USS LST-480
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USS ''LST-480'' was an built for the United States Navy used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.


Construction

''LST-480'' was laid down on 31 August 1942, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 1000, by Kaiser Shipyards, Yard No. 4,
Richmond, California Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was municipal corporation, incorporated on August 7, 1905, and has a Richmond, California City Council, city council.
; launched on 29 October 1942; and commissioned on 3 May 1943.


World War II Pacific Theatre operations

During World War II, ''LST-480'' was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations: *
Gilbert Islands The Gilbert Islands ( gil, Tungaru;Reilly Ridgell. ''Pacific Nations and Territories: The Islands of Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia.'' 3rd. Ed. Honolulu: Bess Press, 1995. p. 95. formerly Kingsmill or King's-Mill IslandsVery often, this n ...
operation: Capture and occupation of Gilbert Islands, 13 November to 8 December 1943. * Marshall Islands operation: Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro
Atolls An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical oceans and seas where corals can grow ...
, 29 January to 8 February 1944.


Sinking

On 21 May 1944, ''LST-480'' and at least 28 to 33 other LSTs were gathered near
Waipio Waipio () is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the Ewa District of the island of Oahu in the City & County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. In Hawaiian, ''wai pio'' means "curved water". As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a populat ...
peninsula, in Pearl Harbors
West Loch West Loch Estate is a census-designated place (CDP) in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 5,523 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land. ...
, loading ammunition and supplies in preparation for the invasion of
Saipan Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States in the western Pa ...
. At 15:08, an explosion onboard , which may have originated near , caused a chain reaction that would eventually sink ''LST-480'', ''LST-353'', and four other LSTs. At least two other LSTs were severely damaged and 163 sailors were killed with another 396 wounded. While the other ships were removed and sunk at sea, the wreck of ''LST-480'' can still be seen in the West Loch.


Awards

LST-480 earned two battle stars for World War II service.


Notes

;Citations


Bibliography

Online resources * * * * * *


Further reading

* *


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:LST-0480 World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Ships built in Richmond, California 1942 ships LST-1-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy Ships sunk by non-combat internal explosions Maritime incidents in May 1944 Shipwrecks of Hawaii S3-M2-K2 ships