USS LST-906
 Undated photo of LST-906 underway in the Mediterranean. She is fitted with a 220 ft × 16 ft (67.1 m × 4.9 m) temporary flight deck for launching USAAF Piper L-4 Grasshopper observation aircraft, one of which is shown, ready for launching. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name: | USS LST-906 |
| Builder: | |
| Laid down: | 14 January 1944 |
| Launched: | 11 March 1944 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Henry Levine |
| Commissioned: | 27 April 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 20 May 1945 |
| Struck: | 22 June 1945 |
| Honors and awards: | 1 battle star, World War II |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | LST-542-class tank landing ship |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: | 328 ft (100.0 m) |
| Beam: | 50 ft (15.2 m) |
| Draft: | 8 ft (2.4 m) fwd; 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) aft (full load) |
| Propulsion: | Two diesel engines, two shafts |
| Speed: |
|
| Complement: | 7 officers, 204 enlisted |
| Armament: | |
| Aircraft carried: | 6 × L-4B “Grasshopper”[1] |
| Aviation facilities: | Custom-built mesh airstrip[1] |
USS LST-906 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-906 was laid down on 24 January 1944 at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc.; launched on 11 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Henry Levine; and commissioned on 27 April 1944.
During World War II, LST-906 was assigned to the European Theatre.
USS LST-906, with US Army Air Force L-4 Grasshopper on her flight deck being prepared for take-off. Note additional L-4 type aircraft stowed alongside the deck.
While in the Mediterranean, Seabees converted LST-906 into a makeshift aircraft carrier sporting a custom-built mesh airstrip above deck. She was the base for 6 USAAF L-4B Grasshoppers flown as artillery spotters for the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division during the Invasion of southern France in September 1944.[2] LST-906 was one of six LSTs so converted.[3]
While at anchor at Leghorn, Italy, heavy seas on 18 October 1944 caused LST-906 to drag anchor and run aground.[4] On 6 December a storm caused further damage to the still-grounded ship.[4]
The ship was decommissioned on 20 May 1945, struck from the Navy list on 22 June 1945, and sold for scrap soon thereafter.
LST-906 earned one battle star for World War II service.
References
- 1 2 Rottman, Gordon L.; Tony Bryan (2005). Landing ship, tank (LST) 1942-2002. Oxford: Osprey. p. 47. ISBN 978-1-84176-923-3. OCLC 61879311.
- ↑ Priolo, Gary P. (2004-11-29). "LST-906". NavSource Online. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
- ↑ The others being USS LST-16, USS LST-158, USS LST-337, USS LST-386, and USS LST-525. See Rottman, p. 47
- 1 2 Cressman, Robert (2000). "Chapter VI: 1944". The official chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-149-3. OCLC 41977179. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
- Photo gallery of LST-906 at NavSource Naval History
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