LST-491 at Plymouth, England, with a calculated list in preparation for launching LCT-554, after completing the North Atlantic crossing
History
United States
Name	LST-491
Builder	Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Company, Evansville, Indiana
Laid down	29 July 1943
Launched	23 September 1943
Commissioned	3 December 1943
Decommissioned	12 January 1946
Stricken	13 September 1976
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-512 Code letters: NPAX
Honors and awards	3 × battle stars (WWII)
Fate	Sold to the Philippines, 13 September 1976
Philippines
Name	Lanao del Sur
Namesake	The province of Lanao del Sur
Commissioned	13 September 1976
Decommissioned	1988
Identification	LT-503
Fate	Converted to commercial barge after 1988
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	LST-491-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) (light) 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) (full (seagoing draft with 1,675 short tons (1,520 t) load) 2,366 long tons (2,404 t) (beaching)
Length	328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward; 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Full load: 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft Landing with 500 short tons (450 t) load: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft
Installed power	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,700 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
Speed	12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range	24,000 nmi (44,000 km; 28,000 mi) at 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) while displacing 3,960 long tons (4,024 t)
Boats & landing craft carried	6 x LCVPs
Capacity	1,600–1,900 short tons (3,200,000–3,800,000 lb; 1,500,000–1,700,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
Troops	16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement	13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament	Varied, ultimate armament 2 × twin 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns 4 × single 40 mm Bofors guns 12 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons

USS LST-491 was the lead ship of her class of tank landing ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.

Construction and commissioning

LST-491 was laid down on 29 July 1943, at Evansville, Indiana, by the Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Company; launched on 23 September 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Barton Cook; and commissioned on 3 December 1943.^[2]

Service history

During World War II, LST-491 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the Invasion of Normandy in June 1944, and the invasion of southern France in August and September 1944. She was then assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and took part in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in May and June 1945.^[2]

Following the war, LST-491 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early January 1946. The tank landing ship returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 12 January 1946. She was loaned to the Japanese government on 31 March 1952, and operated under the Shipping Control Authority, Japan.^[2]

The ship was later operated by Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), later the Military Sealift Command (MSC), Pacific and redesignated USNS T-LST-491.^[2]

The ship was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in June 1975 and transferred to the Philippine Navy on 13 September 1976. Her final fate is unknown.^[2]

LST-491 earned three battle stars for World War II service.^[2]