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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USNS LST-629
ex
 USS LST-629 (1944 - 1952)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Golf - Romeo
 NFGR
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)

USS LST-629 was transferred to Singapore and named RSN Excellence (L-202)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 13 April 1944, at Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL.
  • Launched, 8 July 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-629, 28 July 1944, LTjg. David C. Holly, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-629 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 8 to 18 January 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 12 to 30 June 1945
    Consolidation of the Southern Philippine Islands
    Mindanao Island landings, 17 to 23 April 1945     		 

  • Following World War II USS LST-629 was assigned to China service from 20 to 26 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, 4 March 1946 and assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q083
  • Transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 31 March 1952, and placed in service as USNS T-LST-629
  • Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 15 June 1973
  • Transferred to Singapore in 1976, named RSN Excellence (L-202)
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LST-629 earned three battle stars 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
    LST-629 50k USS LST-629 beached, with bow doors open, date and location unknown. Doug Burnsides for his father LTjg Donald Marvin Burnsides USS LST-629
    LST-629 45k USS LST-629 at anchor with flags, date and location unknown. Doug Burnsides for his father LTjg Donald Marvin Burnsides USS LST-629
    USS LST-629 / USNS T-LST-629
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Holly, David Chuncey, USNR28 July 1944 - November 1945
    02LT. Wise, Harold F., USNRNovember 1945 - 4 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 Home Port
    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 by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 1 January 2015