USS LST-19

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Career
Laid down:	22 October 1942
Launched:	11 March 1943
Commissioned:	USS LST-19, 15 May 1943
Battle Stars:	4 for World War II
Reclassified:	USS LST(H)-19, 15 September 1945
Decommissioned:	20 March 1946
Struck:	1 May 1946
Fate:	sold for scrapping, 5 December 1947
General characteristics
Class:	LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement:	1,780 t.(lt), 3,880 t.(fl)
Length:	328'
Beam:	50'
Draft:	unloaded, bow 2' 4" stern 7' 6", loaded bow 8' 2" stern 14' 1"
Speed:	12 kts
Complement:	8-10 Officers, 100-115 Enlisted
Troop Accommodations:	approx. 140 officers and enlisted
Boats:	2-6 LCVP
Armament:	five 40mm gun mounts, six 20mm gun mounts, two .50-cal machine guns, four .30-cal machine guns
Propulsion:	two General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders

USS LST-19 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was designed to carry troops and military equipment to the shores of the battle front and quickly deliver her cargo. She served in the Pacific Ocean and post-war returned home proudly with four battle stars to her credit.

LST-19 was laid down on 22 October 1942 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Dravo Corp.; launched on 11 March 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Frances P. Gott; commissioned on 15 May 1943; and redesignated LST(H) on 15 September 1945.

1 World War II Pacific Theatre operations
2 Conversion to hospital ship
3 Post-war occupation hospital duty
4 Post-war decommissioning
5 Awards
6 References
7 See also
8 External links

[edit] World War II Pacific Theatre operations

During World War II, LST-19 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations:

Aleutian Islands campaign; Attu occupation, 11 May to 2 June 1943; Additionally landing Canadian troops at Kiska

Gilbert Islands operation; Makin and Tarawa Island landings, November and December 1943

Marianas operation; Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 June 1944

Tinian capture and occupation, July 1944

Western Caroline Islands operations; Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, September 1944

[edit] Conversion to hospital ship

At war's end, USS LST-19 was converted into a hospital ship.

[edit] Post-war occupation hospital duty

Following World War II LST(H)-19 performed occupation duty in the Far East in October and December 1945

[edit] Post-war decommissioning

She was decommissioned on 20 March 1946 and was struck from the Navy List on 1 May 1946. On 5 December 1947, she was sold to Ships and Power Equipment Co., of Barber, New Jersey, for scrapping.