Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-286


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Xray - Papa
 NFXP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship;
  • Laid down, 23 August 1943, at American Bridge Co, Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 27 October 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST 286, 11 December 1943, LTjg. Ralph C. Adams, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-286 was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East 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

  • Following the conclusion of amphibious operations in the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater USS LST-286 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Nine, CAPT. D. H. Johnston USN (22);
     LST Group One Hundred-Five, CDR. E. P Wilson USN (20);
     LST Division Two Hundred-Nine
  • Following World War II USS LST-286 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    28 September to 22 November 1945
    9 to 18 December 1945

  • Decommissioned, 30 March 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 May 1946
  • USS LST-286 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold to Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, Pa., 15 April 1948 for scrapping
    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 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 Contributed
    By
    LST-286
    1016028609    		 165k LST-286 construction progress photo at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA., 2 September 1943.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships negative # 1048.    		 Tommy Trampp
    LST-286
    1016028601    		 163k LST-286 launching at American Bridge Co, Ambridge, PA., 27 October 1943. David Wright
    LST-286 428k USS LST-286 unloading in North Africa in 1944. Note pontoon causeways attached to port side.
    US Navy photo from Acme.    		 Raymond Cvetovich, Ph.D.
    LST-174 294k Invasion of Southern France. LSTs loading for the invasion, at Bagnoli, Italy, 8 August 1944. They include:
    USS LST-76;
    USS LST-286 and
    USS LST-174 among others. Note LCS(S)(2) on bow davits of LST-286 and LCVPs carried by other LSTs.
    US National Archives Photo # SC 192702 a US Army Signal Corps photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    LST-286 1095k USS LST-286 with other LSTs invasion loading in the Bagnoli sector, Italy for the invasion of southern France. SM3/c John J. Kelly, Brooklyn, N.Y. semaphores to ships in the harbor, 10 August 1944.
    US Army Signal Corps photo # SC 192559-S, 4 September 1944 by Harris 163 Sig. Photo Co.    		 Dave Kerr
    LST-286 30k USS LST-286 underway in the English Channel, 5 June 1944 enroute to Normandy. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    LST-286 58k USS LST-286 off the Normandy beachhead waiting to unload Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    LST-286 89k USS LST-286 off the Normandy beachhead waiting to unload Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    LST-286 23k USS LST-286 beached at Normandy, date unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    LST-286 88k USS LST-286 underway while enroute to the invasion of southern France, circa August 1944. Note the barrage balloon overhead and the Piper Cub aircraft on the deck of the LST the photo was shot from. Photo Caption reads: "LSTs as 'Junior Aircraft Carriers' Adding another function to its long list, the versatile LST (Landing Ship Tank) played the role of 'junior carrier' in the Invasion of Southern France on August 15 1944, launching tiny Piper CUBS to act as spotters for naval gunfire. A specially-adapted runway is installed for the aerial operation. A gunner keeps an alert lookout as an LST carrier moves in toward France on D-Day.
    US Navy photo file number: 242690, Released 11 September 1944.    		 Paul Sullenberger for his father Samuel D. Sullenberger BMC, USNR USS LST 158, USS LST 492, USS LST 512
    USS LST-286
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Adams, Ralph C., USNR11 December 1943 - November 1945
    02LT. Wonsowicz Jr., John, USNRNovember 1945 - 30 March 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 Homeport
    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
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 16 December 2022