LST-713 (Ship)
Biography
According to Naval History and Heritage Command: LST-713 was laid down on 3 June 1944 at Jeffersonville, Ind., by the Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Co.; launched on 11 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Barbara A. Lawson; and commissioned on 7 August 1944.
During World War II, LST-713 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations:
Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima-February 1945
Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto-April through June 1945
Following the war, LST-713 performed occupation duty in the Far East until mid-February 1946. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 20 June 1946 and struck from the Navy list on 31 July that same year. On 21 May 1948, the ship was sold to the Bethlehem Steel Co., of Bethlehem, Pa., and subsequently scrapped.
LST-713 earned two battle stars for World War II service.
Found in 40 Collections and/or Records:
Letter from "Pete" to his mother, 1945-01-10
"...This morning we had 'personnel inspection' by the executive officer and Lieutenant (Junior Grade) at quarters this morning on the tank deck of the LCT. We pased the criticizing eyes okay except for a few who were called down because they needed haircuts and one forgot to put his belt on...."
Letter from "Pete" to his mother, 1945-01-12
"...A paper with the round-up of the day's news called 'The Nip Nipper" is now published and put out daily on board and a scandal paper called 'The Gaton' is put out once in awhile giving inside scoops and amusing incidents about members of the crew...They are enjoyed by all--and whoever started surely did a good deed for us fellows...."
Letter from "Pete" to his mother, 1945-01-13
"...During the day we get to sack in after we complete our days work. I don't even hit my sack, I just take my life jacket and sleep on the deck...."
Letter from "Pete" to his mother, 1945-01-13
"...I worked fairly hard today handling lines and odd jobs. We can now only take a fresh water shower every third night. Sionce I was so darn dirty, I broke down and much against my constitution, took a salt water shower...."
Letter from "Pete" to his mother, 1945-01-14
"Last night, being Saturday night, we heard the 'hit parade' over the PA system. There was also a lot of good music coming over the radio up until ten when taps blew...at the canteen tonight I bought a cake which was quite a treat and it was good and cold...."
Letter from "Pete" to his mother, 1945-01-15
"I had the four to six messenger watch this afternoon which leaves me with the twelve to four tonight. Seems like those mid (12-4) watches sure roll around swiftly...."
Letter from "Pete" to his mother, 1945-01-17
"...I just took a cold but fresh water shower and I feel quite refreshing [sic] now. They don't turn on any spicket except the cold one, when we do have a fresh water shower on, because if they made it nice and warm we'd stay under it longer and waste a lot of water...."
Letter from "Pete" to his mother, 1945-01-16
"...I visited ship's service store again tonight and bought my usual rations of sweets. That is a plenty [---]. Three bars of candy, can of peanuts and some mints...I talked to Earl the Marine again tonight. He's a pretty swell, nice boy. He doesn't smoke or drink, which means a lot or at least shows thast he has a very high resistance against these temptations...."
Letter from "Pete" to his mother, 1945-01-20
"...How did you like my every day account of my activities as far as I could say without it being censored or rather cut out by the censors? The reason that I put several letters in one envelope was to conserve my Air Mail stamps. It was a good idea, wasn't it?...Guess you've been reading in the papers where three servicemen7 were put off an Army airplane to make way or space for Col. Roosevelt's dog...."
Letter from "Pete" to his mother, 1945-01-20
"...Today while handling a cable some wires were ragged on it and as it passed through my hands rather fast it caught my right index finger and third finger also my thumb and ripped the skin off of them. They are quite sore now...confidentially, I've been overseas since September 7th '44. If anyone would ask me I'd probably answer them just like this, 'Too d--- long'...."