Lost to enemy action, 18 July 1943
NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
USS LST-342
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons
Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
Laid down, 21 August 1942, at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA.
Launched, 8 November 1942
Commissioned USS LST-342, 31 December 1942, LT. Edward S. McCluskey, USNR, in command
During World War II USS LST-342 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LST Flotilla Five, CAPT. J.R. Clark, USN
LST Group Fourteen, CDR. R.W. Lejeunesse, USN
LST Division Twenty-Seven and participated in following campaign:
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign |
| Campaign and Dates |
New Georgia Group operation
New Georgia-Rendova-Vangunu occupation, 2 and 17 to 18 July 1943
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Lost to enemy action, sunk by Japanese submarine IJN RO-106 in the Blanche Channel of New Georgia Island, 18 July 1943
Struck from the Naval Register, 28 July 1943
USS LST-342 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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The bow of the hulk of ex-USS LST-342 aground at Purvis Bay, Florida Island in the Solomon Islands. |
Paulo Soukup |
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167k |
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223k |
The bow of the hulk of ex-USS LST-342 aground at Purvis Bay, Florida Island in the Solomon Islands, 1983. |
Photo by Phil Long |
USS LST-342
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
Commanding Officers
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| 01 | LT. McCluskey, Edward S., USNR | 31 December 1942 - 30 June 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
LST Flotilla Five War Diary May 1944
The USS LST Ship Memorial
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association
LST-342 Wreck Site
Location of the wreck of USS LST-342 in Iron Bottom Sound
This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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Last Updated 9 June 2023
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