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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-974

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Kilo - Sierra
NKKS

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp)

542-Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 28 November 1944, at Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., Hingham, MA.

Launched, 31 December 1944

Commissioned USS LST-974, 31 January 1945, LT. Arnold C. Lane USNR in command

During World War II USS LST-974 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Following World War II USS LST-974 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 to 13 December 1945
9 January to 14 May 1946	9 January to 14 May 1946

Decommissioned and transferred to the State Department for disposal, 14 May 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 19 June 1946

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 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
	167k	USS LST-974 underway in 1945, location unknown. US Navy Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH-89243		Robert Hurst

USS LST-974
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Lane, Arnold C., USNR	31 January 1945 - 31 January 1946
02	LT. Pettys, Delmar E., USNR	31 January 1946 - 16 February 1946
03	LTjg. Wolff, Arthur H., USNR	16 February 1946 - 14 May 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 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 27 September 2019