USS Douglas County (LST-731)

300px USS LST-731 with LCT-971 loaded on her main deck, entering a harbor probably in 1946. This is possibly San Francisco Bay.
History
Name:	USS LST-731
Builder:	Dravo Corporation, Neville Island, Pittsburgh
Laid down:	27 December 1943
Launched:	12 February 1944
Commissioned:	30 March 1944
Decommissioned:	2 June 1950
Renamed:	USS Douglas County (LST-731), 1 July 1955
Reclassified:	LSTH-731, 15 September 1945 LST-731, 6 March 1952
Struck:	1 November 1958
Honours and awards:	2 battle stars (World War II)
General characteristics
Class & 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:	Approximately 130 officers and enlisted men
Complement:	8-10 officers, 89-100 enlisted men
Armament:	1 × single 3"/50 caliber gun mount 8 × 40 mm guns 12 × 20 mm guns

USS Douglas County (LST-731) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in 12 states, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

LST-731 was laid down on 27 December 1943 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by the Dravo Corporation of Neville Island; launched on 12 February 1944; sponsored by Mrs. A. J. Ackerman; and commissioned on 30 March 1944 with Ensign K. S. McCann, Jr., in command.

Service history

During World War II, LST-731 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations: capture and occupation of Guam (July and August, 1944), and assault and occupation of Iwo Jima (February and March, 1945). Following the war, LST-731 was redesignated hospital ship LSTH-731 on 15 September 1945 and performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-February, 1946. She was decommissioned on 2 June 1950 and redesignated LST-731 on 6 March 1952. The ship received the name USS Douglas County (LST-731) on 1 July 1955 and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 November 1958. Her final fate is unknown.

LST-731 earned two battle stars for World War II service.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs
• LSTH