USS LST-345

History
United States
Name	USS LST-345
Builder	Norfolk Navy Yard
Laid down	17 October 1942
Launched	15 December 1942
Commissioned	21 January 1943
Decommissioned	5 December 1945
Stricken	3 January 1946
Honours and; awards	3 battle stars (WWII)
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 23 March 1948
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-1-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,780 long tons (1,809 t) light; 3,880 long tons (3,942 t) full;
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded:; Bow: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m); Stern: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m); Loaded :; Bow: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m); Stern: 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m);
Propulsion	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing ; craft carried	2-6 × LCVPs
Troops	approx. 140 officers and enlisted
Complement	8–10 officers, 100–115 enlisted men
Armament	1 × single 3-inch/50-caliber gun mount; 5 × 40 mm gun mounts; 6 × 20 mm gun mounts; 2 × .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns; 4 × .30 cal (7.62 mm) machine guns;

USS LST-345 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship of the United States Navy during World War II.

History

LST-345 was laid down on 17 October 1942 at the Norfolk Navy Yard; launched on 15 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. John B. Brown; and commissioned on 21 January 1943.

LST-345 departed US shores for northern Africa on 1 May 1943.

During World War II, LST-345 was assigned to the European theater and participated in the following operations:

Sicilian occupation – July 1943
Salerno landings – September 1943
Invasion of Normandy – June 1944

While operating out of Bizerte, Tunisia, LST-345 was exposed to German air raids every night for three months. Sailing to Britain from the Mediterranean, LST-345 encountered a Nazi Wolf pack in the Atlantic. LST-345 made 56 cross-channel voyages between Britain and France in support of the Allied offensive in Europe.

Decommissioned on 5 December 1945 and struck from the Naval Register on 3 January 1946, she was sold on 23 March 1948 to the Ships & Power Equipment Co. of Barber, New Jersey for scrap.

LST-345 earned three battle stars for 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.
Photo gallery of LST-345 at NavSource Naval History
George Henderson, Valley Patriot, Andover, North Andover