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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-261

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Whiskey - Foxtrot
NFWF

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Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

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USS LST-261 was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II

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During World War II USS LST-261 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater:
LST Flotilla Seventeen;
LST Group Fifty-One;
LST Division One Hundred Two and participated in the following campaign:

European-Africa-Middle East Campaign
Campaign and Dates
Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

USS LST-261 earned one battle star for World War II service

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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

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Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Source
1016026102	289k	USS LST-261 moored along with USS LSM-338 and USS LCI(L)-47 and two unidentified PT Boats at Jeffersonville Bridge and Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN., date unknown. Notice the cut down masts to facility passing under bridge that span the river.		Bill Glass
1016026103	388k
	85k	USS LST-261 moored along with USS LSM-338 and USS LCI(L)-47 at Jeffersonville Bridge and Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN., date unknown.		Tommy Trampp

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USS LST-261
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Reilly, L. I. USCG	22 May 1943 - August 1944
02	LT. Ferguson, Joseph V. USCGR	August 1944 - October 1944
03	LT. Parrish, William S. USCGR	October 1944 - July 1945
04	LT. Olney, D. G. USCGR	July 1945 - 22 February 1946

Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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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 17 March 2023