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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-317


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Oscar - Juliet
 NJOJ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 15 October 1942, at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Launched, 28 January 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-317, 6 February 1943, LT. B. Berner, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-317 was 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
    Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
    Salerno landings, 9 to 21 September 1943  

  • Decommissioned, 18 May 1945, for conversion to Landing Craft Repair Ship Conus (ARL-44) at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Conversion canceled, 12 September 1945
  • Reverted to LST-317
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 March 1946
  • USS LST-317 earned three battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold, 22 January 1947, to A. G. Schoonmaker, fate unknown
    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-317 75k USS LST-317 with visitors aboard. Probably taken at date of commissioning at New York Navy Yard, 6 February 1943. Edward E. Arn dedicated to the memory of his father Edward F. Arn (at right)USS LST-317
    LST-318 163k USS LST-317 and USS LST-318 moored side by side in a North African port, circa 1943.
    Associated Press photo released, 19 October 1943.    		 David Wright and
    Robert J. Coates for his father Walter F. Coates QM2/c USNR USS LST-310, USS LST-318, USS LST-294
    LST-318 96k USS LST-318 moored outboard of (possibly) USS LST-317) in 1943, in a Mediterranean port, probably in North Africa.
    US Navy photo 108-9.    		 Tommy Trampp
    LST-317 56k USS LST-317 beached, date and location unknown. Linda Michael dedicated to the memory of her father Richard E. Porter GM3/c USS LST-317
    LST-317 44k USS LST-317 beached, date and location unknown. Linda Michael dedicated to the memory of her father Richard E. Porter GM3/c USS LST-317
    LST-317 23k USS LST-317 at anchor, date and location unknown. Linda Michael dedicated to the memory of her father Richard E. Porter GM3/c USS LST-317
    LST-317
    1016031710    		 218k USS LST-317 loading out at Portland Harbor, near Weymouth England, May/June 1944 in preparation for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, France.
    TimeLife_image_116688810, photo by David E. Scherman, For Personal non-commercial use only.    		 David Upton
    LST-317
    1016031711
    TL 1166887744    		 380k USS LST-317 and five LCTs including LCT(6)-626 (right background) and LCT(6)-543 (left background) loaded and waiting to depart at Portland Harbor, near Weymouth England, 1-3 June 1944, for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, France.
    TimeLife_image_1166887744 and 1166887745, photos by David E. Scherman, For Personal non-commercial use only.    		 David Upton
    LST-317
    1016031712
    TL 1166887745    		 334k
    LST-317 127k A pair of American servicemen huddle under a blanket to keep warm while crossing the English Channel atop an Army supply truck, one of many loaded on USS LST-317 enroute to a landing on the beaches of Normandy following the Allied D-Day invasion of France – 6 June 1944.
    Source: LIFE Magazine Archives - David E. Scherman Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest    		 Mike Green
    LST-317 279k USS LST-317 crew group photos, date and location unknown. John A. Peters is the crew member wearing the white sailor hat. Joel M. Peters for his father John A. Peters USS LST-317
    LST-317 51k USS LST-317 crew group photo, date and location unknown Edward Arn
    USS LST-317
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Berner, B., USNR6 February 1943 - September 1943
    02LT. Cassedy, Gerard J., USNRSeptember 1943 - October 1944
    03LT. Reynolds, William F.October 1944 - 30 April 1945
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    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
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    Last Updated 24 September 2021