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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Presque Isle (APB-44)
ex
 USS LST-678 (1944 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Lima - Kilo
 NFLK
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


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

USS Presque Isle (APB-44) was transferred to Indonesia and named KRI Teluk Ratai (509)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship / Benewah Class Self-propelled Barracks Ship:
  • Laid down, 29 April 1944, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 16 June 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST 678, 19 July 1944, LT. Clare E. Beatty USNR in command
  • Redesignated USS Presque Isle (APB-44), 31 March 1945
  • During World War II USS Presque Isle (APB-44) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS Presque Isle (APB-44) was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 20 September 1945 to 14 February 1946
  • USS Presque Isle was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.8.3 (Service Group - Dispatch Boat and Boat Pool for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Decommissioned, 18 April 1947
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Charleston Navy Yard
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 May 1959
  • Transferred to Indonesia, renamed KRI Teluk Ratai (509)
  • Disposed of by Indonesian Navy, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    APB Specifications:
    Displacement 4,000 t.
    Length 328'
    Beam 50'
    Draft 11' 2"
    Speed 12 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 12
    Enlisted 129
    Troop Accommodation
    Officers 26
    Enlisted 1200
    Armament
    two quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    twenty .50 and .30 cal machine guns
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 2,975 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A Diesel engines
    double Falk Main Reduction Gears
    five Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V Ship's Service Generators
    twin rudders
    two propellers, 1,600shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS LST-678
    LST-678 39k USS LST-678 at anchor, starboard broadside view, circa February-March 1945. Note, LST-678 has been reconfigured as a Self-propelled Barracks Ship although her hull number has not yet been changed. Allen Pike, Courtesy Joseph LaGeorge USS APB-44
    APB-44 56k USS LST-678 at anchor off Iwo Jima, just off shore from Mount Suribachi, circa February-March 1945. She has several minesweepers alongside. Note, LST-678 has been reconfigured as a Self-propelled Barracks Ship although she still carried her LST side number. Allen Pike, Courtesy Joseph LaGeorge USS APB-44
    USS Presque Isle (APB-44)
    APB-44 36k USS Presque Isle (APB-44) at anchor, port broadside view, date and location unknown. Allen Pike, Courtesy Joseph LaGeorge USS APB-44
    APB-44 36k USS Presque Isle (APB-44) at anchor, starboard stern quarter view, date and location unknown. Allen Pike, Courtesy Joseph LaGeorge USS APB-44
    APB-44 78k USS Presque Isle (APB-44) at anchor, looking forward from the bridge area, date and location unknown. Allen Pike, Courtesy Joseph LaGeorge USS APB-44
    APB-44 63k USS Presque Isle (APB-44) at anchor, location unknown, circa 1945-46. Note the quonset hut on deck. Ships of this class had six sets of Welin davits, as did many LSTs.
    US Navy photo # NH 83814, courtesy Shipscribe.com    		 Robert Hurst
    KRI Teluk Ratai (509)
    APB-44
    10134448    		 141k KRI Teluk Ratal (509) [ex-USS Presque Isle (APB-44)] at Port of Boom Baru, Palembang, South Sumatra, 5 May 2013.
    Photo Lanal Palembang (Palembang Naval Base)     		Robert Hurst
    APB-44
    10134449    		 123k KRI Teluk Ratal (509) underway, 12 August 2019. Courtesy of Indonesian Navy. Robert Hurst
    USS LST-678 / Presque Isle (APB-44)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Beatty, Clare Emerson, USNR10 July 1944 - 22 December 1945
    02LTjg. Upton, David Francis, USNR22 December 1945 - 12 May 1946
    03LT. Caver, Billie Frederick, USNR12 May 1946 - 10 November 1946
    04LT. Sump, Ethan Allen, LT USN10 November 1946 - 18 April 1947
    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 Presque Isle (APB-44) Crew Personnel Photo Collections
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship Tank (LST) Photo Index Back To The Self-propelled Barracks (APB) Ship Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 5 April 2024