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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-218

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Alpha - Foxtrot
NHAF

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

USS LST-218 was transferred to the Republic of Korea ROKS Bibong (LST-809)

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 11 February 1943, at Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL.

Launched, 20 July 1943

Commissioned USS LST-218, 12 August 1943, LT. Henry O. Powell USN in command

During World War II USS LST-218 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LST Flotilla Five, CAPT. J. R. Clark;
LST Group Fourteen, LCDR. K. L. Deforest USNR;
LST Division Twenty-Seven and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Gilbert Islands operations, 21 November 8 December 1943	Capture and Occupation of Tinian, 24 July to 10 August 1944.
Marshall Islands operation Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944 Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll, 17 to 23 February 1944	Marianas operations Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 June to 10 August 1944

Following World War II USS LST-218 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal
17 to 29 October 1945
16 November 1945 to 19 January 1946

Decommissioned, 19 January 1946 and transferred to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q020

Returned to United States Navy custody, 28 January 1950

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Bremerton WA. Group, 15 November 1950

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

USS LST-218 earned four battle stars for World War II service

Re-activated and transferred to the Republic of South Korea Navy

Commissioned ROKS Bibong (LST-809), 3 May 1955

Final Disposition, fate unknown

Specifications:

Displacement

1,625 t.(lt)

4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)

2,366 t.

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
1016021805	157k	USS LST-218 underway with *LCT(5)-258* loaded on her main deck during the Marinas Operation. *LCT(5)-258* was offloaded on 21 June 1944 off Saipan. LCT Group 37 6/1/44 to 7/31/44 War Diary page 2, U.S. National Archives, U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 92702.	David Upton
	154k	USS LST-218 unloading cargo via LCMs and LCVPs near the South Pier at Tanapag Harbor, Siapan, 3 August 1944. She did this for the next four days before being sent to USS ARD-16 for repair to her props and shafts due to damage sustained in beaching. US National Archives Photo # 80-G-284192, a US Navy photo now in the collection off the National Archives at College Park MD.	Tracy White
	171k	USS LST-218 beached at Okinawa, 9 July 1945. Note that she is carrying *LCT-1395* secured to her main deck.	Stan Galik for his uncle Andrew (Andy) Galik USS LST-218). Stan Galik is the son of Stan Galik SC/2c USS LCI(L)-35)
	167k
	165k

USS LST-218 unloading rolling stock with supplies. Apamama Island, Gilbert Islands. 1st week of December, 1943. Select frames from a short film named "Landing Supplies At Apamama Atoll, Gilbert Islands. Department of the Navy. National Archives ID 75993 Local ID 428-NPC-1433.
1016021806	1016021807	1016021808	1016021809	1016021810

USS LST-218
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Powell, Henry Olyan, USN	12 August 1943 - 1944
02	LT. McCarthy, Robert H., USNR	1944 - 1 May 1945
03	LT. Brittain, James F., USNR	1 May 1945 - 19 January 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

Last Updated 22 November 2024