Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-996


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Quebec - Papa
 NVQP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-542 Class Landing Ship Tank:
  • Laid down, 27 March 1944, at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.
  • Launched, 2 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-996, 23 May 1944, LT. Charles A. Leach, Jr. USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LST-996 was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Invasion of southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944 Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 10 April to 30 June 1945

  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-996 came under the command of:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Six, CAPT. D.F.J. Shea USN (23);
     LST Group One Hundred Six, CDR. O.P. Thomas Jr. USN (26);
     LST Division Two Hundred Eleven
  • Decommissioned, 22 April 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register 8 May 1946
  • USS LST-996 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping 12 October 1947, to the Hugo Steel Products Corp., New York City, N.Y.
    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 996 65k USS LST-996 launching, at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA., 2 May 1944. Richard Hall
    LST 996 869k USS LST-996, the first LST to reach the beach, off loads a truck during the invasion of southern France, 15 August 1944.
    US National Archives photo # III-SC 192903, a US Army Signal Corps. photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 David Kerr
    LST 996 61k USS LST-996 beached, date and location unknown. Martin A Greaser
    LST 996 34k USS LST-996 beached at Okinawa in 1945. Martin A Greaser
    LST 996 144k USS LST-996 beached at Okinawa in 1945. Sam Stokes
    LST-778
    1016077801    		 102k USS LST-996 and USS LST-778 moored together, circa 1945, location unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 73253    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    USS LST-996
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Leach Jr., Charles Alfred, USNR23 May 1944 - 31 August 1945
    02LT. McCue, Raymond G., USNR31 August 1945 - 16 September 1945
    03LTjg. Ellis III, Caswell P., USNR16 September 1945 - 3 January 1946
    04LTjg. O'Connor, J. R., USNR3 January 1946 - 22 April 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
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 30 April 2021