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) Morotai 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.
