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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-494


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Hotel - Bravo
 NPHB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2)
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
LST-491 Class Tank Landing Ship;
  • Laid down, 10 August 1943 by Missouri Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville IN.
  • Launched, 10 October 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-494, 18 December 1943, LT. Irving C. Noyes, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-494 was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944 Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 29 April to 24 June 1945
    Invasion of Southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944  

  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-494 was assigned to
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Five, CAPT. D. H. Johnston USN (22);
     LST Group One Hundred Five, CDR. E.P. Wilson USN (20);
     LST Division Two Hundred Ten
  • Following World War II USS LST-494 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 September 1945 to 15 March 194616 March to 27 May 1946

  • Decommissioned, 29 June 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 28 August 1946
  • USS LST-494 earned three battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping to Bosey, P.I., 12 August 1948
    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 Contributed
    By
    LST-494 81k USS LST-494 underway off North Africa, c.1944. Courtesy USS LST 494 Association
    LST-494 30k USS LST-494 beached at Omaha Beach, during the Invasion of Normandy, 19 June 1944. Courtesy USS LST 494 Association
    LST-494 31k USS LST-494 at anchor tending a torpedo net off Okinawa, c. 1945. Courtesy USS LST 494 Association
    LST-494 219k USS LST-494 at anchor tending a torpedo net off Okinawa c. 1945. (Viewed from a Net Tender (AN) through her "horns". Robert Hurst
    USS LST-494
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Noyes, Irving C. (Chet), USNR18 December 1943 - March 1945
    02LT. Coke, Frank Van Deren, USNRMarch 1945 - September 1945
    03LT. McHail, Paul R., USNRSeptember 1945 - December 1945
    04LTjg. Seidenfaden, W. R., USNRDecember 1945 - March 1946
    05LT. DeVane, E. D., USNRMarch 1946 - 29 June 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
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    LST-494 Association
    LST Homeport
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 9 February 2018