USS LST-469

USS LST-469 during the landing at Lingayen Gulf on 9 January 1945
History
United States
Name	LST-469
Ordered	as a Type S3-M-K2 hull, MCE hull 989[1]
Builder	Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington
Yard number	173[1]
Laid down	23 October 1942
Launched	27 November 1943
Commissioned	8 March 1943
Decommissioned	27 March 1946
Stricken	1 May 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-469 Code letters: NFVU
Honors and awards	4 × battle stars
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 13 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 7
Operations:	Hollandia operation (21–25 April 1944) Western New Guinea operations Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area operation (18–20 and 23–25 May 1944) Biak Islands operation (28–31 May, 3–7, 9–14 June 1944) Noemfoor Island operation (4–10, 12–17, 18–22 July 1944) Cape Sansapor operation (31 July, 6, 8–14 22–28 August 1944) Morotai landing (15 September 1944) Leyte landings (13–27 October, 5–18 November 1944) Lingayen Gulf landings (4–18 January 1945)
Awards:	China Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp Philippine Liberation Medal

USS LST-469 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. As with many of her class, the ship was never named. Instead, she was referred to by her hull designation.

The ship was laid down on 23 October 1942, under United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 989, by Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington; launched 27 November 1942; and commissioned on 8 March 1943.^[1]

During World War II, LST-469 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater.^[3]

On 16 June 1943, she was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-174 while travelling in Convoy GP55 off the east coast of Australia. She was towed to the Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, where she was repaired in August 1943.^[2]

After being repaired she participated in the following operations, 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 Noemfoor Island operation in July 1944, the Cape Sansapor operation in July and August 1944, and the Morotai landing in September 1944; the Leyte operation in October 1944; and the Lingayen Gulf landings in January 1945.^[3]

Following the war, LST-469 performed occupation duty in the Far East until 24 October 1945, and saw China service from 25 October to 2 November 1945. Upon her return to the United States, LST-469 was decommissioned on 27 March 1946, and struck from the Navy Directory on 1 May, that same year. On 13 December 1947, the tank landing ship was sold to Hughes Bros., Inc., New York City, for scrapping.^[3]

LST-469 earned four battle stars for her World War II service.^[3]

Citations

Wikimedia Commons has media related to LST-469 (ship, 1943).

• Photo gallery of USS LST-469 at NavSource Naval History