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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Benzie County (LST-266)
ex
USS LST-266 (1943 - 1955)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Tango - Golf
NGTG

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Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal

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During World War II USS LST-266 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following action/campaign:

Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Convoy UGS-36, April 1944	Invasion of Normandy, June 1944

USS Benzie County earned two battle stars for World War II service as USS LST-266

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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

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Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Source
	166k	USS LST-266 at anchor, date and location unknown.		LST-266 web site
	46k	USS LST-266 division photo, date and location unknown.		Tommy Trampp
	194k	World War II Camels cigarette advertisement featuring USS LST-266 Copyright R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, North Carolina		Roger Smoothy

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USS LST-266
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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Commanding Officers
01	LT. Bolon, Logan A., USNR	4 August 1943 - 1945
02	LT. Martin, John Cecil, USN	1945 - 1947
03	LT. Cross, Elmer Ellsworth, USN	1947 - 25 June 1947

Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
The USS LST Ship Memorial
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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

Last Updated 13 April 2018