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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

HM LST-237

LST-237 was transferred to the United Kingdom for the duration of World War II

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 9 February 1943, at Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville, IN.

Launched, 8 June 1943

LST-237 saw no active service with the United States Navy

Transferred to the United Kingdom, 12 July 1943

Royal Navy History

Commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM LST-237, 12 July 1943

Sailed from Norfolk, VA., 16 August 1943, as part of 9th Flotilla bound for the invasion of the Andaman Islands, which was subsequently canceled

HM LST-237 was then assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East heater and participated in the following campaigns:

West Coast of Italy operations-1944, Anzio-Nettuno advanced landings

Invasion of Normandy, June 1944

Operated in the shuttle service between Tilbury, Ostend and Antwerp

As part of "W" Task Force HM LST-237 worked down the Arakan coast of Burma and participated in the recapture of Rangoon, before proceeding to the eventual invasion of Malaya at Morib and Port Swettenham, and so to Singapore and Bangkok etc. doing relief work repatriating ex P.O.W.s of the Japanese

Paid off at Singapore and returned to US Navy custody at Subic Bay, Philippines, 16 March 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 26 February 1946

Final Disposition, sold for conversion to merchant service, 5 November 1947, to Bosey, Philippines, fate unknown

Specifications:

Displacement

1,625 t.(lt)

4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)

2,366 t. (beaching displacement)

Length 328' o.a.

Beam 50'

Draft

light 2' 4" fwd, 7' 6" aft

sea-going 8' 3" fwd, 14' 1" aft

landing 3' 11" fwd, 9' 10" aft (landing w/500 ton load)

limiting 11' 2"

maximum navigation 14' 1"

Speed 11.6 kts. (trial)

Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons

Complement

13 officers

104 enlisted

Troop Accommodations

16 officers

147 enlisted

Boats 2 LCVP

Cargo Capacity (varied with mission - payloads between 1600 and 1900 tons)

Typical loads

One Landing Craft Tank (LCT), tanks, wheeled and tracked vehicles, artillery, construction equipment and military supplies. A ramp or elevator forward allowed vehicles access to tank deck from main deck

Additional capacity included sectional pontoons carried on each side of vessel amidships, to either build Rhino Barges or use as causeways. Married to the bow ramp, the causeways would enabled payloads to be delivered ashore from deeper water or where a beachhead would not allow the vessel to be grounded forward after ballasting

Armament (varied with availability when each vessel was outfitted. Retro-fitting was accomplished throughout WWII. The ultimate armament design for United States vessels was

2 - Twin 40MM gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors

4 - Single 40MM gun mounts

12 single 20MM gun mounts

Fuel Capacity

Diesel 4,300 Bbls

Propulsion

two General Motors 12-567A, 900hp Diesel engines

single Falk Main Reduction Gears

three Diesel-drive 100Kw 230V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

two propellers, 1,700shp

twin rudders

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
HM LST-237
	88k	DUKWs practice launching from and embarking onto LSTs at a south coast port during final preparations for the invasion of Normandy, 4 June 1944. HM LST-237 is shown with her bow doors open and ramp down alongside another unidentified LST. Photo taken by Sgt. Laing, No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit. Photo No. B5154 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums. Part of the War Office Second World War Official Collection.	Robert Hurst
	2030k	Menu for a farewell dinner aboard HM LST-326 for Captain G Owles when Force W was paid off in Singapore on 9 February 1946. The menu consists of three sheets of paper stapled together and represents the bow doors and ramp opening.	Colin E C Pilcher Flt Lt RAF (retired) for his father LCDR. Leonard George Pilcher RNVR Commanding Officer HM LST-326
	318k
	348k

LST-237
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 5 November 2014