Landing Ship, Tank (Hospital) (LSTH) was a conversion of a LST designed to act as a
hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones. In ...
, but because they retained armament were not officially designated as such. The
Tank Landing Ship
Landing Ship, Tank (LST), or tank landing ship, is the naval designation for ships first developed during World War II (1939–1945) to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto shore wit ...
(LST) was a vessel designed to
beach
A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shells ...
itself and unload equipment, vehicles, tanks, and troops onto an enemy beach. The general idea of a LSTH would be to bring troops to shore, but the convenience of a ship beached ashore proved to be an inviting harbor for the sick and injured, who could simply walk aboard.
Background
On D-Day most of the troops were not landed by LSTs, however 41,035 wounded were brought back on approximately 150 LSTs, which was twice their troop capacity. The sheer numbers overwhelmed the modest sick bay facilities on these craft which were staffed by one or two Pharmacist Mates. The troop's berthing quickly filled to capacity with walking wounded and litter patients laid on the tank deck. Further, the inclusion of refugees on LSTs created additional needs, such as an Italian woman who gave birth at sea.
Augmenting LSTs
Future operations in the Pacific sought to reduce these problems by augmenting several LSTs with a surgical teams to treat unstable patients. Occasionally referred to as LST Hospitals, these surgically augmented LSTs carried troops into battle and upon unloading set up the well deck into an organized hospital. During the battles of
Tarawa
Tarawa is an atoll and the capital of the Republic of Kiribati,Kiribati ''
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high. ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, and
Okinawa
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 Square kilometre, km2 (880 sq mi).
...
, surgical teams consisting of at first three and then five physicians as well as 35 Pharmacist Mates were attached to LSTs.
Designation of LST as hospitals
In preparation for
Operation Olympic
Operation Downfall was the proposed Allied plan for the invasion of the Japanese home islands near the end of World War II. The planned operation was canceled when Japan surrendered following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ...
, the initial invasion of Japan planned for 1 November 1945, 36 LSTs were to be redesignated LSTHs. These ships were to be augmented with a surgical team and provided large amounts of consumable and medical personnel to meet the anticipated demand for beachhead casualty evacuation. The official written order for redesignation took effect September 15, 1945, 13 days after the end of the war. All 36 LSTHs were assigned duty in Asia and the Far East, but their designation served merely a formality as their new mission was to return US troops. Although many did receive a large contingent of Pharmacist Mates by the months end. By the end of May 1946, the last three LSTHs departed the Far East as part of the
Magic Carpet
A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet and common trope in fantasy fiction. It is typically used as a form of transportation and can quickly or instantaneously carry its users to their destination.
In literature
One o ...
fleet. Of the LSTs, one ship was converted to a "first aid ship" at the discretion of Vice Admiral Daniel E. Barbey, USN, Commander 7th Amphibious Force during 1943.
Refitting the LSTH
was converted at
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountains ...
in 1943 into a dedicated "first-aid ship", the only one of her kind used. ''LST-464'' carried no troops, or combat equipment and functioned as a casualty evacuation ship during invasion, a station hospital ship in port, and an ambulance ship to transfer patients to a base hospital. She was designated only by numbers "464" painted on her hull amidships.
Her modified tank deck refitted and housed a complete and fixed hospital facility which extended into the ship through new water tight doors on port and starboard sides of the tank deck. The tank deck, now hospital, bolstered a receiving or
triage
In medicine, triage () is a practice invoked when acute care cannot be provided for lack of resources. The process rations care towards those who are most in need of immediate care, and who benefit most from it. More generally it refers to pri ...
area, 78 hospital beds and accommodations (washrooms, toilets, increased galley), refrigerators, and a surgical suite. The ship was equipped with specialist consultation and out-patient care at all times, including:
radiology
Radiology ( ) is the medical discipline that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide their treatment, within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiatio ...
,
pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links healt ...
, laboratory, eye refractions, dental care, a
blood bank
A blood bank is a center where blood gathered as a result of blood donation is stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusion. The term "blood bank" typically refers to a department of a hospital usually within a Clinical Pathology labo ...
, and stores for 25 tons of medical supplies. Staff was increased to 6 physicians, one dentist and a complement of
corpsmen
A hospital corpsman (HM r corpsman is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, who may also serve in a U.S. Marine Corps unit. The corresponding rating within the United States Coast Guard is health services technician (H ...
. During Normandy most LSTs had one or two Corpsmen. Above deck she looked as any other LST and because of her armament she was not considered as a hospital ship in compliance with the
Geneva Convention
upright=1.15, Original document in single pages, 1864
The Geneva Conventions are four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war. The singular term ''Geneva Conven ...
.
Following the
surrender of Japan
The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy ...
, ''LST-464'' was redesignated ''LST(H)-464'' on 15 September
Later, during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and ...
, the tested the idea of hoisting and opening a MUST ( Medical Unit Self-contained Transportable). The idea of a MUST was to allow an LST to set up complete hospital facilities after unloading troops. The idea was to provide in-close support hospital facilities in a combat zone.