USS LST-713

History
United States
Name	USS LST-713
Builder	Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co., Jeffersonville, Indiana
Laid down	3 June 1944
Launched	11 July 1944
Commissioned	7 August 1944
Decommissioned	20 June 1946
Stricken	31 July 1946
Honors and; awards	2 battle stars (World War II)
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 21 May 1948
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light; 3,640 long tons (3,698 t) full;
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded :; 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward; 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft; Loaded :; 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft;
Propulsion	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing ; craft carried	2 × LCVPs
Troops	8-10 officers, 89-100 enlisted men
Complement	Approximately 130 officers and enlisted men
Armament	8 × 40 mm guns; 12 × 20 mm guns;

USS LST-713 was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II.

The ship was laid down on 3 June 1944 at the Jefferson Boat & Machine Company in Jeffersonville, Indiana; she was launched on 11 July 1944 and commissioned on 7 August 1944.

Some of the last known photographs of LST-713 were taken in February 1945, where she appears in three photographs that were taken off to coast of Iwo Jima, Japan during the invasion.

Service history

During World War II, LST-713 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. She participated in two operations: the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945, and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, which took place from April to June 1945. Following the war, LST-713 performed occupation duty in the Far East until February 1946.

She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 20 June 1946, and struck from the Navy List on 31 July that same year. On 21 May 1948, the ship was sold to the Bethlehem Steel Corporation of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and subsequently scrapped.

Awards

USS LST-713 earned two battle stars for World War II service.

1 Combat Action Ribbon

1 American Campaign Medal

2 Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns Medal

1 World War 2 Victory Medal

1 Navy Occupation Medal

References

Photo gallery of USS LST-713 at NavSource Naval History
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.