USS LST-558

History
Name:	USS LST-558
Builder:	Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company, Evansville, Indiana
Laid down:	11 February 1944
Launched:	14 April 1944
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Henry Goodman
Commissioned:	8 May 1944
Decommissioned:	13 February 1946
Struck:	16 September 1947
Honours and awards:	4 battle stars for World War II service
Fate:	Sold for scrapping, 24 May 1948
General characteristics
Class & type:	LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement:	1,780 long tons (1,809 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 140 officers and enlisted men
Complement:	8-10 officers, 100-115 enlisted men
Armament:	1 × single 3"/50 caliber gun mount 8 × 40 mm guns 12 × 20 mm guns

USS LST-558 was a United States Navy tank landing ship in commission from 1944 to 1946.

LST-558 was laid down on 11 February 1944 at Evansville, Indiana, by the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company. She was launched on 14 April 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Henry Goodman, and commissioned on 8 May 1944 with Lieutenant, junior grade, H.A. Bisonet in command.

During World War II, LST-558 was assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations and participated in the following operations:

• Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands — September and October 1944
• Leyte landings — October and November 1944
• Lingayen Gulf landing — January 1945
• Zambales-Subic Bay — January 1945
• Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto — April 1945

Following the war, LST-558 performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until early February 1946. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 13 February 1946 and struck from the Navy list on 16 September 1947. On 24 May 1948, she was sold to the Bethlehem Steel Company, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for scrapping.

LST-558 earned four battle stars for her World War II service.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• history.navy.mil: USS LST-558