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
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Middlesex County (LST-983)
ex
 USS LST-983 (1944 - 1955)


Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Romeo - Papa
 NVRP


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
542-Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 22 December 1943, at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.
  • Launched, 10 February 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST 983, 25 March 1944, LT. Woodrow W. Weir, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-983 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
  • Decommissioned, 10 January 1956, at Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs
  • Named USS Middlesex County (LST-983), 1 July 1955
  • Recommissioned, 27 September 1961
  • Decommissioned, 15 October 1969
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 September 1974
  • USS Middlesex County earned one battle star for World War II service as USS LST-983
  • Sold for commercial service to L.P. Callimros, Athens, Greece, 12 November 1975
  • Final Disposition, ran aground at Benghazi, Libya, 4 December 1980
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t.
    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
    USS LST-983
    LST-983 62k USS LST-983 pierside, date and location unknown. Frank Wahler
    LST-983 32k USS LST-983 crew photo, date and location unknown. LST Homeport web site
    LST-983
    1016098304    		 257k USS LST-983, with USS LST-601 in the background, launches a Marine LVTP-5 for a waterborne landing, date and location unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Catalog # L45-182.02.01    		 Mike Smolinski
    USS Middlesex County (LST-983)
    LST-983 79k USS Middlesex County (LST-983) underway, date and location unknown. Frank Wahler
    Middlesex County
    1016098306    		 288k USS Middlesex County (LST-983) laid up at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Orange, Texas, circa 1969-1974. USS McKee (DD-575) is at left.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 103703    		 Mike Smolinski
    LST-983 53k USS Middlesex County (LST-983) plaque. Leidie Daniels
    USS Middlesex County (LST-983)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Weir, Woodrow W., USNR25 March 1944 - September 1945
    02LTjg. Leedy, Carelton C., USNRSeptember 1945 - 3 November 1945
    03LTjg. Parker, Raymond, USN3 November 1945 - 5 July 1946
    04LT. Faris, William Bailey, USN5 July 1946 - ?
     Decommissioned10 January 1956 - 27 September 1961
    05LCDR. Kersting, William Henry, USN27 September 1961 - 27 November 1963
    06LT. Foster, John Antrim, USN27 November 1963 - 29 April 1965
    07LCDR. Dollenmeyer, James Kenneth, USN29 April 1965 - 27 March 1967
    08LT. Pichel Marcelino Raymond, USN27 March 1967 - 29 June 1968
    09LT/LCDR. Hart, Clifford Awtrey, USN29 June 1968 - 15 October 1969
    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-983 History
    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 and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 1 March 2024