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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Buchanan County (LST-504)
ex
 USS LST-504 (1943 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Xray - Juliet
 NDXJ
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 (2)
Bottom 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, 21 July 1943, at Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.
  • Launched, 19 October 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-504, 18 December 1943, LT. G. M. Budd, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-504 was assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters and participated in the 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 30 June 1945
    Invasion of Southern France, 15 August 25 September 1944  

  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-504 came under the command of:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Nine, 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-504 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    10 to 23 September 1945
    20 December 1945 to 15 January 1946

  • Decommissioned, 22 January 1946 and assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q016
  • Laid up in the Reserve Fleet
  • Named USS Buchanan County (LST-504), 1 July 1955
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 11 August 1955
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target in February 1956
  • USS Buchanan County (LST-504) earned three battle stars for World War II service as USS LST-504
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t.
    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-504 103k USS LST-504 loaded and headed to France during the Invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Jane Garnett in honor of her father Jackson H. Jones MoMM USS LST-504
    LSTs995/1020 239k Southern France Invasion, August 1944. LST's loading invasion supplies and vehicles at Nisida, Italy, 9 August 1944, just prior to the Southern France Operation. Note barrage balloons overhead. Ships loading on beach include (left to right):
    USS LST-1019;
    USS LST-504;
    USS LST-1020; and
    USS LST-995; among others. Passing by in center distance is
    USS LST-505.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-258037, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 Rob Rielly
    LST-504 33k USS LST-504 crew members, left to right: MoMM Albert Golbach - Chicago; MoMM Eddie Grace - Brooklyn; MoMM Riley Moore - Herrin, IL.; MoMM Kelly Haase - Clintonville, WS.; MoMM Jackson H. Jones, on top of gun (note the cowboy boots), 17 February 1945. Jane Garnett in honor of her father Jackson H. Jones MMoM USS LST-504
    LST-504 54k USS LST-504 crew members on the stern, 15 February 1945, at Providence, R.I.. Left to right: Kelly Haase MoMM Clintonville, WS.; Emil T Dandrea MoMM Lorain, OK.; Albert Golbach MoMM Chicago (on Dandrea's shoulder); Eddie Grace MoMM Brooklyn NY; "Jonesy" [Jackson Jones] MoMM Charleston WVA.; Riley Moore MoMM Herrin, IL.; George Leiasue, Cox, PA. Jane Garnett in honor of her father Jackson H. Jones MMoM USS LST-504
    LST-504 73k Jackson H. Jones MMom at his station in the engine room aboard USS LST-504, date and location unknown. Jane Garnett in honor of her father Jackson H. Jones MMoM USS LST-504
    LST-504 153k USS LST-504 crew members in the engine room, lower right "Jonesy" [Jackson H. Jones Jane Garnett in honor of her father Jackson H. Jones MMoM USS LST-504
    LST-504 145k USS LST-504 conning tower looking aft, date and location unknown. Jane Garnett in honor of her father Jackson H. Jones MMoM USS LST-504
    LST-504 84k USS LST-504 beached at Chim Wan, Okinawa, 8 June 1945 while being unloaded by Navy CBs Chuck Heller
    for his father who was LST-504's Comm Officer
    LST-504 127k USS LST-504 crew standing at inspection, between Guam and Saipan, date unknown. Note they have been assembled in the well deck of an LCT being carried on the main deck. Chuck Heller
    for his father who was LST-504's Comm Officer
    LST-504 48k USS LST-504 20mm AA gun. The gunner is Jackson H. Jones, circa 1945 off Guam. Jane Garnett in honor of her father Jackson H. Jones MMoM USS LST-504
    LST-504 64k USS LST-504 headed to Okinawa with LCT-1048 loaded on her deck and pontoons secured to her sides Jane Garnett in honor of her father Jackson H. Jones MMoM USS LST-504
    USS Buchanan County (LST-504)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Budd, G. M., USNR18 December 1943 - January 1945
    02LT. Meadors, W. J., USNRJanuary 1945 - August 1945
    03LTjg. Orner, S. B., USNRAugust 1945 - 22 January 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    LST-504 War Diary, 18 December - 31 December 1943
    LST-504 Action Report - Invasion of Normandy
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    LST Home Port
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 1 November 2024