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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-327



International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Zulu - Mike
 NWZM
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal

USS LST-327 was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 12 November 1942, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia PA.
  • Launched, 11 February 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST 327, 5 March 1943, LT. Paul A. Ortman,USCG, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-327 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    European-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North African operation
    Tunisian operations, July 1943     		West Coast of Italy operations-1944
    Anzio-Nettuno advanced landings, January to March 1944
    Sicilian occupation, July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, June 1944
    Salerno landings, September 1943  

  • On 27 August 1944, USS LST-327 was severely damaged by an enemy mine in the English Channel
  • Decommissioned, 19 November 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 December 1945
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 September 1948, to Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Chester, PA.
  • USS LST-327 earned five battle stars foe 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 Contributed
    By
    LST 327 27k USS LST-327 beached at Palermo Sicily, 1943 LST 327 web site
    LST 327 32k USS LST-327 beached at Palermo Sicily, 1943 LST 327 web site
    LST 327 21k USS LST-327 beached at Normandy circa June-August 1944 LST 327 web site
    LST 327
    1016032704    		 68k USS LST-327 while working out of English Channel ports, building supply dumps in Northern France, she struck an enemy mine, 27 August 1944, and put into Plymouth with extensive damage. After being repaired, LST-327 departed Plymouth, 11 December 1944, for Falmouth and on 23 June 1945 she departed Falmouth for Norfolk, VA., arriving there on 19 July 1945.
    Photo from www.flickriver.com by photolibrarian    		 John Spivey
    USS LST-327
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Ortman, Paul A., USCG5 March 1943 - 1944
    02LT. Gilleran, Clarence J., USCG1944 - February 1945
    03LT. Volton, A., USCGFebruary 1945 -19 November 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
    The USS LST 327 USN and USCG Web Site
    LST Homeport
    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 September 2023