USS LST-973

USS LST-973 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.

History
United States
Name	LST-973
Builder	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Yard number	3443
Laid down	25 November 1944
Launched	27 December 1944
Commissioned	27 January 1945
Decommissioned	24 May 1946
Stricken	29 September 1947
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-973 Code letters: NKKP
Fate	Transferred to US Army custody Reinstated in the Naval Register, 6 September 1950
Commissioned	6 September 1950
Decommissioned	7 November 1951
Stricken	20 November 1951
Honors and awards	4 × battle stars
Fate	Transferred to France, 7 November 1951
France
Name	Golo
Acquired	7 November 1951
Stricken	1960
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-973 Code letters: FADC
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 1959
General characteristics
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
Awards:	American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp

Construction

LST-973 was laid down on 25 November 1944, at Hingham, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard; launched on 27 December 1944; and commissioned on 27 January 1945.

Service history

Following World War II, LST-973 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early February 1946. She was decommissioned on 24 May 1946, and transferred to the US Army. The ship was struck from the Navy list on 29 September 1947, but reinstated on 6 September 1950, for service during the Korean War. Decommissioned again on 7 November 1951, LST-973 was transferred to the French Navy that same date. She was struck from the Navy list for the second time on 20 November 1951.

Awards

LST-973 earned four battle stars one award of the Navy Unit Commendation for Korean service.

Notes

Bibliography

Online resources

• "LST-973". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 22 June 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "Bethlehem-Hingham, Hingham MA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
• "USS LST-973". Navsource.org. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2017.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS LST-973 at NavSource Naval History