USS LST-22

USS LST-22, unloading her cargo of Alligators and Buffalos, 9 January 1945, at Lingayen Gulf during the invasion of Luzon. Vehicles were under the command of LCOL. Lloyd Barron, CO (3RD BN, 43 INF DIV).
History
United States
Name:	LST-22
Operator:
Builder:	Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Laid down:	5 November 1942
Launched:	29 March 1943
Sponsored by:	Mrs. W. A. Barnes
Commissioned:	29 May 1943
Decommissioned:	1 April 1946
Struck:	17 April 1946
Identification:	Hull symbol: LST-22 Code letters: NXOD
Honors and awards:	6 × battle stars
Fate:	Sold for conversion to merchant service, 3 February 1947
Status:	fate unknown
General characteristics
Class and type:	LST-1-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)
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 2 in (2.49 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
Installed power:	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) General Motors 12-567Adiesel engines, 1,700 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion:	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × screws
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 x LCVPs
Capacity:	1,600–1,900 st (22,000–27,000 lb; 10,000–12,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
Troops:	16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement:	13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament:	2 × twin 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors guns 4 × single 40mm Bofors guns 12 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons
Service record
Part of:	LST Flotilla Seven
Operations:	Cape Gloucester landings, New Britain (26–28 December 1943, 15–19 January, 30 January–2 February, 15–19 and 21–23 February 1944) Admiralty Islands landings (29 February–4 March, 7–11 March, and 28 March–10 April 1944) Saidor occupation (2–3, 6–9, 20–22 January, and 4–7 February 1944) Hollandia operation (21–25 April and 1–7 May 1944) Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area (18–20 and 23–25 May 1944) Biak Island (27–30 May, 3–7 and 16 June 1944) Noemfoor Island (10–15 July 1944) Cape Sansapor (30 July and 2, 6–12, 14–19, and 22–28 August 1944) Morotai landings (15 September 1944) Leyte landings (23 October and 4 November 1944) Battle of Luzon Lingayen Gulf landings (4–15 January 1945)
Awards:	American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Liberation Medal

USS LST-22 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used exclusively in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.

Construction and commissioning

LST-22 was laid down on 5 November 1942 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Dravo Corporation. She was launched on 29 March 1943, sponsored by Mrs. W. A. Barnes, and commissioned on 29 May 1943^[1] with Lieutenant Lawrence N. Ditlefsen, USCG, in command.^[2]

Service history

During the war, LST-22 was manned by the United States Coast Guard. She served exclusively and extensively in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from September 1943 until November 1945.^[2][1]

LST-22 sailed from Galveston, Texas, on 19 July 1943, with Convoy HK 109 heading for Key West, Florida, where she arrived on 23 July.^[3]

Eastern New Guinea operation

LST-22 participated in the landing at Scarlet Beach during the Battle of Finschhafen from 22–24 September 1943.^[2]

Bismarck Archipelago operation

LST-22 participated in the Cape Gloucester landings, New Britain at the end of December 1943 and January 1944. She then assisted in the Admiralty Islands landings at the end of February, the middle and end of March until almost the middle of April 1944.^[2]

Hollandia and Western New Guinea operation

LST-22 remained busy participating in the Hollandia operation at the end of April and the beginning of May 1944, the Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area from the middle to the end of May 1944, the Biak Island invasion from the end of May through the middle of June 1944, the Noemfoor Island invasion in the middle of July 1944, the Cape Sansapor landings at the end of July and through most of August 1944, and the Morotai landings in the middle of September 1944.^[2]

Leyte operation

From the Western New Guinea area LST-22 moved to the Philippines to participate in General Douglas MacArthur's promised liberation of the islands from the Japanese occupation starting with the Leyte landings in the middle of October and the beginning of November 1944.^[2]

LST-22 finished out her combat career participating in the Battle of Luzon Lingayen Gulf landings from the beginning to the middle of January 1945.^[2]

LST-22 left Leyte, on 8 May 1945, with Convoy IG 21, for Hollandia, Dutch East Indies, where she arrive on 14 May 1945.^[4]

Postwar career

LST-22 returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 1 April 1946. She was struck from the Navy list on 17 April 1946 and was sold to Ming-Sung Industrial Co., Ltd., of Shanghai, China, on 3 February 1947 to be converted for merchant service.^[1]

Honors and awards

LST-22 earned six battle stars for her World War II service.^[1]

Notes

Citations

1. DANFS-LST-22.
2. NS LST-22 2014.
3. Convoy HK 109.
4. Convoy IG 21.

Bibliography

Online sources

• "LST-22". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "USS LST-22". NavSource Online. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
• "Convoy HK.109". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
• "Convoy IG.21". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 August 2016.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS LST-22 at NavSource Naval History