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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-59


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Charlie - Victor
 NGCV
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 7 November 1943, at Dravo Corp., Neville Island, PA.
  • Launched, 18 December 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-59, 31 January 1944, LT. Robert J. Mayer, USNR, in command
  • During World War II, USS LST-59 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

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

  • Decommissioned, 21 January 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 February 1946
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 18 September 1947, to Southern Shipwrecking Co., New Orleans, LA.
  • USS LST-59 earned one battle star for World War II service
    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
    9 officers
    120 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    14 officers
    131 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 Source
    LST-59 538k USS LST-59 beached, date and location unknown John Logue USS LST-59
    USS LST-59
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Mayer, Robert J., USNR31 January 1944 - 7 July 1945
    02LT. Hightower Jr., John Newton, USN7 July 1945 - 21 January 1945
    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
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index
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    This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 18 April 2014