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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Landing Craft Tank
LCT(6)-538

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 6 June 1944), Navy Unit Commendation (6 June 1944)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

LCT(6)-538 was transferred to Peru and redesignated BT-2
Landing Craft Tank (Mark 6) Class:
  • Laid down, 1 September 1943, at Bison Shipbuilding Corp, North Tonawanda, N.Y.
  • Launched, 16 September 1943
  • Delivered, 11 October 1943
  • During World War II LCT(6)-538 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater, LCT Flotilla Nineteen, LCDR Pruet and participated in following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

  • Transported back to the United States, date unknown
  • Refurbished at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, circa fall 1945
  • Assigned as flagship LCT Type Commander, 16th Fleet, Green Cove Springs Naval Station, on the St. John's River near Jacksonville, FL. in 1946
  • Placed out of service at Green Cove Springs, date unknown
  • LCT(6)-538 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Transferred to Peru, date unknown, redesignated BT-2
  • Final Disposition, scrapped, date unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 143 to 160 t.(lt), 309 to 320 t.(fl)
    Length 119' 1" (ovl.)
    Beam 32' 8"
    Draft
    limiting 3' 9"
    maximum navigation 5'
    Speed 10 kts.
    Range 700 nautical miles at 7 kts.
    Complement
    1 officer
    12 enlisted
    Cargo Capacity 150 short tons
    Armament
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    four .50 cal. machine guns
    Armor
    wheelhouse 20lbs
    gun shields 10lbs
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 80 Bbls
    Propulsion
    three Grey Marine 6-71 Diesel engines
    two Diesel-drive 10Kw 120V. D.C. Ships' Service Generators
    three propellers, 675shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LCT-538 81k LCT(6)-538 beaching at Slapton Sands, England. 14 February 1944.
    US National Archives film still frame    		 Bill Brinkley
    LCT-538 68k LCT(6)-538 beached, date and location unknown. Albert J. Berard SM3/c via Jim LeVan III for his father Jim LeVan, XO LCT(6)-538
    LCT-538 193k LCT(6)-538 beached, date and location unknown. Albert J. Berard SM3/c via Jim LeVan III for his father Jim LeVan, XO LCT(6)-538
    LCT-538 9k LCT(6)-538 landing troops and equipment on the beach at Normandy, 7 June 1944.
    Photos from World War II LCT Flotillas and LedbarquementdeNormandie1 web sites    		 Tommy Trampp
    LCT-538 274k
    LCT-538 79k LCT(6)-538 beached at Normandy, June 1944. Albert J. Berard SM3/c via Jim LeVan III for his father Jim LeVan, XO LCT(6)-538
    LCT-538 79k LCT(6)-538 beached at Normandy, June 1944. Albert J. Berard SM3/c via Jim LeVan III for his father Jim LeVan, XO LCT(6)-538
    LCT-538 74k LCT(6)-538 coming alongside a liberty ship in the transport area off the Normandy beachhead, June 1944. Albert J. Berard SM3/c LCT(6)-538
    LCT-538 81k LCT(6)-538 tied up alongside a liberty ship in the transport area off the Normandy beachhead ready to load supplies to take into the beach, June 1944 Albert J. Berard SM3/c LCT(6)-538
    There is no history for LCT(6)-538 available at Navsource
    Officer in Charge
    01ENS. Adams, Hamiltonno dates
    02LTjg. Kapnas, Michaelno dates
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    World War II LCT Flotillas
    The Albert J. Berard LCT 538 Crew Photo Collection
    D-Day, 6 June 1944 Recollections of Albert J. Berard SM3/c LCT 538
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Tank (LCT) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 1 June 2018