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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-659

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Victor - Victor
NKVV

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 31 December 1943 at American Bridge Co. Ambridge, PA.

Launched, 20 March 1944

Commissioned USS LST-659, 20 April 1944, LT. John H. Christensen, USNR, in command

During World War II USS LST-659 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
European-Africa-Middle East Campaign
Invasion of southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944

After service in Europe USS LST-659 was re-assigned to the Asiatic Pacific Theater and came under the command of;
LST Flotilla Thirty-Six, CAPT. D.F.J. Shea USN (23);
LST Group One Hundred Seven, CDR. L. F. Teuscher USN (23);
LST Division Two Hundred Fifteen

USS LST-659 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 September 1945 to 7 January 1946

Decommissioned, 7 January 1946 and assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q003

Struck from the Naval Register, 7 February 1947

USS LST-659 earned one battle star for World War 11 service

Final Disposition, sold, 25 May 1947, to the government of South Korea, 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

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
	147k	USS LST-659 commissioning crew photo, taken at American Bridge Co., Ambridge PA, 10 April 1944. The crew nicknamed the ship the *"Easter Egg"* because she was commissioned on Easter Sunday, 1944	Marvin Peterson
1016065904	166k	USS LST-659 married to a barge while unloading at Saint Tropez, France. 27 August 1944.	David Upton
	96k	USS LST-659 beached on Leyte Island, Philippines, circa late 1945. Note that she carries a causeway secured to her port side and *LCT-1017* loaded on her main deck.	Marvin Peterson
	91k		Marvin Peterson

USS LST-659
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Christensen, John H., USNR	20 April 1944 - February 1945
02	LTjg. Doonan, William P., USNR	February 1945 - 7 January 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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 1 January 2021