USS LST - 738 USS " LST - 738 " was an built for the United States Navy during World War II . " LST - 738 " was laid down on 20 February 1944 at Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania by the Dravo Corporation of Neville Island ; launched on 1 April 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . John S . Mason ; and commissioned on 9 May 1944 with Lieutenant John T . Barnett , USNR , in command . Service history . During World War II " LST - 738 " was assigned to the Asiatic - Pacific theater and participated in the Leyte landings in October , 1944 and the Mindoro landings in December . On 15 December 1944 , while off the southern tip of Mindoro , she was hit by a Japan ese kamikaze plane and set ablaze . After attempts to control the fires were unsuccessful , " LST - 738 " was abandoned and sunk by the guns of other ships of the invasion fleet . USS " LST - 738 " earned two battle star s for her World War II service . The attack . On 15 December 1944 , " LST - 738 " was one of thirty LSTs in Task Unit 78 . 34 , under the command of Captain Richard Webb . The Task Unit was operating in support of the landings at Mindoro , scheduled for that day . A group of approximately ten Mitsubishi A6M ' Zeke ' , Nakajima Ki - 44 ' Tojo ' and Ki - 43 ' Oscar ' single seat fighters , and Nakajima B5N ' Kate ' three seat torpedo bombers began their attack on the Task Unit shortly after 09 : 10 , as the LSTs were positioning for their landings . Ships within range opened fire , shooting down several of the attackers . Two Kates that survived the initial anti - aircraft fire made a run on " LST - 738 " at a low altitude . Anti - aircraft fire from " LST - 738 " and hit both planes , but they continued in spite of the damage . The first Kate crashed onto " LST - 738 " amidships , just above the waterline . There was an explosion from the plane ' s bombs , and a fire from the plane ' s wreckage . The second Kate dove for " LST - 738 " s bridge , but missed and was shot down by " Moale " , crashing to the port of " LST - 738 " . Damage control parties went to work fighting fires , but the crash had damaged " LST - 738 " s fire mains making the fires hard to control . The commanding officer ordered the army troops on board to abandon ship . " LST - 738 " s crew flooded her magazines , which made fire fighting even more difficult . In her hold were drums of aviation gas and a load of oxygen bottles , a certain combination for massive explosions if the fire reached them . A second explosion ripped through the ship , and most of the crew abandoned ship . At that time , Captain J . T . Barnett , the Pharmacist Mate , and a radioman last of the crew still aboard . The Captain destroyed the IFF radar and the SOS radar , then ordered the radioman to the stern and to abandon ship . A third explosion then threw the Captain and Pharmacist Mate to the bridge deck . The Captain then determined that all hope was lost and that if " Moale " was to come alongside , it would not help save the ship . The Captain waited to see if " Moale " wished to come alongside , but a fourth explosion threw him to the deck . " Moale " backed off rapidly . The water around " LST - 738 " was covered in oil , and was burning , and a few personnel were observed working hard to swim away . After the Pharmacist Mate jumped over the side , both sides of the ship , the Captain checked for personnel hanging on lines . Several were observed and were ordered away from the ship . The Captain , the last man on board , then went over the side . The fourth blast had put a hole in " Moale " s bow , killing one of her men and wounding ten others . As for " LST - 738 " crew , no one had died , but several men were injured in the crash , fire and explosions . " LST - 738 " was abandoned as a burning hulk . The next morning she was sunk by destroyer at .