USS LST-456

USS LST-456, beached with bow doors open, South Pacific, c. 1943-1945.
History
United States
Name	LST-456
Ordered	as a Type S3-M-K2 hull, MCE hull 976[1]
Builder	Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington
Yard number	160[1]
Laid down	3 August 1942
Launched	20 October 1942
Commissioned	3 February 1943
Decommissioned	5 February 1946
Stricken	15 June 1973
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-456 Code letters: NFJP
Honors and awards	8 × battle stars
Fate	assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East
Japan
Operator	Shipping Control Authority for Japan
In service	5 February 1946
Out of service	date unknown
Renamed	Q043
Fate	transferred to Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 31 March 1952
United States
Operator	MSTS
Identification	Hull symbol: T-LST-456
Fate	Sold, 27 September 1973
Iran
Name	Karkas
Operator	Maritime Co., Ltd., Khorramshahr, Iran
Identification	Call sign: EPAM
Fate	Sold, 1 February 1993
Bolivia
Name	Bshair
Operator	Al Jazya Mar. y Sh. Ag., United Arab Emirates
Identification	IMO number: 7526364 Call sign: CPB020
Fate	Deleted from Bolivian register
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
Operations:	Eastern New Guinea operation Lae occupation (4–8 and 14–17 September 1943) Saidor occupation (2–3 and 6–9 January and 12–14 February 1944) Bismarck Archipelago operation Cape Gloucester, New Britain (26–28 December 1943 and 17–23 February and 25 February–1 March 1944) Admiralty Islands landings (4–8 and 11–15 March 1944) Aitape–Humboldt Bay–Tanahmerah Bay (21–25 April 1944) Western New Guinea operation Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area operation (17–18 and 23–25 May 1944) Biak Islands operation (27–29 May and 31 May–4 June 1944) Cape Sansapor operation (30 July, 4 and 8–14 August 1944) Morotai landing (15 September 1944) Leyte landings (13–28 October 1944) Lingayen Gulf landings (4–18 January 1945) Mindanao Island landings (17–23 April 1945) Balikpapan operation (28 June–7 July 1945)
Awards:	Combat Action Ribbon American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Liberation Medal

USS LST-456 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.

LST-456 was laid down on 3 August 1942, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 976, by Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington; launched on 20 October 1942; and commissioned on 3 February 1943.^[1][3]

During the war, LST-456 was assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations. She took part in the Eastern New Guinea operations, the Lae occupation in September 1943, and the Saidor occupation in January and February 1944; the Bismarck Archipelago operations, the Cape Gloucester, New Britain, landings from December 1943 through February 1944, and the Admiralty Islands landings in February and March 1944; the Hollandia operation in April 1944; the Western New Guinea operations, the Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area operation in May 1944, the Biak Islands operation in May and June 1944, the Cape Sansapor operation in July and August 1944, and the Morotai landing in September 1944; the Leyte landings in October 1944; the Lingayen Gulf landings in January 1945; the Mindanao Island landings in April 1945; and the Balikpapan operation in June and July 1945.^[3]

Following the war, LST-456 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early February 1946. She served with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS T-LST-456 from 31 March 1952, until she was struck from the Navy list on 15 June 1973.^[3]

On 27 September 1973, the ship was sold to the Maritime Co. Ltd., Khorramshahr, Iran,^[3] and renamed Karkas. On 1 February 1993, she was sold to Al Jazya Mar. y Sh. Ag., United Arab Emirates and renamed Bshair, and reflagged for Bolivia. She has since been deleted from the Bolivian ship register and her fate is unknown.^[2]

LST-456 earned eight battle stars for her World War II service.^[3]

Citations

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS LST-456.

• Photo gallery of USS LST-456 at NavSource Naval History