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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Bamberg County (LST-209)
ex
 USS LST-209 (1951 - 1955)
 USNS T-LST-209 (1951)
 USS LST-209 (1943 - 1951)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Mike - Charlie
 NFMC
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship
  • Laid down, 7 September 1942, at Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL.
  • Launched, 29 May 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-209, 10 June 1943, LT. Frank J. Oberg, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-209 was first assigned to both Europe-Africa-Middle East an later Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Invasion of Normandy, June 1944 *Invasion of Borneo (British - Operation Ratchet)
    Regu Creek, Arakan, Burma landing, 7 December 1943
    *Invasion of Italy (British - Operation Slapstick)
    Taranto landing, 16 to 30 September 1943     		 

  • Decommissioned, 27 June 1946
  • Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) for service as USNS T-LST-209, 19 June 1951
  • Recommissioned USS LST-209, 24 August 1951, LT. John E. Cridland in command.
  • Named Bamberg County (T-LST-209), 1 July 1955
  • Decommissioned, 1 December 1956
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 November 1958
  • USS LST-209 earned one battle star for World War II service (*No battle stars were authorized for participation in British Operations)
  • Final Disposition, sold, 23 February 1961, to Dravo Corp., Pittsburgh, PA. for scrapping
    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 Source
    LST-209 1131k USS LST-209 and USS LST-332 loading army vehicles on the south coast of England, 10 April 1945, bound for European ports.
    US National Archives photo # SC 207762, a US Army Signal Corps photo by T/5 George Holt, now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Dave Kerr
    LST-209 147k USS Bamberg County (LST-209) under way, circa 1960s, on the Cooper River, Charleston, S.C.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 84844. Courtesy of William H. Davis, 1976.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    USS Bamberg County (LST-209)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Oberg, Frank J., USNR10 June 1943 - 28 August 1943
    02LT. Ratchford, Frank T., USNR 25 August 1943 - 30 August 1945
    03LT. Harrington, William J., USNR30 August 1945 - 27 June 1946
     Decommissioned27 June 1946 - 24 August 1951
    04LT. Cridland, John E., USNR24 August 1951 - ?
    05LT. Campomenois Jr. Louis Joseph, USN1955 - 1 December 1956
    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 and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 15 March 2024