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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-45

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - Charlie - Whiskey
NQCW

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 (4) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 27 June 1943, at Dravo Corp., Neville Island, PA.

Launched, 31 August 1943

Commissioned USS LST-45, 15 October 1943, LTjg. John R. Perry USNR, in command

During World War II USS LST-45 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LST Flotilla Thirteen, CAPT. J. G. Sampson USN (22);
LST Group Thirty-Nine, CDR. B. T. Zelenka USN (24);
LST Division Seventy-Seven and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Marshall Islands operation Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944	Tinian capture and occupation, 24 July to 10 August 1944
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 June to 10 August 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (Okinawa and Ie Shima), 26 March 30 June 1945

Following World War II USS LST-45 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
4 January to 14 February 1946	19 September to 28 October 1945
2 to 19 September 1947	2 August to 1 September 1947

Decommissioned, 30 November 1948

Struck from the Naval Register, 22 December 1948

USS LST-45 earned four battle stars for World War II service

Final Disposition, sold to the Foss Launch & Tug Co., Seattle, WA., 25 February 1949, 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

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
1086k	USS LST-45 moored at Pearl Harbor, circa 16 to 23 January 1946. Also present are: *USS Bennington* (CV-20) moored across the channel at NAS Ford Island, USS Troilus (AKA-46) moored astern of, USS Cape Gloucester (CVE-109)*, USS LST-1079* moored astern of USS LST-1070 *USS Terror* (CM-5)*, USS LST-459* with *LCT-1015* secured to her main deck, astern of USS LST-863 Moored forward of *LST-863* are an unidentified Minesweeper and two Rescue and Salvage ships The next pier has two unidentified ships, possibly AKs the Survey Ship *USS Sumner* (AGS-5)*, and two unidentified Minesweepers USS LST-737* moored astern of USS LST-45 moored astern of numerous Minesweepers and possibly *USS Shipley Bay* (CVE-85)** US Navy photo BUAer photo # 496019 from "CINCPAC, Released 23 January 1946.	David Buell
52k	USS LST-45 moored to a piling, port side view, date and location unknown.	LST Home Port web site
43k	USS LST-45 moored to a piling, bow on view, date and location unknown.	LST Home Port web site
49k	USS LST-45 under way, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
193k	USS LST-45 in a floating drydock, circa 1945, location unknown. US National Archives photo # 80-G-345752, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Tracy White

USS LST-45
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LTjg. Perry, John Raymond, USNR	15 October 1943 - 1944
02	LT. Gamble, George C., USNR	1944 - 25 September 1944
03	LT. Daniel Jr., Jesse T., USNR	25 September 1944 - 1 February 1945
04	LT. Keens, Harvey L., USNR	1 February 1945 - December 1945
05	LTjg. Platt, Alex L., USNR	December 1945 - March 1946
06	LTjg. Horter, William L., USNR	March 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 Homeport
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 15 July 2016