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:
  • 1,490 tons (light)
  • 4,080 tons (full load of 2,100 tons)
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:
  • 10.8 knots (20.0 km/h) (max)
  • 9 knots (17 km/h) (econ)
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. 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.
  2. Priolo, Gary P. (2004-11-29). "LST-906". NavSource Online. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  3. The others being USS LST-16, USS LST-158, USS LST-337, USS LST-386, and USS LST-525. See Rottman, p. 47
  4. 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.


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