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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-669


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Juliet - Kilo
 NFJK
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 18 March 1944 at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 3 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-669, 27 May 1944, LTjg. John Taylor, USN, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-669 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 20 October 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 18 June1945

  • Following service in the Southwest Pacific Area USS LST-669 was assigned to:
    LST Flotilla Sixteen, CAPT. N. W. Sears;
     LST Group Forty-Seven, CDR. L. A. Drexler USN (23);
     LST Division Ninety-Four
  • Following World War II USS LST-669 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    2 to 13 September 1945
    27 October to 3 December 1945
    1 to 20 January 1946
    23 February to 11 March 1946

  • Decommissioned, 13 August 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 September 1946
  • USS LST-669 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 10 May 1948, to Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, PA.
    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
    7 officers, 104 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    16 officers, 147 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 Contributed
    By
    LST-669
    1016066904    		 54k LST-669 launching, 3 May 1944, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
    American Bridge Co. photo from USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. LST Shipyard Collection    		 Tommy Trampp
    LST-669
    1016066903    		 49k LST-669 launching, 3 May 1944, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA. Members of the launching party on the launching platform shortly after the ship was launched are from left to right; Mrs. Thompson, LTjg. Faris Jones, Ms. Mary Anne Jones, Lt. Salmon.
    American Bridge Co. photo from USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. LST Shipyard Collection    		 Tommy Trampp
    LST-669
    1016066905    		 39k USS LST-669 underway after commissioning, 27 May 1944, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
    American Bridge Co. photo from USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. LST Shipyard Collection    		 Tommy Trampp
    LST-669 24k USS LST-669 unloading troops and supplied prior to the Leyte Invasion. LST Home Port web site
    LST-669 120k USS LST-669 under way in San Francisco Bay, circa 1945-46.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 83635. Courtesy of D. M. McPherson, 1975.    		 IS Naval History and Heritage Command
    USS LST-669
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Taylor, John, USN27 May 1944 - 8 July 1944
    02ENS. Cole, Fred Warren, USN8 July 1944 - 13 August 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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 29 January 2021