LST-973 Trapp

Navy BBS

Legacy Messages - 1995-1999

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Carl Rehberg wrote on December 10, 2015

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City and State: COCOA FL

Unit: FORWARD ENGINE ROOM AND MAIN AUX. ENGINE ROOM

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Looking for any other veterans of LST-973 to share old stories. Living in Cocoa FL in winter and Gig Harbor WA the rest of the year.

Keywords: Inchon, Task Element 90.32

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Thomas E. (T.E.) Moore wrote on April 28, 2015

Send Email To THOMAS E. (T.E.) MOORE

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City and State:

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Service or Relationship: Other

Comments: A Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of The Bronze Star Medal, was awarded to Lt. Robert I.
Trapp, USN, C O of the USS LST-973, for heroic actions against enemy forces during the
Amphibious Assault at Inchon, Korea, 15 and 16, Sept. 1950.

Keywords: Korean War --- 15 & 16, Sept. 1950 --- Red Beach --- Hit by enemy fire from Cemetery Hill &
Observatory Hill --- USS LST-973 --- N U C --- 4-Korean War Battle Stars.

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John Davidson wrote on April 13, 2013

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City and State:

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Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: I served on the LST 973 during the Korean War. I was a Snipe down in the engine room.
I proudly served under Skipper Robert I. Trapp.

Keywords: LST 973

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Jeannie Tabor wrote on April 11, 2013

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City and State:

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Service or Relationship: Family Member

Comments: Trying to find information regarding my Dad, David E. Bickford.
He went aboard LST-973 Jan. 27, 1945. I am puzzled because I
remember his saying that he was in the Battle of Leyte (1944)on
an LST, but can find no record. With the exception of a photo I
have of his graduating class at the U.S. Naval Training Center
in Sampson, N.Y., there seems to be a blank slate of his service
record from the time he signed up after Pearl to when he went on
the Trapp. And yet, he spent his wartime in the Pacific. He
frequently spoke of how beautiful Hawaii was. After the War, he
signed with the Naval Reserves and was called up again during
the Korean War and served on the U.S.S. Everglades. Does anyone
have any suggestions where to search next to help fill in the
blanks?

Keywords: LST-973, Battle of Leyte Gulf, U.S.S. Everglades (during Korean
War) U.S. Naval Training Center, Sampson, N.Y.

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William Richards SR. wrote on June 21, 2008

Email Update Needed

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City and State: RIVERSIDE CA

Unit: NAVY CDR (RETIRED)

Service or Relationship: Other

Comments:

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Calvin Bard wrote on April 13, 2007

Email Update Needed

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City and State: SAN ANTONIO TX

Unit: LST 973; DECK DIVISION

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: I stand corrected. As a late arrival aboard the ship, I wasn't familiar with the 973's origins other than she was laid down somewhere on the East coast.

For those interested, the original skipper, George Irwin Purdy made his home in Japan after the war where he wrote his autobiography. "A Summer For A Lifetime: The Life and Times of George I. Purdy: as told to Thomas Caldwell." In it, according to the publisher, he tells the part the 973 played in the Pacific war. You young whippersnappers might find it interesting reading if you can tear yourselves away from your boob tubes and shuffle boards. LOL

Keywords: CORRECTION: Commissioning Date;

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Calvin Bard wrote on April 12, 2007

Email Update Needed

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City and State: SAN ANTONIO TX

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: I'm astounded to learn that the 973, was still in service in 1950, much less until 1960. I left her at Subic Bay in February,1946 and it was my understanding she was to be turned over to the Dutch.

I joined the crew of the 973 upon release from the Naval Hospital, Bremerton, WA. in April of '45. The 973 was my second ship.

Keywords: LST 973, "The Lone Wolf", commissioned in 1945; Lt. G. I. Purdy, commanding.

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Elmer Wallace wrote on May 30, 2005

Email Update Needed

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City and State: LANCASTER TX

Unit: LST973

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Looking for ROBERT (Andy) Anderson. Last known location was Kansas City Fire Dept. Had a GM3 rating.
Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Andy, his old LST buddies are asking about him. We were in Inchon together on Sept. 15, 1950. We are having reunions and still missing a lot of the original crew. The skipper, R. I. Trapp is alive and well.

Keywords: Inchon, Wonson, Hungnam, Koje Do, LST973

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L. W. (Rocky) Stroud wrote on March 25, 2002

Email Update Needed

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City and State:

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Service or Relationship: -

Comments: I WAS A MEMBER OF THE CREW ON LST 973 during the landing at Inchon Korea Sept 15'th 1950 and was one of the most severly wounded. I would like to hear from any member of any of the LST's in that landing.

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L.W. (Rocky) Stroud wrote on March 18, 2002

Email Update Needed

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City and State: BOYCE LA

Unit: LST 973

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran - Korea

Comments: I was in the first group of reserves called up from Houston on August 2nd 1950,flown to Japan and assigned to the LST 973. We picked up Marines at Kobe Japan and made the landing at Inchon on Sept. 15th, 1950.It was almost dark when we headed in to the sea wall. The firat LST to reach the wall took a direct hit on the gasoline drums and fire quickly spread all over the ship. I believe it was completely destroyed. We were the 3rd ship to reach the wall and received heavy mortar and small arms fire.Our drums were punctured by shrapnel but did not catch fire. I was wounded by shrapnel to my back which broke two vertebra, which resulted in a medical discharge in June 1951.I was quickly moved to inside the ship, sedated and saw no further action.I am very interested in hearing from any member of any of the LST's. Especially from the 973.

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Lisa Adams wrote on November 11, 2001

Email Update Needed

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City and State:

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Service or Relationship: Family Member

Comments: My name is Lisa Adams and my father is William W. Watson. He served aboard the LST-973 from Jan. 1945, when it was commissioned in Boston, MA. until it was decommissioned in June 1946 in the Phillipines.

My father left Boston in Jan. 1945 aboard LST-973 and sailed to the Phillipines by way of Norfolk, Va., Cuba, through the Panama Canal, to Seattle, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and finally to the Phillipines. The LST-973 was under the command of George I. Purdy.

He has told me many times of going into Tokyo Bay on V-day + 2 and how Cmd. Purdy made the crew go into the Bay under general quarters and how all the other sailors were sunning themselves on the decks of their battleships and laughed at this little LST coming into harbour at general quarters.

According to my father, the ship never partially sank in the Phillipines. He said the ship spent the war and the time immediately after going from the Phillipines, to Okanwa and Japan.

He enjoyed watching the History Channel's special on LST-325's return to the US from Greece and was pleased to hear about the LST-973's role in the Korean war.

I hope this information about the LST-973 before the Korean war is helpful.

Keywords: William W. Watson
LST-973
Jan. 1945 - June 1946

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Richard Brown wrote on February 4, 2001

Send Email To RICHARD BROWN

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City and State: JACKSON NJ

Unit: 395TH

Service or Relationship: Family Member

Comments: I am a son of John Lewis Brown who was on the LST-973 in 1952. He was stationed at Mare Island and San Diego around that time. Any info you may have would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
Richard

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