Lost to enemy action, 10 July 1943
NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
USS LST-313
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons
Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (10 July 1943)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Personnel Awards
Navy Cross (LT. Samuel H. Alexander Commanding Officer, U.S.S. LST 313, 10 July 1943) Citation
Purple Hearts (number unknown 10 July 1943)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship
Laid down, 7 September 1942, at the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Launched, 30 December 1942
Commissioned USS LST-313, 13 January 1943, LT. Samuel Hugh Alexander, in command
During World War II USS LST-313 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:
European-Africa-Middle East Campaign |
| Campaign and Dates |
| Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943
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Final Disposition, sunk, 10 July 1943, off Gela, Sicily, by German aircraft
Struck from the Naval Register, 28 July 1943
USS LST-313 earned one battle star for World War II service
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 |
Source
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1016031301 |
30k |
Tanks leaving USS LST-313 at Naval Base Little Creek, VA., 25 March 1943 |
Hyperwar US Navy in WWII |
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147k |
USS LST-313 burning, 10 July 1943, just off the Gela, Sicily, invasion beaches after being hit by a German air Attack.
US National Archives photo # SC 180428, a US Army Signal Corps photo now in the collections of the US National Archives. |
US Naval History and Heritage Command |
 |
134k |
USS LST-313 burning after being hit by German Dive Bomber while unloading near Gela, on 10 July 1943. Note DUKW in foreground.
US National Archives photo # SC 180426, a US Army Signal Corps photo now in the collections of the US National Archives. |
US Naval History and Heritage Command |
USS LST-313
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
Commanding Officers
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| 01 | LT. Alexander, Samuel Hugh | 13 January 1943 - 10 July 1943 |
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| | 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
This page created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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Last Updated 17 March 2023
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