USS LST-310

History
United States
Name:	USS LST-310
Builder:	Boston Navy Yard
Laid down:	22 September 1942
Launched:	23 November 1942
Commissioned:	20 January 1943
Decommissioned:	16 May 1945
Stricken:	12 March 1946
Fate:	Sold to merchant service, 28 January 1947
General characteristics
Class and type:	LST-1 class tank landing ship
Displacement:	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full
Length:	328 ft (100 m)
Beam:	50 ft (15 m)
Draft:	Unloaded : 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) bow 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) stern Loaded : 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) bow 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) stern
Propulsion:	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed:	12 knots (14 mph; 22 km/h)
Boats & landing craft carried:	Six LCVPs
Troops:	14 officers, 131 enlisted men
Complement:	9 officers, 120 enlisted men
Armament:	2 × twin 40 mm gun mounts (Mark 51 director) 4 × single 40 mm gun mounts 12 × single 20 mm gun mounts
Service record
Operations:	World War II Operation Husky Operation Avalanche Operation Overlord

USS LST-310 was one of 390 tank landing ships (LSTs) built for the United States Navy during World War II.

LST-310 was laid down on 22 September 1942 at the Boston Navy Yard; launched on 23 November 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Inga M. Gustavson; and commissioned on 20 January 1943 with Lieutenant W. P. Lawless, USNR, in command.

Service history

During World War II, LST-310 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the Sicilian occupation in July, 1943 the landings at Salerno in September, 1943 and the Invasion of Normandy in June, 1944.

Upon her return to the United States, she was decommissioned on 16 May 1945 for conversion to landing craft repair ship USS Aeolus (ARL-42) at the Boston Navy Yard. The conversion was canceled 12 September 1945 and the ship reverted to LST-310; she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 12 March 1946. On 28 January 1947 the ship was sold to the Boston Metals Company of Baltimore, Maryland for conversion to merchant service.

She was sold (date unknown) to the Panama Navigation Corporation, and subsequently named MV Mercator' and re-flagged as Panamanian. Sometime prior to 1963 the ship was sold to Navemar S. A. (name retained) and re-flagged Argentine. Her final fate is unknown.

LST-310 (2nd LST from the right) along with other ships putting cargo ashore on one of the invasion beaches, at low tide during the first days of the Invasion of Normandy in June, 1944. Among identifiable ships present are LST-532 (in the center of the view); LST-262 (3rd LST from right); LST-533 (partially visible at far right); and LST-524. Note the barrage balloons overhead and Army "half-track" convoy forming up on the beach.

Ship Awards

• LST-310 earned two battle stars for World War II service.
• Combat Action Ribbon (Retroactive)
• American Ribbon
• World War II Victory Medal
• Europe African Middle Eastern Campaigns Medal(3)

References

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

• "LST-310". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 5 May 2007.
• "LST-310 / ARL-42 Aeolus". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 5 May 2007.

See also

• List of United States Navy LSTs