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Lost to enemy action, 9 August 1943

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-318


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - November - Quebec
 NJNQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (9 August 1943)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
 Personnel Awards

Purple Hearts (4 WIA - 1 August 1943) (20 WIA - 9 August 1943)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship
  • Laid down, 15 October 1942, at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Launched, 28 January 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-318, 8 February 1943, LT. R. Borden, USNR, in command
  • During World War II, USS LST-318 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Sicilian occupation
    Southern Sicilian landing Licata - (Blue Beach) 9 to 15 July 1943
    Northern Sicilian operations, 28 July to 17 August 1943
  • Final Disposition, sunk while participating in an amphibious raid behind German lines, 9 August 1943, at Coronia, Sicily
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 20 October 1943
  • USS LST-318 earned one battle star 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-318 55k USS LST-318 off Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York, early February 1943. Robert J. Coates for his father Walter F. Coates QM2/c USNR USS LST-310, USS LST-318, USS LST-294
    LST-318
    1016031805    		 148k USS LST-318 launching LCT-201 date and location unknown. Rick Davis
    LST-318 163k USS LST-318 and USS LST-317 moored side by side in a North African port, circa 1943.
    Associated Press photo released, 19 October 1943.    		 David Wright and
    Robert J. Coates for his father Walter F. Coates QM2/c USNR USS LST-310, USS LST-318, USS LST-294
    LST-318 96k USS LST-318 moored outboard of (possibly) USS LST-317) in 1943, in a Mediterranean port, probably in North Africa.
    US Navy photo 108-9.    		 Tommy Trampp
    USS LST-318
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Borden, R., USNR8 February 1943 - 9 August 1943
    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
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 23 October 2020