LST-18

 

LST-18 was laid down on 1 October 1942 at Pittsburgh, Pa., by the Dravo Corp.; launched on 15 February 1943; sponsored by Miss Ruth Watt; and commissioned on 26 April 1943.

 

During World War II, LST-18 served in the Asiatic-Pacific theater and took part in the following operations :

 

Finschhafen occupation phase of the Eastern New

Guinea operation—September 1943 Bismarck Archipelago operation:

(a) Cape Gloucester landings on New Britain—December 1943 and January 1944

(b).Admiralty Islands landings—March and April 1944

Hollandia operation—April and May 1944 Western New Guinea operations:

(a) Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area—May 1944

(b) Biak Island—June 1944

(c) Noemfoor Island—July 1944

(d) Cape Sansapor—July and August 1944

(e).Mprotai landings—September 1944

Leyte landings—October and November 1944

Lingayen landings on Luzon—January 1945

Consolidation of the southern Philippines:

(a) Palawan Island landings—March 1945

(b) Visayan Islands landings—March and April 1945

 

Following the war, LST-18 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early November 1945. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 3 April 1946. She was struck from the Navy list on 17 April 1946 and was sold to the Suwannee Fruit & Steamship Co., of Jacksonville, Fla., on 31 October 1946 for conversion to merchant service.

 

LST-18 earned seven battle stars for World War II service.