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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-51


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Papa - Quebec
 NDPQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action ribbon - (Normandy 1944) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 29 August 1943, at Dravo Corp., Neville Island, PA.
  • Launched, 22 October 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-51, 8 December 1943, LT. Dale O. Morgan, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-51 was first assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944 Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 17 to 30 June 1945
    Invasion of southern France, 15 August and 25 September 1944  

  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-51 was under the command of:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Nine, CAPT. D. H. Johnston USN (22);
    LST Group One Hundred-Five, CDR. E. P Wilson USN (20);
    LST Division Two Hundred-Nine
  • Following World War II USS LST-51 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    18 October to 30 November 1945
    8 January to 6 March 1946

  • Decommissioned, 6 March 1946; Struck from the Naval Register, 31 October 1947
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 October 1947
  • Transferred, 20 February 1948, by the Maritime Commission to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q089
  • Final Disposition, sold, 20 April 1948, to Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, PA.
  • USS LST-51 earned three battle stars for World War II service
    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 Source
    LST-5156k USS LST-51, loading for D-Day at Portsmouth, England, June 1944. LST Home Port web site
    LST-51
    1016005103    		 372k USS LST-51 (left) with USS LST-75 (right) at Portland Harbor, Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom, preparing for Operation Overlord, the Invasion of Normandy, France. 2-3 June, 1944. The two LSTs are moored to LST Hard #2 while loading Army vehicles and personnel and equipment.
    Ref. USS LST 75 - War Diary - 6/1-30/44 National Archives Identifier 277721566, TimeLife_image_116688756. by Life Magazine photographer David Scherman. For personal non-commercial use only.    		 David Upton
    LST-51
    1016005102    		 366k USS LST-51 with USS LST-75 in the background at Portland Harbor, Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom, preparing for Operation Overlord, the Invasion of Normandy, France. 2-3 June, 1944. LST-51 is moored port side to LST Hard #2 while loading Army vehicles and personnel and equipment.
    Ref. USS LST 75 - War Diary - 6/1-30/44 National Archives Identifier 277721566, TimeLife_image_116688766, 116688765, 1166887659 by Life Magazine photographer David Scherman. For personal non-commercial use only.    		 David Upton
    LST-51
    1016005104
    TL 116688765    		 335k
    LST-51
    1016005105
    TL 1166887659    		 324k
    LST-51
    1016005106
    TL 1166887886    		 364k USS LST-51 (left) with USS LST-502 (right) at Portland Harbor, Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom, preparing for Operation Overlord, the Invasion of Normandy, France. 1-3 June, 1944. The two LSTs are moored to LST Hard #2 while loading Army vehicles and personnel and equipment.
    TimeLife_image_1166887886 and 1166887917, by Life Magazine photographer David Scherman. For personal non-commercial use only.    		 David Upton
    LST-51
    1016005107
    TL 1166887917    		 345k
    LST-51
    1016005108    		 169k USS LST-51 backs away from a pier at Portland, Dorset, England, after loading for the invasion, 2 June 1944. USS LST-75 is in the background. Note the barrage balloon overhead.
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # 80-G-252203    		 Robert Hurst
    USS LST-51
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Morgan, Dale O., USNR8 December 1943 - February 1944
    02LT. Hunter, George M., USNRFebruary 1944 - 1944
    03LTjg. Gorman, Raymond, USNR1944 - 1944
    04LT. McHardy, David S., USNR1944 - 1944
    05LTjg. O'Rourke, Frank R., USNR1944 - 1945
    06LTjg. Barnette, B. M., USN1945 - 6 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 Home Port
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
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    This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 15 September 2023