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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-285


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Tango - Charlie
 NFTC
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 16 August 1943, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 24 October 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-285, 13 December 1943, ENS. Paul A. Hunt, USN, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-285 was assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944 Invasion of southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944

  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-285, LT. James L. Kyle USNR, in command, came under the command of:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Five, CAPT. D. H. Johnston USN (22);
     LST Group One Hundred Four, CDR. D. Stubbs USN (25);
     LST Division Two Hundred Eight
  • Decommissioned, 27 June 1947
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1947
  • USS LST-285 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 26 March 1948, to Kaiser Co., Inc., Seattle, WA.
    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
    9 officers, 120 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    14 officers, 131 enlisted
    Boats 6 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-285
    1016028504    		 418k LST-285 construction progress photo, 2 September 1943 at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA Tommy Trampp
    LST-285 141k USS LST-285 sponsor Mrs. R. A. Shaw (center) with her son Robert A Shaw, Jr. (left) and her husband Robert A. Shaw (right) at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA., 24 October 1943. Robert M. Shaw
    LST-285 70k USS LST-285 moored at the artificial harbor at Normandy, June 1944.
    US National Archives image    		 Bill Brinkley
    LST-285 71k USS LST-285 and other unidentified amphibious vessels going through a protective smoke screen during enemy shelling. The landings were near St. Raphael in Southern France, 15-16 August 1944.
    Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, by Oulds, D.C. (Lt), Photo No. © IWM (A 25283)    		 Mike Green
    Gasconade 254k View of the wharf area Pearl Harbor Navy Yard from over the submarine base, 27 February 1946. Among ships present are:
    USS Barrow (APA-61),
    USS Brule (APA-66),
    USS Gasconade (APA-85), and
    USS Appling (APA-58);
    USS LST 219,
    USS LST 285,
    USS LST 388 and
    USS LST 52 with
    LCT 812 and
    LCT 414 embarked;
    USS Briscoe (APA-65) and
    USS Bladen (APA-63).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-361747, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Gasconade 182k Pearl Harbor Navy Yard amphibious ships alongside the wharf, 27 February 1946. Some are being prepared for target service at Bikini. Ships are (1st group):
    USS Briscoe (APA-65) and
    USS Bladen (APA-63)
    (second group):
    USS LST 52 with
    LCT 812 and
    LCT 414 embarked;
    USS LST 388 and
    USS LST 285,
    USS LST 219,
    third group):
    USS Appling (APA-58),
    USS Gasconade (APA-85),
    USS Barrow (APA-61), and
    USS Brule (APA-66).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-361731, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Gasconade 250k Aerial view of Pearl Harbor Navy Yard looking toward the drydock area from over the submarine base, 27 February 1946. Among the ships present are: seven Sims, McCall, Gridley, and Mahan class destroyers;
    USS Barrow (APA-61),
    USS Brule (APA-66),
    USS Gasconade (APA-85), and
    USS Appling (APA-58);
    USS LST 219,
    USS LST 285,
    USS LST 388 and
    USS LST 52 with
    LCT 812 and
    LCT 414 embarked;
    USS Briscoe (APA-65) and
    USS Bladen (APA-63).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-361740, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Navy History and Heritage Command
    LST-285
    1016028508    		 840k Starboard aerial view of USS LST-285 about to pass under the Golden Gate Bridge as she enters San Francisco Bay with Marin County in the background. Note she has been striped of her guns.
    Vallejo Naval and Histrical Museum    		 Darryl Baker
    LST-285 184k Cropped version of 1016028508.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, # NH 84688    		 Mike Green
    USS LST-285
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01ENS. Hunt, Paul Arnold, USN13 December 1943 - March 1945
    02LT. Kyle, James L., USNRMarch 1945 - November 1945
    03LTjg. Patterson, Harry V., USNRNovember 1945 - May 1946
    04LTjg. Harmon, Alfred Winslow, USNMay 1946 - 1947
    05LT. Finger, William Ralph, USN1947 - 27 June 1947
    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
    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 by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 20 September 2024