LST-543 unloading atMulberry off Normandy, France
History
United States
Name	USSLST-543
Builder	Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company,Evansville,Indiana
Laid down	6 December 1943
Launched	1 February 1944
Sponsored by	Lieutenant, junior grade, Helen C. Hanson,USNR
Commissioned	6 March 1944
Decommissioned	31 May 1946
Stricken	17 July 1947
Honours & awards	2battle stars forWorld War II
Fate	Sold 5 December 1947
General characteristics
Class & type	LST-542-classtank landing ship
Displacement	1,490 long tons (1,514 t) light 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m)bow; 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)stern Full load: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
Propulsion	TwoGeneral Motors 12-567diesel engines, two shafts, twinrudders
Speed	12knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	2 xLCVPs
Troops	140officers andenlisted men
Complement	8-10 officers, 100-115 enlisted men
Armament	1 × single3 in (76 mm) 50-calibergun mount 8 ×40 mm guns 12 ×20 mm guns

USSLST-543 was aUnited States NavyLST-542-classtank landing ship in commission from 1944 to 1946.

LST-543 was laid down on 6 December 1943 atEvansville,Indiana, by theMissouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company. She waslaunched on 1 February 1944, sponsored byLieutenant, junior grade, Helen C. Hanson,USNR, andcommissioned on 6 March 1944.

DuringWorld War II,LST-543 initially was assigned to theEuropean Theater of Operations and participated inOperation Overlord, the invasion ofNormandy, in June 1944.

LST-543 then was assigned to thePacific Theater of Operations and took part in the assault on and occupation ofOkinawa in May and June 1945.

Following the war,LST-543 performed occupation duty in theFar East and saw service inChina until early May 1946, when she returned to theUnited States.

LST-543 wasdecommissioned on 31 May 1946 and stricken from theNavy List on 17 July 1947. She was sold to Bosey in thePhilippines on 5 December 1947.

LST-543 earned twobattle stars for World War II service.

•  This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
• NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive LST-543

• LST-542-class tank landing ships
• World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
• Ships built in Evansville, Indiana
• 1944 ships
• Naval ships of Operation Neptune

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