LST-480 was an built for the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

LST-480 was laid down on 31 August 1942 at Richmond, California

Richmond, California

Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...

 by Kaiser Cargo, Inc.; launched on 29 October 1942 ; and commissioned on 3 May 1943.

It was sunk on 21 May 1944 when a series of explosions which began on , sparked the West Loch Disaster

West Loch Disaster

The West Loch Disaster was a previously secret American World War II maritime accident which led to the deaths of 163 men at the U.S. naval base of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on 21 May 1944...

 in Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...

 naval base. The rusting partially beached hulk of LST-480 is the only visible remainder of the disaster.

World War II Pacific Theatre operations

During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, LST-480 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations:

• Gilbert Islands
  Gilbert Islands
  The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
  
    operation: Capture and occupation of Gilbert Islands , 13 November to 8 December 1943.
• Marshall Islands
  Marshall Islands
  The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
  
   operation: Occupation of Kwajalein
  Kwajalein
  Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
  
   and Majuro
  Majuro
  Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
  
   Atolls, 29 January to 8 February 1944.

Accident

On 21 May 1944 she was sunk by internal explosion onboard , while moored in West Loch at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and struck from the Naval Vessel Register

Naval Vessel Register

The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...

 on 18 July 1944.

Five other LSTs were so damaged from the fire caused by the explosion that they too sank, including , , , and . Two others were severely damaged. In all 163 sailors were killed; 396 wounded.

The wreck can still be seen in West Loch 

LST-480 earned two battle stars for World War II service.