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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-272


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Papa - Alpha
 NPPA
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 (5)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 9 February 1943, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.;
  • Launched, 1 August 1943;
  • Commissioned USS LST-272, 17 September 1943, LT. J. H. Parsons, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-272 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944
    Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll, 17 February to 2 March 1944     		Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, September and October 1944
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 June to 28 July 1944     		Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landing, 9 January 1945
    Tinian capture and occupation, 24 to 28 July 1944  
  • Decommissioned, 16 August 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 September 1946
  • USS LST-272 earned five battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 5 April 1948, to Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, PA.
    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-272 21k USS LST-272 beached, date and place unknown. LST Home Port Web Site
    LST-272 18k USS LST-272 high and dry on a reef at Ellice Island, 1945 LST Home Port Web Site
    LST-42/272 75k USS LST-42 and USS LST-272 beached, date and location unknown. A bulldozer is creating landing ramps to off load equipment from the two LSTs.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, February 1945 issue.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    LST-272 136k USS LST-272 underway circa 1945-46, location unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 84687    		 Mike Green
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Parsons, J. H.17 September 1943 - 7 October 1943
    02LT. McLeod, D. R.7 October 1943 - 21 October 1943
    03LT. Tracy, Vern Willard, USN21 October 1943 - 27.10.1943
    04LT. Dore, John F., USNR27 October 1943 - 11 March 1945
    05LT. Ismond, Marshall T., USNR11 March 1945 - December 1945
    06LT. Barr, Clarence J., USNRDecember 1945 - March 1946
    07LTjg. Payne, Donald M., USNRMarch 1946 - 16 August 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

    For more photos and information about USS LST-272 see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • Western Caroline Islands Attack Landing Order
  • Beach White Peleliu - CTF 32 Operation Plan A501-44 Appendix 4 to Annex "D"
  • The USS LST Ship Memorial
  • LST Home Port
  • State LST Chapters
  • United States LST Association
    • Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 13 June 2019