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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-294


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Delta - Whiskey
 NPDW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 6 June 1944, Normandy)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe African Middle Eastern Campaigns Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 12 October 1943, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 15 December 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-294, 20 January 1944, LT. Edward J. Cantelope, USN, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-294 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
    USS LST-294 was in the first wave of LSTs to land on Omaha Beach

  • Decommissioned, 18 December 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 January 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 13 October 1947
  • USS LST-294 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 13 October 1947, to Luria Bros. and Co., Philadelphia, PA.
    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
    USS LST-294
    LST-294 100k USS LST-294 immediately after launching at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA, 15 December 1943. Robert J. Coates for his father Walter F. Coates QM2/c USNR USS LST-310, USS LST-318, USS LST-294
    LST-294
    1016029403    		 110k USS LST-294 underway in Seine Bay off the coast of Normandy, 7 June 1944.
    Frame from the short film "Activity in Seine Bay, Near St. Marcoux; Landing Craft Move In While USS Nevada Bombards". Dept. of the Navy. National Archives ID 77048; Local ID 428-NPC-4308.    		 David Upton
    LST-294 149k USS LST-294 high and dry on the beach at Normandy, June 1944. Diana Koger
    USS LST-294
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Cantelope, Edward James, USN20 January 1944 - November 1945
    02LTjg. Bradshaw, Harold W.,USNRNovember 1945 - 18 December 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 and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 2 September 2022