USS LST-178

USS LST-178 in 1943
History
United States
Name	LST-178
Builder	Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville
Laid down	6 February 1943
Launched	23 May 1943
Sponsored by	Mrs Charles Haglin
Commissioned	21 June 1943
Decommissioned	24 December 1944
Stricken	22 January 1947
Identification	Callsign: NZQQ
Fate	Transferred to the United Kingdom, 1944
History
United Kingdown
Name	LST-178
Acquired	24 December 1944
Commissioned	24 December 1944
Decommissioned	28 May 1945
Fate	Transferred to Egyptian Navy
History
Egypt
Name	Aka (عكا)
Acquired	November 1946
Commissioned	November 1946
Fate	Sunk 1 November 1956; later refloated, beached, and abandoned
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full (sea-going draft with 1675 ton load)
Length	327 ft 9 in (99.90 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Light: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Sea-going: 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) forward 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft Landing (with 500 ton load): 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft
Propulsion	2 General Motors 12-567 900 hp (671 kW) diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range	24,000 nmi (44,000 km) at 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	2 × LCVPs
Complement	7 officers, 104 enlisted
Armament	2 × twin 40 mm gun mounts 4 × single 40 mm gun mounts 12 × single 20 mm gun mounts

USS LST-178 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy during World War II. She was later transferred to the Royal Navy and renamed HMS LST-178. In 1946, she was again handed over to the Egyptian Navy to be renamed ENS Aka.

Construction and commissioning

LST-178 was laid down on 6 February 1943 at Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville, Indiana. Launched on 23 May 1943 and commissioned on 21 June 1943.

Service in the United States Navy

During World War II, LST-178 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East theater. She took part in the Convoy UGS-36 on 1 April 1944.

She also took part in the Invasion of Southern France from 15 August to 25 September 1944.

The ship was then transferred to the Royal Navy after her decommissioning on 24 December 1944.

Service in the Royal Navy

HMS LST-178 was commissioned on 24 December 1944.

On 24 February 1945, she made a trip to Patras, Greece loaded with Army personnel and vehicles bound for Corfu. On the same day, two explosions occurred aboard the ship, one port forward and followed by another one on her port side aft. She was able to return to Patras by her own power.

After close inspection, she was repaired and declared a total lost, then towed to Egypt. On 28 May 1945, she was decommissioned by the Royal Navy.

Service in the Egyptian Navy

The Egyptian Navy acquired the ship in November 1946 and renamed to ENS Aka.

During the Suez Crisis on 1 November 1956, she was sunk by Royal Air Force while she was being prepared to be scuttled near Lake Timsah as a blockship. The ship was later refloated, beached and abandoned.

Awards

LST-178 have earned the following awards:

• American Campaign Medal
• Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2 battle stars)
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Sources

• United States. Dept. of the Treasury (1962). Treasury Decisions Under the Customs, Internal Revenue, Industrial Alcohol, Narcotic and Other Laws, Volume 97. U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Moore, Capt. John (1984). Jane's Fighting Ships 1984-85. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710607959.
• Saunders, Stephen (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710628886.
• Fairplay International Shipping Journal Volume 222. United Kingdom: Fairplay Publishing Limited. 1967.