USS LST-734

History
United States
Name	USS LST-734
Laid down	25 January 1944
Launched	4 March 1944
Commissioned	22 April 1945
Decommissioned	7 May 1946
Fate	Sold,; 24 May 1948;
Stricken	5 June 1946
Honours and; awards	four battle stars
Argentina
Name	ARA Cabo San Vincente (BDT-14)
Acquired	1948
Out of service	1969
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class LST
Displacement	1,490 tons (light);; 4,080 tons (full load of 2,100 tons);
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	8 ft (2.4 m) forward;; 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) aft (full load);
Propulsion	Two diesel engines, two shafts
Speed	10.8 knots (20 km/h) (max);; 9 knots (17 km/h) (econ);
Complement	7 officers, 204 enlisted
Armament	8 × 40 mm guns;; 12 × 20 mm guns;

USS LST-734 was an LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.

History

LST-734 was laid down on 25 January 1944 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the Dravo Corporation, Neville Island; launched on 4 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. W. P. Spofford; and commissioned on 22 April 1944.

During World War II, LST-734 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations:

Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands — September and October 1944 Leyte landings—October and November 1944 Ormoc Bay landings—December 1944 Zambales - Subic Bay — January 1945 Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto—April through June 1945

Following the war, LST-734 performed occupation duty in the Far East until late December 1945. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 7 May 1946 and struck from the Navy list on 5 June that same year. On 24 May 1948, the ship was sold to the Bethlehem Steel Co., of Bethlehem, Pa., and renamed McWilliams. She was then transferred to Argentina.

LST-734 earned four battle stars for World War II service.

Argentine service

After entering service with the Argentine Navy, she acquired the designation BDT-14 (BDT: Buque Desembarco de Tanques), and was renamed ARA Cabo San Vincente. She was retired in 1969.

References

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

Notes

Bibliography

Friedman, Norman (2002). US Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-250-1.

External links