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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by ENCS Jerry Patterson USN Ret. LCU-1624

Harbor Utility Craft - YFU-57
ex
 Landing Craft Utility - LCU-709 (1956 - 1966)
 Landing Craft Ship - LSU-709 (1949 - 1956)
 Landing Craft Tank - LCT(6)-709 (1943 - 1949)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Bravo - Echo
 NCBE
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon -
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation (1 July 1971 – 30 April 1972) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal (12)
Fourth Row - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation - Vietnam Campaign Medal
Landing Craft Tank (Mark 6) / YFU-1 Class Harbor Utility Craft:
  • Laid down, 10 November 1943, at Quincy Barge Builders, Quincy, IL.
  • Launched, 26 December1943
  • Delivered, 11 January 1944
  • Transported to Plymouth, U.K. in April 1944 by USS LST-510
  • Placed in service, date unknown
  • During World War II LCT(6)-709 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
  • Redesignated Landing Craft Utility LSU-709 in 1949
  • Redesignated Landing Craft Utility LCU-709, 15 April 1956
  • Reclassified Harbor Utility Craft (YFU-57), 1 March 1966
  • During the Vietnam War YFU-57 participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    1 July 1966 to 31 May 1967     		Tet/69 Counteroffensive
    23 February to 8 June 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968     		Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 June to 31 October 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 1 April 1968     		Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    1 November 1969 to 30 April 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    2 April to 30 June 1968     		Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    1 May to 30 June 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    1 July to 1 November 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    1 July 1970 to 30 June 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    2 November 1968 to 22 February 1969     		Consolidation I
    1 July to 30 September 1971

  • Placed out of service, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • LCT(6)-709 earned one battle star for World War II service and as YFU-57 earned the Vietnam Service Medal with twelve campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 143 to 160 t.(lt), 309 to 320 t.(fl)
    Length 119' 1" (ovl.)
    Beam 32' 8"
    Draft
    limiting 3' 9"
    maximum navigation 5'
    Speed 10 kts.
    Range 700 nautical miles at 7 kts.
    Complement
    1 officer
    12 enlisted
    Cargo Capacity 150 short tons
    Armament
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    four .50 cal. machine guns
    Armor
    wheelhouse 20lbs
    gun shields 10lbs
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 80 Bbls
    Propulsion
    three Grey Marine 6-71 Diesel engines
    two Diesel-drive 10Kw 120V. D.C. Ships' Service Generators
    three propellers, 675shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LCT-709
    LCT-709 138k A tow of 6 LCT's, being delivered down river from their builder, Quincy Barge Builders, Quincy, IL., for outfitting by the Navy at New Orleans, LA. circa May 1944. Visible are LCT-709, LCT(6)-710, LCT(6)-712, LCT-713, LCT(6)-714, the sixth landing craft is presumed to be LCT(6)-711.
    LCT-709 was transported to the United Kingdom on LST-510 for the Normandy invasion.    		 Paul Samaras
    LCT-709 335k Another view of the same tow of 6 LCT's, being delivered down river from their builder, Quincy Barge Builders, Quincy, IL., for outfitting by the Navy at New Orleans, LA. in May 1944. Visible are: LCT(6)-709, LCT(6)-710, LCT(6)-712, LCT(6)-713, LCT(6)-714. LCT(6)-711 is presumed to be the sixth LCT in this tow. This photo appeared in a National Geographic Magazine article, issue date unknown Paul Samaras
    LCT-709 253k LCT(6)-709 off the invasion beaches at Normandy circa June 1944 Paul Samaras
    LCT-709 38k A close up of the above photo of LCT(6)-709 off of the Normandy beaches Paul Samaras
    YFU-57
    Winnemucca 63k YFU-57 and YFU-55 moored inboard of Winnemucca (YTB-785) at Nha Be, South Vietnam, late 1968.
    Photo contributed by Ray Longaker. Photo by Bruce Attebery.    		 Robert Hurst
    LCT-709 60k YFU-57 underway in Da Nang Harbor, 1969 Steve Wetzler
    LCT-709 119k YFU-57 and Winnemucca (YTB-785) moored at Nha Be Vietnam, circa 1971 © Richard Leonhardt
    YF-866 844k Kodiak (YF-866), YFU-57 and YFU-59 at Nha Be, South Vietnam, 5 February 1972. © Richard Leonhardt
    There is no history available for LCT(6)-709 / YFU-57 at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    World War II LCT Flotillas
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    Brownwater Navy in Vietnam Web Book
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To the Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Tank (LCT) Photo Index Back To The Yard and District Craft Type Index Back To The Harbor Utility Craft (YFU) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 20 July 2018