USS LST-959

History
United States
Name	LST-959
Builder	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number	3429[1]
Laid down	6 October 1944
Launched	4 November 1944
Commissioned	29 November 1944
Decommissioned	13 June 1946
Stricken	3 July 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-959 Code letters: NKFQ
Honors and awards	1 × battle star
Fate	Stripped and destroyed, 10 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 23
Operations:	Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (8–18 June 1945)
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-959 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-959 was laid down on 6 October 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 4 November 1944; and commissioned on 25 November 1944.^[3][2]

During World War II, LST-959 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in June 1945.^[3]

Following the war, she performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until mid-May 1946. She was decommissioned on 13 June 1946, and struck from the Navy list on 3 July, that same year. On 10 June 1948, the ship was stripped and destroyed at Subic Bay, Philippines.^[3]

LST-959 earned one battle star for World War II service.^[3]

• Photo gallery of USS LST-959 at NavSource Naval History