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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-540


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Charlie - Tango
 NECT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia Clasp)
LST-491 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 13 November 1943, at Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville, IN.
  • Launched, 14 January 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-540, 14 February 1944, LTjg. Vern F. Veihman, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-540 was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participating 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, 30 May to 10 June 1945

  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-540 came under the command of:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Seven, CAPT. CAPT. Riley;
     LST Group One Hundred Nine, CDR. E. W. Wilson USNR;
     LST Division Two Hundred-Eighteen
  • Following World War II USS LST-540 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    12 to 25 September 1945
    15 to 25 October 1945
    24 December 1945 to 22 January 1946

  • Decommissioned, 22 January 1946 and assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q022
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 23 March 1949
  • USS LST-540 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, lost due to an operational accident, 20 August 1947
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t.
    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-540 66k USS LST-540 docking at a British port, date and location unknown.. Larry Fischer for his father Curtis Fischer, LTjg., USS LST 540
    USS LST-540
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Veihman, Vern F., USNR14 February 1944 - 1 June 1944
    02LT. Oberg, Frank J., USNR1 June 1944 - 1 September 1945
    03LT. Stevens, Eugene C., USNR1 September 1945 - 7 November 1945
    04LT. Holland, Edward Lee, USNR7 November 1945 - 1 January 1946
    05LTjg. Tatti, Robert S., USNR1 January 1946 - 22 January 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
    Ship's History
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    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 26 June 2019