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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

HM LST-63

LST-63 transferred to the Royal Navy for the duration of World War II

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship

Laid down, 6 August 1942, at the Jeffersonville Boat and Machinery Co., Jeffersonville, IN.

Launched, 19 December 1942

Transferred to the United Kingdom, 15 March 1943

Royal Navy History
Commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM LST-63, 29 March 1943
Sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, 18 May 1943 in convoy SC 131 carrying general cargo
Arrived Liverpool, 31 May 1943, with HM LST-64, HM LST-164, HM LST-198 and HM LST-200
Sailed from the Clyde, 25 June 1943, as part of convoy KMS 19 for the invasion of Sicily
During World War II HM LST-63 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
Sicilian Occupation, July and August 1943
Salerno landings, September 1943
Anzio advanced landings, January to March 1944
Invasion of Normandy, June 1944

Paid off at New York 17 December 1945

Returned to US Naval custody, 17 December 1945

Struck from the Naval Register, 21 January 1946

Sold for conversion to merchant service, 27 May 1948, to Northern Metals Co., Philadelphia, PA.

Converted to an auto ferry for The Virginia Ferry Corporation, named MV Northampton remaining in service until 1964 when the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel was opened. Northampton spent her last years serving as a barge with the Tidewater Towing Corp.

Final Disposition, fate unknown.

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

7 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

1 - 12 Pounder anti-aircraft multi-barrel mount

6 - 20MM mounts

4 - Fast Aerial Mine (FAM) mounts

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
HM LST-63
	68k	HM LST-63 off Salerno in September 1943. The ship is loaded with guns and supplies and is on her way to the beach. She is also towing a barrage balloon. Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official collection, Photo No. © IWM (A 19148)	Mike Green
Merchant Service
	783k	Post card of ex-HM LST-63 as The Virginia Ferry Corporation's MV Northampton	Tommy Trampp

LST-63
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 29 May 2015