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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-500


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Alpha - Papa
NJAP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-491 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 8 September 1943, at Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville, IN.
  • Launched, 10 November 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-500, 13 January 1944, LT. Plynn J. Pulliam USN, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-500 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign;

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy 6 to 25 June 1944
  • Decommissioned, 18 July 1947
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1947
  • USS LST-500 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Acquired in 1948/1949 by the Philadelphia and Norfolk Steamship Co. of Wilmington, DE, named Southern Districts and converted to a cargo carrier
  • Final Disposition, Disappeared at sea 5 December 1954 while on a voyage from Port Sulphur, LA. to Bucksport, ME. carrying a cargo of sulphur. No survivors were ever found of the crew of 23.
    (U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation on the disappearance of the MV Southern Districts, ex-LST-500)
    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-500
    1016050005    		 240k Mrs. Ben Moreell christens LST-500 as part of the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company, Shipbuilding Division, Evansville, IN. launching #55 ceremony, 10 November 1943.
    Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library, Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company, Shipbuilding Division, Evansville, Indiana. Evansville Shipyard Collection. ID 1948_151.-04515b.    		 David Upton
    LST-500
    1016050006
    1948_151.-4893    		 230k LST-500, main deck forward while underway in the Great Lakes during builder's trials, 26 December 1943.
    Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library, Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company, Shipbuilding Division, Evansville, Indiana. Evansville Shipyard Collection. ID 1948_151.-4893 and 1948_151.-4892    		 David Upton
    LST-500
    1016050003
    1948_151.-4892    		 305k
    LST-500
    1016050004    		 208k USS LST-500 commissioning ceremony, 13 January 1944, at Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company, Shipbuilding Division, Evansville, IN.
    Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library, Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company, Shipbuilding Division, Evansville, Indiana. Evansville Shipyard Collection. ID 1948_151.-04963.    		 David Upton
    LST-500 48k USS LST-500 at anchor, date and location unknown. Donald S. Nilson for his Grandfather William O. Ellsoos RdM3/c USS LST-500
    USS LST-500
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Pulliam, Plynn James, USN13 January 1944 - May 1946
    02LT. Bratton III, Theodore D., USNRMay 1946 - 18 July 1947
    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 by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 30 April 2021