USS LST-473

USS LST-473, coming alongside while underway in the Southwest Pacific, date unknown.
History
United States
Name	LST-473
Ordered	as a Type S3-M-K2 hull, MCE hull 993[1]
Builder	Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington
Yard number	177[1]
Laid down	10 July 1942
Launched	9 December 1942
Commissioned	16 March 1943
Decommissioned	18 March 1946
Stricken	17 April 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-473 Code letters: NGGV
Honors and awards	5 × battle stars
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 21 April 1948
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:	Eastern New Guinea operations Lae occupation (4–5 September 1943) Leyte landings (16–29 October 1944) Lingayen Gulf landings (9–18 January 1945) Zambales-Subic Bay (29–30 January 1945) Consolidation and capture of Southern Philippines Mindanao Island landings (17–23 April 1945)
Awards:	Combat Action Ribbon American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Liberation Medal

USS LST-473 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.

LST-473 was laid down on 10 July 1942, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 993, by Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington; launched 9 December 1942; and commissioned on 16 March 1943.^[1][3]

During World War II, LST-473 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations: the Lae occupation in September 1943; the Leyte operation in October 1944; the Lingayen Gulf landings in January 1945; the Zambales-Subic Bay operation in January 1945; and the Mindanao Island landings in March 1945.^[3]

LST-473 returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 18 March 1946. She was struck from the Navy list on 17 April, that same year. On 21 April 1948, the tank landing ship was sold to Hughes Bros., Inc., New York City, and subsequently scrapped.^[3]

LST-473 earned five battle stars for her service in World War II.^[3]

• List of United States Navy LSTs
• List of United States Navy losses in World War II

Citations

• Photo gallery of USS LST-473 at NavSource Naval History