USS LST-458

USS LST-458, at Morotai Island, Dutch East Indies, 15 September 1944, off loading an LVT.
History
United States
Name	LST-458
Ordered	as a Type S3-M-K2 hull, MCE hull 978[1]
Builder	Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington
Yard number	162[1]
Laid down	18 September 1942
Launched	26 October 1942
Commissioned	10 February 1943
Decommissioned	15 April 1946
Stricken	3 July 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-458 Code letters: NFKC
Honors and awards	6 × battle stars
Fate	Transferred to MARCOM, 31 October 1947 Sold for scrapping, 31 October 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
Operations:	Eastern New Guinea operation Lae occupation (4–5, 9–11 September 1943) Saidor occupation (January and 12–14 February 1944) Bismarck Archipelago operation Cape Gloucester, New Britain (25–28 December 1943, 21–23 January and 18–21, 23–26 February 1944) Admiralty Islands landings (7–11 and 14–18 March 1944) Hollandia operation (21–25 April 1944) Western New Guinea operation Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area operation (17–18 and 23–25 May 1944) Biak Islands operation (6–10 and 14–20 June 1944) Cape Sansapor operation (12–18 and 20–26 August 1944) Morotai landing (15 September 1944) Leyte landings (13–28 October and 2–18 November 1944) Visayan Island landings (26 March, 2, 10–11 and 20 April 1945) Mindanao Island landings (17–23 April 1945)
Awards:	Navy Unit Commendation 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

USS LST-458 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.

LST-458 was laid down on 18 September 1942, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 978, by Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington; launched on 26 October 1942; and commissioned on 10 February 1943.^[1][3]

During the war, LST-458 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 February 1944; the Bismarck Archipelago operations, the Cape Gloucester, New Britain, landings from December 1943 through February 1944, and the Admiralty Islands landings in 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 June 1944, the Noemfoor Island operation in July 1944, the Cape Sansapor operation in August 1944, and the Morotai landing in September 1944; the Leyte landings in October and November 1944; and the Mindanao Island landings in April 1945.^[3]

Following the war, LST-458 performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-October 1945. Upon her return to the United States, she was decommissioned on 15 April 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 3 July 1946. On 31 October 1947, the ship was sold to the Luria Steel & Trading Corp., of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and subsequently scrapped.^[3]

LST-458 earned six battle stars for her World War II service.^[3]

Citations

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS LST-458.

• Photo gallery of USS LST-458 at NavSource Naval History