USS LST-964

History
United States
Name	LST-964
Builder	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number	3434[1]
Laid down	24 October 1944
Launched	22 November 1944
Commissioned	16 December 1944
Decommissioned	27 June 1946
Stricken	15 August 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-964 Code letters: NKGA
Fate	Sold for conversion to merchant service, 17 January 1947
Argentina
Name	San Juan Bosco
Owner	Compania Naviera SA and Commercial Perez Companc
Route	Belém, Pará, Brazil to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Fate	Sold
Name	Ionian Sea
Owner	The Carrier Co.
Fate	Sold, 1974
Brazil
Owner	Dalmine Deguara Siderca Company, Campana, Brazil
Status	Fate unknown
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 31
Awards:	China Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp

USS LST-964 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-964 was laid down on 24 October 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 22 November 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Ailene Borland; and commissioned on 16 December 1944.^[3]

Following the war, she performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until early April 1946. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 27 June 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 15 August, that same year. On 17 January 1947, the ship was sold to Campania Naviera y Commercial Perez Compano S.A. for operation.^[3]

She was later sold to the Carrier Company and renamed Ionian Sea. In 1974, she was again sold, to Dalmine Deguara Siderca Company at Campana, Brazil, on the Paraná River.^[2]

• Photo gallery of USS LST-964 at NavSource Naval History