Wreck of USS LST-447

Japan / Okinawa / Itoman /
 Second World War 1939-1945, shipwreck, landing, draw only border, United States Navy
Laid down at the Kaiser Shipyard in Vancouver Washington in July 1942, LST-447 was the 447th member of her class of Tank Landing Ships commissioned into service with the US Navy, entering service with the US Pacific Fleet in December 1942. Immediately deployed to the South Pacific, LST-447 and her crew were given a crash course in LST operations while serving with US Forces consolidating their positions in the Southern Solomon Islands in early 1943.

Performing her first Amphibious landing at Bougainville in November 1943, the LST-447 and her crew would go on to take part in the Bismarck Archipelago, and Hollandia landings in the South Pacific through April 1944 before shaping their course Northward to assault Guam in July through August 1944. Detached from frontline units after her duty in the Marianas for a period of overhaul and repairs at Pearl Harbor during the Philippine Landings, the LST-447 departed for action once again in early 1945, shaping a course for Ulithi Atoll where she joined a large American Naval Force massing for the planned assault on Okinawa scheduled for April 1st.

Departing in convoy fully loaded with men, munitions and supplies in late March, the ship and crew were forced to wait for several bottlenecks ashore to clear out before they could beach and discharge their cargo on the 4th of April. By this time, the largely unopposed landings had turned into a fierce firefight onshore and increasing number of Japanese Kamikaze aircraft were operating overhead throughout the daylight hours. Despite these dangers, the crew of LST-447 successfully discharged her entire cargo ashore and debeached with the high tide in the evening of April 5th before proceeding offshore to await further orders. April 6th brought troublesome reports of large numbers of Japanese aircraft approaching Okinawa, prompting the LST’s crew to their gun stations where they awaited the inevitable arrival of Kamikaze’s.

Closing ranks with other ships to combine their AA batteries, LST-447’s crew were soon facing dozens of suicide-bent attackers strafing, bombing and diving all around them, and despite their best efforts, the gun crews were simply overwhelmed by the mass attack. A single Nakajima B6N “Jill” torpedo bomber eventually managed to penetrate the pall of AA fire around the LST and made a streaking dive out of the cloud deck towards the ship, and despite taking several hits its pilot slammed his plane into LST-447’s midship on her Starboard side. The force of the crashing aircraft and the detonation of its full bomb and fuel load created a massive fireball and blew out the Port side of the empty ship’s cargo hold, causing fatal damage to the ship and numerous casualties. Taking an immediate sharp list to Port, the LST’s Captain quickly passed the order to abandon the stricken ship but elected to remain onboard as the ship seemed to stabilize after half an hour. Placed under tow to the more protected waters of Kerama Retto anchorage, LST-447 made it almost the entire way into the anchorage before she was seen to be rapidly increasing her list. Her skeleton crew abandoned her onto the assisting Tug as it pushed the rapidly sinking LST out of the channel, allowing her to flood and sink at this location in the afternoon of April 6th, 1945.

For her actions on the date of her loss, LST-447 earned her sixth Battle Star and the Navy Unit Commendation for her World War II service.

www.navsource.org/archives/10/16/160447.htm
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   26°9'0"N   127°17'59"E

Comments

  • My father was aboard LST 447 when it was snunk. He was shipfitter,Walter L. Palmer. He never got the 6 battle stars ,or any other medals he was due. I would appreciate any help or info. Thanks Alan Palmer palmer6223@bellsouth.net
  • my pop was on there also John (Jack P. McGuigan) Seabees Philadelphia Pa
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