USS LST-951

USS LST-951 at anchor, c. 1945-1946.
History
United States
Name	LST-951
Builder	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number	3421[1]
Laid down	8 September 1944
Launched	7 October 1944
Commissioned	31 October 1944
Decommissioned	8 August 1946
Reclassified	Landing Ship Tank (Hospital), 15 September 1945
Stricken	25 September 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-951 Hull symbol: LST(H)-951 Code letters: NKES
Honors and awards	1 × battle star
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 14 June 1948
General characteristics [2]
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
Part of:	LST Flotilla 25
Operations:	Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (1 April–30 June 1945)
Awards:	American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp

USS LST-951/LST(H)-951 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.

LST-951 was laid down on 8 September 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 7 October 1944; sponsored by Mrs. O. P. Thomas, Jr.; and commissioned on 31 October 1944.^[3][2]

During World War II, LST-951 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto from April through June 1945.^[3]

On 15 September 1945, she was redesignated LST(H)-951 and performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-January 1945. The tank landing ship was decommissioned on 8 August 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 25 September, that same year. On 14 June 1948, the ship was sold to the Walter W. Johnson Co., for scrapping.^[3]

LST-951 earned one battle star for World War II service.^[3]

• Photo gallery of USS LST-951 at NavSource Naval History