USS LST-573

History
United States
Name	LST-573
Builder	Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company, Evansville, Indiana
Laid down	15 April 1944
Launched	31 May 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. Ernest C. Strpebe
Commissioned	21 June 1944
Decommissioned	24 January 1946
History
Operator	Commander Naval Forces Far East
In service	date unknown
Out of service	date unknown
Renamed	Q027
Stricken	31 October 1947
History
Operator	Maritime Commission (MARAD)
Acquired	26 May 1948
Identification	Hull symbol:LST-573 Code letters:NEWS
Honors and awards	3 × battle stars
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 26 May 1948
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)
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 12-567A diesel 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	7 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
Operations:	Battle of Leyte (18–29 October 1944) Battle of Mindoro (12–18 December 1944) Battle of Mindanao (18 March 1945) Battle of the Visayas (29 March–1 April 1945)
Awards:	American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal w/Asia Clasp Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Liberation Medal

USS LST-573 was a United States Navy LST-542-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.

Construction and commissioning

LST-573 was laid down on 15 April 1944 at Evansville, Indiana, by the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company. She was launched on 31 May 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Ernest C. Strpebe, and commissioned on 21 June 1944.

Service history

During the war, LST-573 was assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations. She took part in the Philippines campaign, participating in the Battle of Leyte landing in October and November 1944, the Battle of Mindoro in December 1944, the Battle of Mindanao in March 1945, and the Battle of the Visayas in March and April 1945.

Following the war, LST-573 performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-January 1946. Upon her return to the United States, she was decommissioned on 24 January 1946 and struck from the Navy list on 31 October 1947. On 26 May 1948, the ship was sold to the Bethlehem Steel Co., of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Honors and awards

LST-573 earned three battle stars for her World War II service.

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

Online sources

• "LST-573". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "USS LST-573". NavSource Online. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2016.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS LST-573 at NavSource Naval History