LST-681 was a tank landing ship, and the hull number was her name. She was an LST-542-class ship. American Bridge, at Ambridge, Pennsylvania, laid her down on 10 May 1944 and launched her on 1 July 1944. The Dictionary names Mrs. Pauline Taylor as sponsor. NavSource does not. The Navy commissioned her on 25 July 1944. The Dictionary says Lieutenant (junior grade) L. J. J. Spengler of the Naval Reserve. NavSource spells the same officer Louis J. J. Spengler. Both initials are his. The class size and the 11.6-knot trial are the figures NavSource prints for the LST-542 ships. The ultimate gun battery in that line is a design, not a count made on this hull.
She earned two battle stars. The first is the Lingayen Gulf landings on 9 January 1945. NavSource prints the gulf as Lingayan, which is a misspelling, and files the day under the Luzon operation. The Dictionary says Lingayen Gulf landings, January 1945. The second star is the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 2 April to 7 June 1945. On 23 July 1945 she was third from the right at the Yonabaru pier, with LST-819, LST-879, LST-926, LST-944, LST-715, LST-918, and LST-871. She was not sunk. After her Southwest Pacific service NavSource assigns her to LST Flotilla 6. Occupation duty runs from 25 October 1945 to 12 March 1946. She also has the Philippine Liberation Medal with one star.
Lieutenant John F. Daffron of the Naval Reserve relieved Spengler on 28 August 1945. Lieutenant (junior grade) Elgin G. Deidrick of the Naval Reserve, spelled that way on the list, had her from 12 January 1946. She was decommissioned on 6 September 1946, struck on 8 October 1946, and sold for scrap on 9 October 1947 to William E. Skinner.
A note on sources. The Dictionary entry gives Mrs. Pauline Taylor, the commissioning officer's initials, Lingayen Gulf in January 1945, Okinawa from April through June, occupation until mid-March 1946, the September and October 1946 dates, the 9 October 1947 sale to William E. Skinner, and two battle stars. NavSource gives 9 January and 2 April to 7 June, prints Lingayan, names Louis J. J. Spengler, and spells the last commanding officer Deidrick. The Golden Gate photograph is NH 79089. The pier photograph is 21st Naval Construction Battalion negative 204.
