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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Lost to enemy mine, 19 June 1944, off Normandy beachhead

USS LST-523

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Zulu - November
NDZN

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, 15 October 1943, at Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.

Launched, 6 December 1943

Commissioned USS LST-523, 3 February 1944, LTjg. Harold H. Cross, USN, in command

During World War II USS LST-523 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
European-Africa-Middle East Campaign
Invasion of Normandy 6 to 19 June 1944

Struck from the Naval Register, 22 August 1944

USS LST-523 earned one battle star for World War II service

Final Disposition, sunk by enemy mine, 19 June 1944, off the Normandy beachhead

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
	508k	Location of US ships sunk off Normandy USS LST-523 *USS Susan B. Anthony* (AP-73) USS Corry (DD-463) USS Glennon (DD-620)** USS YMS-304 SS Charles Morgan Illustration from "National Geographic" magazine, June 2002		Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.

USS LST-523
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LTjg. Cross, Harold Howard, USN	3 February 1944 - 19 June 1944


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-423 Action Report, 19 June 1944
Sinking of LST-523 -History of the 300th Combat Engineers, 1943 to 1945, Remembering the Men of LST 523
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

Last Updated 21 February 2020