squadron. Immediately following this, LST-247 then headed for Bougainville, where she delivered additional troops and equipment. In February the crew shot down a Japanese Betty Bomber
.
In late March, the crew received orders to sail for Milne Bay, New Guinea
, where they began preparations for the Hollandia invasion at Aitape. The ship beached at Aitape at sunrise on April 23 but damaged her anchor winch. She managed to retract from the beach by sunset.
LST-247 set sail for Saipan
in June 1944, where there were run-ins with the Japanese. The task group came under attack by torpedo planes on two separate occasions, and during one incident, shot down friendly aircraft when it approached unexpectedly.
The ship's task during the Guam
invasion was in picking up casualties and bringing them to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived in August 1944. She underwent maintenance and resumed sail in January 1945, where she participated in the February amphibious assault on the Japanese stronghold island of Iwo Jima
. She retracted from Iwo Jima after spending nearly a month on the beach.
By April 1945, LST-247 was back at Pearl Harbor
. She set sail for Seattle to undergo extensive repairs. In August, she arrived at Pearl Harbor, where she was redesignated as a Landing Ship Tank (Hospital) LST(H)-247 on 15 September 1945. She was decommissioned nearly a year after this, and was sold for scrap to William H. Skinner in 1947.
LST-247 was awarded one battle star for World War II
service.
Tank landing ship
Landing Ship, Tank was the military designation for naval vessels created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying significant quantities of vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto an unimproved shore....
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
designation.
History
LST-247 was laid down on 12 May 1943 in Evansville, IN.During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, LST-247 was assigned to the Pacific theater
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
and participated in the following operations:
- Bougainville - February 1944
- Invasion of HollandiaOperations Reckless and PersecutionOperation Reckless, known as the Landing at Hollandia and Operation Persecution known as the Aitape landing, were Allied amphibious landings which commenced the Western New Guinea campaign. Both operations commenced on 22 April 1944....
- April 1944 - Invasion of Guam - July 1944
- Invasion of Iwo JimaBattle of Iwo JimaThe Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
- February 1945
LST-247 beached at Kukum Beach, on the US-held island of Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
on January 21, 1944 accompanied by LSTs 399 and 200. She delivered over 500 tons of deck cargo, 170 tons of rolling cargo, 14 officers
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, and 235 enlisted men from the 106th Reconnaissance Squadron. Immediately following this, LST-247 then headed for Bougainville, where she delivered additional troops and equipment. In February the crew shot down a Japanese Betty Bomber
Mitsubishi G4M
The Mitsubishi G4M 一式陸上攻撃機, 一式陸攻 Isshiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō was the main twin-engine, land-based bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the reporting name Betty...
.
In late March, the crew received orders to sail for Milne Bay, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, where they began preparations for the Hollandia invasion at Aitape. The ship beached at Aitape at sunrise on April 23 but damaged her anchor winch. She managed to retract from the beach by sunset.
LST-247 set sail for Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
in June 1944, where there were run-ins with the Japanese. The task group came under attack by torpedo planes on two separate occasions, and during one incident, shot down friendly aircraft when it approached unexpectedly.
The ship's task during the Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
invasion was in picking up casualties and bringing them to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived in August 1944. She underwent maintenance and resumed sail in January 1945, where she participated in the February amphibious assault on the Japanese stronghold island of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
. She retracted from Iwo Jima after spending nearly a month on the beach.
By April 1945, LST-247 was back at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. She set sail for Seattle to undergo extensive repairs. In August, she arrived at Pearl Harbor, where she was redesignated as a Landing Ship Tank (Hospital) LST(H)-247 on 15 September 1945. She was decommissioned nearly a year after this, and was sold for scrap to William H. Skinner in 1947.
LST-247 was awarded one battle star for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service.