Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
Naval History Division • Washington

USS LST-597

During World War II, LST-597 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations:

Palawan island landings--March 1945
Visayan Island landings--March and April 1945
Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto--June 1945

Following the war, LST-597 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early March 1946. [At war's end, for a brief period of time, she was turned over to the Japanese Navy at Yokohama, Honshu, Japan, for their temporary use.] Upon her return to the United States, the ship was decommissioned on 5 March 1946 and struck form the Navy list on 29 September 1947. On 31 May 1948, she was sold to the Bethlehem Steel Co., of Bethlehem, Pa., for scrapping.

[While sailing for the cause of freedom (as Captain Robert Johnson put it ). LST-597 covered over 48,000 ocean miles, and he added "TARE VICTOR GEORGE" (which you sailors know means "WELL DONE".)]

LST-597 earned two battle stars for World War II service.