USS LST-342

9°8′14″S 160°14′57″E

History
United States
NameUSS LST-342
BuilderNorfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia
Laid down21 August 1942
Launched8 November 1942
Commissioned31 December 1942
Stricken28 July 1943
Honors and
awards
FateSunk, 18 July 1943
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeLST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement
  • 1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light
  • 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full load
Length328 ft (100 m)
Beam50 ft (15 m)
Draught
  • Unloaded :
  • 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) bow
  • 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) stern
  • Loaded :
  • 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) bow
  • 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) stern
Propulsion2 × 900 hp (671 kW) General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts
Speed12 knots (14 mph; 22 km/h)
Range24,000 nmi (44,000 km) at 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) (fully loaded)
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 LCVPs
Capacity1,600–1,900 short tons (1,500–1,700 t)
TroopsApprox. 150 officers and other ranks
Complement7 officers, 104 enlisted
Armament

USS LST-342 was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. LST-342 was laid down on 21 August 1942 by the Norfolk Navy Yard; launched on 8 November 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Philip H. Ryan; and commissioned on 31 December 1942.[2]

She was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the New Georgia-Rendova-Vangunu occupation in July 1943. She was struck by a Japanese torpedo off the Solomon Islands on 18 July 1943 from the Japanese submarine Ro-106.[2] The resultant explosion broke the ship into two sections, with the stern sinking immediately, while the bow remained afloat and was towed to Purvis Bay (Tokyo Bay) off Florida Island and beached so that usable equipment could be salvaged. The bow was then abandoned.[1] 82 men went down with the ship, including the commanding officer of LST Group 14, Commander Paul S. Slawson, and the famous artist Lieutenant Commander McClelland Barclay.[3]

She was struck from the Navy list on 28 July 1943.[2] LST-342 earned one battle star and the Navy Unit Commendation for World War II service.[1]

See also

References
  1. Photo gallery of USS LST-342 at NavSource Naval History Retrieved 12 July 2012
  2. "LST-342". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. 2004. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  3. https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/PAUL_S._SLAWSON,_CDR,_USN . Retrieved 21 August 2023
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