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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST(H)-242
ex
 USS LST-242 (1943 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Whiskey - Papa
 NGWP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 8 March 1943, at Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co., Evansville, IN.
  • Launched, 3 July 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-242, 5 August 1943, LTjg. J. W. Winney, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-242 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LST Flotilla Three, CDR. A. A. Ageton USN (23);
    LST Group Eight;
    LST Division Fifteen and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Gilbert Islands operations, 20 November to 5 December 1943 Marianas operations
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 to 24 June 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     		Leyte operations
    Leyte landings, 29 October 1944

  • USS LST-242 was redesignated Landing Ship Tank (Hospital) LST(H)-242, 15 September 1945
  • Following World War II USS LST(H)-242 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 13 October 1945 to 10 February 1946
  • Decommissioned, 4 March 1946 and assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP) redesignated Q051
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 October 1947
  • USS LST-242 earned four battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, 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
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LST-242
    1016024203     		45k Christening bottle, ribbons and wooden box for storing the christening bottle, silver ceremonial bowl, and ribbons used in the christening and launching of LST-242 presented to Mrs. Barbara Duskey who sponsored the ceremony.
    Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co. photo from USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. LST Shipyard Collection    		 Tommy Trampp
    LST-242
    1016024204     		60k
    LST-242,219,608,609 99k LSTs unloading supplies at Leyte Gulf in October 1944.
    USS LST-242, and USS LST-608 at the bottom of the photo. In the middle of the photo and in the background can be seen numerous small craft along with six additional LSTs. Recognizable are USS LST-609 and USS LST-219.
    US Army Signal Corps. photo    		 Dave Kerr and Vicki Purl Ferrier-Taylor for Purl Allan Ferrier, Seaman 1st class, SV-6 USNR.
    LST-242
    1016024205    		 226k General MacArthur on the beaches at Leyte at approximately 1030, 12 October 1944 Sniper attempted to shoot the General at this time, but their bullets missed striking USS LST-242, seen in the background.
    (Ref. LST-242 War Diary Oct. 1944, National Archives 78659471)
    TimeLife_image_ 116742694 by Eugene Smith, Life Magazine. For personal non-commercial use only.    		 David Upton
    USS LST-242
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Winney, J. W., USNR5 August 1943 - 14 February 1945
    02LT. O'Neal, Foy E., USNR14 February 1945 - 2 September 1945
    03LTjg. Muller-Thym, Harold, T., USNR2 September 1945 - 13 December 1945
    04LTjg. Spoeneman, Arthur L., USNR13 December 1945 - 4 March 1946
    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 and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 8 October 2021