USS LST-451

Army 18th Engineers build a dirt filled barge ramp to enable off loading of their equipment from USS LST-451 while the ship is beached at the Aleutian Island of Shemya, Alaska, 1 June 1943.
History
United States
Name	LST-451
Ordered	as a Type S3-M-K2 hull, MCE hull 971[1]
Builder	Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington
Yard number	155[1]
Laid down	20 July 1942
Launched	6 October 1942
Commissioned	12 January 1943
Decommissioned	22 July 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-451 Code letters: NFEQ
Honors and awards	5 × battle stars
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 11 December 1947
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement	4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full load 2,160 long tons (2,190 t) landing
Length	328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam	50 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	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,700 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
Speed	12 kn (22 km/h; 14 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 or 6 x LCVPs
Capacity	2,100 tons oceangoing maximum 350 tons main deckload
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 3
Operations:	Capture and occupation of Saipan (15 June–30 July 1944) Tinian Capture and occupation (24–30 July 1944) Leyte landings (20 October 1944) Lingayen Gulf landings (4–15 January 1945) Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (1–9 April 1945)
Awards:	Combat Action Ribbon Navy Unit Commendation American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp

USS LST-451 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.

LST-451 was laid down on 20 July 1942, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 971, by Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington; launched on 6 October 1942; and commissioned on 21 January 1943.^[3]

During the war, LST-451 was assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations.To start she made runs to the Aleutian islands delivering materials to the Army's 18th Combat Engineers and the 45th Naval Construction Battalion. In February gale force winds broke her mooring lines and she was holed and beached at Lash Bay, Tanaga Island in the Aleutians.^[4] Seabees from CB 45 worked 24-hour shifts over five days to save her and the 800-ton oil cargo.^[4] They got her patched sufficiently for the USS Ute to tow her to a repair facility.^[4][5] She took part in the capture and occupation of Saipan in June and July 1944; the Tinian capture and occupation in July 1944; the Battle of Leyte landings October 1944; the Lingayen Gulf landings January 1945; and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto April 1945.^[3]

Following the war, LST-451 performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-February 1946. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 22 July 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 25 September, that same year. On 11 December 1947, the tank landing ship was sold to the Learner Co., Oakland, California, and subsequently scrapped.^[3]

LST-451 earned five battle stars for her World War II service.^[3]

Citations

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS LST-451.

• Photo gallery of USS LST-451 at NavSource Naval History