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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-378


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Alpha - India
 NDAI
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (4)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 12 December 1942, at the Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 6 February 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST 378, 10 February 1943, LT. Frank T. Ratchford USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-378 was assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943 West Coast of Italy operations-1944
    Anzio-Nettuno advanced landings-1944, 22 January to 1 March 1944
    Salerno landings, 9 to 23 September 1943 Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

  • While assigned in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-278 came under the command of :
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Seven, CAPT. Riley;
    LST Group One Hundred Nine, CDR. E. W, Wilson USNR;
    LST Division Two Hundred Seventeen
  • Following World War II USS LST-378 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    15 to 25 October 1945
    18 November 1945 to 29 January 1946

  • Decommissioned, 20 February 1946 and assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q069
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 March 1947
  • USS LST-378 earned four battle stars for World War II service
  • Transferred to the US Military Government, Korea, 5 March 1947
  • 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
    13 officers
    104 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    16 officers
    147 enlisted
    Boats 4 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 Contributed
    By
    LST-378
    1016037802    		 182k USS LST-378 partial crew photo, date and location unknown.
    Photo from ebay    		 David Wright
    LST-378 35k USS LST-378 beached at Normandy, France, circa June 1944 LST Home Port web site
    USS LST-378
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Ratchford, Frank T., USNR10 February 1943 - September 1943
    02LT. Oberg, Frank J., USNRSeptember 1943 - 19 April 1944
    03LT. Anderson, Edward C., USNR19 April 1944 - November 1945
    04LTjg. Mason, C. S., USNNovember 1945 - 20 February 1946
    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
    USS LST-378 1943 and 1944 Menus
    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 and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    Last Updated 29 April 2022