HM LST 346
From Our Contribution
 23 Nov 1945 HM LST-346 about to dock at Morotai. AWM photo | |
 22 Apr 1943 USS LST-346 loading an M-10 tank destroyer. US Army Signal Corps Photograph Collection | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HM LST 3436 |
| Owner | US Navy / British Navy |
| Builder | US Navy Yard |
| Launched | 15 Dec 1942 |
| Completed | 24 Jan 1943 |
| In service | 25 Jan 1943 |
| Out of service | 19 Jun 1946 |
| Fate | sold to Bosey, Phillippines |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Class 1 Tank Landing SHip |
| Tonnage | 1,625 tone empty, 4,080 tons sea going, 2,366 for beach landings |
| Length | 328 ft (99.97m) |
| Beam | 50 ft (125.24m) |
| Depth | landing 3'11" fwd (1.19m) |
| Propulsion | twin screw |
| Speed | 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h) |
| Capacity | crew 11 officers 104 enlisted; troops 163 |
Contents
Remarks
Laid down at the US Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth Virginia on 17 Oct 1942, she was launched on 15 December. On 25 Jan 1943 she was commissioned as USS LST 346. Initially consigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East theatre, she participated in the Sicilian occupation 9 - 15 Jul 1943; Salerno landings 9 - 21 Sep 1943; and the Invasion of Normandy 6 - 25 Jun 1944. On 20 Nov 1944 she was decommissioned and transferred to the Royal Navy.
HM LST 346 underwent a refit at Leith, Scotland before being sent to the Pacific Theatre where it participated n the re-occupation of Malaya and the return of soldiers and material from Morotai to Australia before being paid off and returned to US Navy custody on 4 May 1946. The US Navy removed her from their Naval Register on 19 Jun 1946 and she was sold in the Phillippines on 5 Dec 1947.
Armament:
- 2 - Twin 40MM gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
- 4 - Single 40MM gun mounts
- 12 single 20MM gun mounts
Soldiers carried
Balikpapan to Morotai 16 - 23 November 1945
- Robert Ralph Thompson - see top photo