LST-243

 

LST-243 was laid down on 26 April 1943 at Evansville, Ind., by the Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co.; launched on 9 July 1943; sponsored by Miss Marybeth Malsie; and commissioned on 9 August 1943, Lt. F. H, Blaske, USNR, in command.

 

During World War II, LST-243 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations:

 

Gilbert Islands operation—November and December 1943

Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls—January and February 1944

Capture and occupation of Guam—July 1944

Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands—September and October 1944

Lingayen Gulf landings—January 1945

 

Following the war, LST-243 was redesignated LSTH-243 on 15 September 1945. She performed occupation duty in the Far East until early January 1946 when she returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 9 January 1946. LSTH-243 was struck from the Navy list on 17 July 1947. On 2 April 1948, she was sold to the Consolidated Shipbuilding Corp., of Morris Heights, N.Y., for scrapping.

 

LSTH-243 earned five battle stars for World War II service as LST-243.