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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-61


Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Mike - Victor
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - European- African-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 24 June 1942, at Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.
  • Launched, 8 November 1942
  • Commissioned USS LST-61, 5 February 1943, LT. Norris G. Murphy USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-61 was first assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943 Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September 14 October 1944
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944  

  • Decommissioned, 5 June 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 19 June 1946
  • Title transferred to the Maritime Commission, date unknown
  • sold, 3 January 1948, to Texas Petroleum Col, renamed MV Jobare
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1960
  • USS LST-61 earned three battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t. (beaching displacement)
    Length 328' o.a.
    Beam 50'
    Draft
    light 2' 4" fwd, 7' 6" aft
    sea-going 8' 3" fwd, 14' 1" aft
    landing 3' 11" fwd, 9' 10" aft (landing w/500 ton load)
    limiting 11' 2"
    maximum navigation 14' 1"
    Speed 11.6 kts. (trial)
    Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
    Complement
    13 officers
    104 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    16 officers
    147 enlisted
    Boats 2 LCVP
    Cargo Capacity (varied with mission - payloads between 1600 and 1900 tons)
    Typical loads
    One Landing Craft Tank (LCT), tanks, wheeled and tracked vehicles, artillery, construction equipment and military supplies. A ramp or elevator forward allowed vehicles access to tank deck from main deck
    Additional capacity included sectional pontoons carried on each side of vessel amidships, to either build Rhino Barges or use as causeways. Married to the bow ramp, the causeways would enabled payloads to be delivered ashore from deeper water or where a beachhead would not allow the vessel to be grounded forward after ballasting
    Armament (varied with availability when each vessel was outfitted. Retro-fitting was accomplished throughout WWII. The ultimate armament design for United States vessels was
    2 - Twin 40MM gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    4 - Single 40MM gun mounts
    12 single 20MM gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 4,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A, 900hp Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    three Diesel-drive 100Kw 230V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 1,700shp
    twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    LST-61 91k USS LST-61 moored, date and location unknown. Ann Ruyle Hoffstetter for her father LTjg. Dwight Ruyle USNR USS LST-61
    LST-55 91k USS LST-61 and USS LST-55 unloading cargo on Omaha Beach, Normandy, June 1944. Robert Hurst
    LST-197/61 69k USS LST-61 and USS LST-197 on the beach at Normandy after 6 June 1944
    US Navy photo    		 Russ Padden
    USS LST-61
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
     LT. Marshall, Clarence A., USNR (Ferry Command)28 January 1943 - 5 February 1943Ferry Command
    01LT. Murphy, Norris, G., USNR5 February 1943 - 27 April 1943 
    02LT. Crossan, Henry M., USN27 April 1943 - 25 August 1943crew exchange with USS LST-73
    03LT. Bradbury, Wilfred Kingston, USNR25 August 1943 - September 1944 
    04LT. Price, Robert K., USNRSeptember 1944 - 15 July 1945 
    05LT. Werner, John L., USNR15 July 1945 - December1945 
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    LST Home Port
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 18 April 2014