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

Lost to enemy action 7 April 1945

USS LST-447

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Charlie - Juliet
NFCJ

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 7 April 1945) - Navy Unit Commendation
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (6) - World War II Victory Medal

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 10 July 1942, at Kaiser, Inc. Vancouver, WA.

Launched, 22 September 1942

Commissioned USS LST-447, 13 December 1942, LT. Frank H. Stormes, USNR, in command

During World War II USS LST-447 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LST Flotilla Five, CAPT. G.B. Carter, USN;
LST Group Thirteen, CDR. R.W. Cutler, USN and
LST Group Fifteen, CDR. V. K. Busck, USN and participated in the following campaigns;

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Consolidation of the Solomon Islands Consolidation of the southern Solomons, June 1943	Hollandia operation 21 to 28 April 1944
Treasury-Bougainville operation Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina, 11 November and 3 to 4 and 15 December 1943	Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Guam, 21 July to 5 August 1944
Bismarck Archipelago operation Green Islands landings, 15 to 19 February 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 2 April to 8 May 1945

Final Disposition, sunk off Okinawa, 7 April 1945, following kamikaze attack of 6 April 1945

Struck from the Naval Register, 2 June 1945

USS LST-447 earned six battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation 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	Contributed By
	66k	USS LST-447 is pierside in board of USS LST-446 which is in the process of launching *LCT-182* at Mare Island, 12 January 1943. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 368-43.	Darryl Baker
	77k	USS LST-447 unloading supplies at Bougainville, date unknown. USMC photo # 18, undated	Tom Kermen
1016044704	215k	USS LST-447 and USS LST-446 beached at Townsville, Australia. June 1943. U.S. Naval Construction Battalion No· 0060 World War II Cruise Book pg25	David Upton
	14k	USS LST-447 participated in "Operation Chronicle" the Woodlark Island landing in June, 1943. It transported Argus Unit 1, (Fighter Director Radar Unit) of which Todd Cabral's father was a member, from Townsville Australia to Woodlark. Photo date and place unknown.	Todd Cabral
1016044705	115k	USS LST-447 underway off Kukum Beach, Guadalcanal, 11 February 1944, during AA practice with towed sleeve prior to the invasion of Green Islands (Papua New Guinea), 15 February 1944. Frame images from a short film named "LSTs Leave Kukum Beach, Guadalcanal, Land On Green Is" National Archives ID 76049, Local ID 428-NPC-1527.	David Upton
	96k	USS LST-447 being hit by a Japanese kamikaze pilot, 6 or 7 April 1945, off the Okinawa beachhead, Fortunately, *LST-447* was empty after discharging her cargo on the beach, on D-day, 1 April 1945.	Richard L. Hamel MoMM/2c) USS LST-447 plank owner.

USS LST-447 at Kukum Beach, Guadalcanal, 11 February 1944 receiving barrage balloon from LST FLOT 5 barrage balloon unit and underway for the 15 February 1944 invasion of Green Islands (Papua New Guinea).
Frame images from a short film named "LSTs Leave Kukum Beach, Guadalcanal, Land On Green Is" National Archives ID 76049, Local ID 428-NPC-1527.

On the morning of 15 February 1944 USS LST-447 is approaching the Green Islands (Papua New Guinea), prior to the landings. The Invasion convoy is under Japanese air attack by Aichi D3A type 99 (Val) dive bombers. One aircraft shotdown is seen as a bright flame on the horizon about two miles away. One bomb landed 200 yards off the starboard quarter of USS LSt-447 as seen by the spray from the blast. The New Zealand troops aboard carried with them portable 40mm and 50 cal AA mounts used in the defence of the ship during the attack.
Frame images from a short film named "LSTs Leave Kukum Beach, Guadalcanal, Land On Green Is" National Archives ID 76049, Local ID 428-NPC-1527.

USS LST-447 on the beaches of the Green Islands (Papua New Guinea). Landing troops and equipment of the New Zealand 3rd Division, 15 February 1944.
Frame images from a short film named "LSTs Leave Kukum Beach, Guadalcanal, Land On Green Is" National Archives ID 76049, Local ID 428-NPC-1527.

USS LST-447
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Stormes, Frank H., USNR	13 December 1942 - 31 October 1943
02	LT. Jungerheld, Edward L., USNR	31 October 1943 - 29 January 1944
03	LT. Pekelder, Theodore, USNR	29 January 1944 - 28 July 1944
04	LT. Schmitz, Paul J.,USNR	28 July 1944 - 7 April 1945


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
History of LST Flotilla Seven
The USS LST Ship Memorial
LST Homeport
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association
LST Flotilla Five War Diary July 1944

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

Last Updated 6 October 2023