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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

ARB-13
ex
 USS LST-50 (1943 - 1946)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Charlie - Whiskey
 NZCW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon - (Normandy 1944) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Transferred to Norway and named KNM Ellida (A534), later transferred to Greece and renamed HNS Sakipis (A329)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 29 August 1943, at Dravo Corp., Neville Island, PA.
  • Launched, 16 October 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-50, 27 November 1943, LT. C. A. Sullivan, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-50 was first assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944 Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 18 to 30 June 1945
    Invasion of southern France, 15 August and 25 September 1944  

  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-50 came under the command of:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Six, CAPT. R. F. J. Shea, USN (23);
     LST Group One Hundred Seven CDR. L. F. Teuscher, USN (23);
     LST Division Two Hundred Thirteen
  • Following World War II USS LST-50 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 29 October 1945 to 6 February 1946
  • Decommissioned, 6 February 1946, assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q046
  • USS LST-50 earned three battle stars for World War II service
  • Returned to US Navy control and struck from the Naval Register, 8 September 1952
  • Redesignated Battle Damage Repair Ship ARB-13, 14 November 1952
  • Transferred to Norway and named KNM Ellida (A534)
  • Returned to US custody, 1 July 1960
  • Transferred to Greece, 16 September 1960, and renamed HNS Sakipis (A329)
  • Final Disposition, 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
    USS LST-50
    LST-50 528k USS LST-50 probably at anchor off of Okinawa, circa June 1945. The LCVP in the foreground is probably from USS LST-134. Steve Franklin for W.B. Wendt USS Bottineau
    ARB-13
    ARB-13 515k Ex-USS LST-50, (ex-SCAJAP Q-046) after conversion to ARB-13 for the Norwegian Navy at Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard, date unknown. Note hull number has not been changed from LST-50 to ARB-13. James Swank
    KNM Ellida (A534)
    ARB-13 31k Ex-ARB-13 in Norwegian service as KNM Ellida (A534) underway, circa 1954, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    HNS Sakipis (A329)
    ARB-13 99k Ex-ARB-13 ex-KNM Ellida (A-534) in Greek service as HNS Sakipis (A329) moored pierside in 1962, location unknown.
    Official Royal Hellenic Navy photo from the "1966-67 Edition of Jane's Fighting Ships."    		 Robert Hurst
    ARB-13 96k HNS Sakipis (A329) underway in 1969, location unknown.
    Official Royal Hellenic Navy photo    		 Robert Hurst
    USS LST-50 / ARB-13
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Sullivan, C. A., USNR27 November 1943 - September 1945
    02LTjg. Cummings Jr., Truman H., USNRSeptember 1945 - 6 February 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 created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 24 December 2020