USS LST-607

History
United States
Name	USS LST-607
Builder	Chicago Bridge and Iron Company, Seneca, Illinois
Laid down	2 December 1943
Launched	7 April 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. John Pirok
Commissioned	24 April 1944
Decommissioned	11 January 1946
In service	With Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS LST-607 (T-LST-607) from 31 March 1952
Fate	Transferred to Philippine Navy 13 September 1976
Stricken	1 November 1973
Philippines
Name	BRP Leyte del Sur
Acquired	13 September 1976
Stricken	prior 1990
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class LST
Displacement	1,490 tons (light);; 4,080 tons (full load of 2,100 tons);
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	8 ft (2.4 m) forward;; 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) aft (full load);
Propulsion	Two diesel engines, two shafts
Speed	10.8 knots (20 km/h) (max);; 9 knots (17 km/h) (econ);
Complement	7 officers, 204 enlisted
Armament	8 × 40 mm guns;; 12 × 20 mm guns;

USS LST-607 was a United States Navy LST-542-class tank landing ship in commission from 1944 to 1946. She later served in a non-commissioned status in the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS LST-607 (T-LST-607).

Construction and commissioning

LST-607 was laid down on 2 December 1943 at Seneca Illinois, by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company. She was launched on 7 April 1944, sponsored by Mrs. John Pirok;, and commissioned on 24 April 1944.

During World War II, LST-607 was assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations and participated in the capture and occupation of the southern Palau Islands in September and October 1944.

Following the war, LST-607 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early January 1946. She was decommissioned on 11 January 1946.

On 31 March 1952, LST-607 was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service, in which she served as USNS LST-607 (T-LST-607).

USNS LST-607 was transferred to the Philippine Navy on 13 September 1976. Her later fate is unknown.

LST-607 earned one battle star for World War II service.

This ship made a brief(at approximately 59:24) appearance in a scene from the 1977 biographical movie MacArthur (film).

Friedman, Norman (2002). US Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-250-1.