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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-997


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Quebec - Romeo
 NVQR
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)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
542-Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 27 March 1944, at the Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.
  • Launched, 22 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-997, 27 May 1944, LT. L. R. Dhuyvetter USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LST-997 was initially assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944

  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-997 came under the command of:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Six, CAPT. D.F.J. Shea USN (23);
     LST Group One Hundred Six, CDR. O.P. Thomas Jr. USN (26);
     LST Division Two Hundred Eleven
  • Following World War II USS LST-997 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 15 September to 15 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 7 March 1947
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 4 April 1947
  • Final Disposition. Sold for scrapping, 15 June 1948, to Consolidated Builders, Inc., Seattle, WA.
  • USS LST-997 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
    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 Contributed
    By
    LST 997
    1016099701    		 7k USS LST-997 beached, date and location unknown. LST Home Port Web Site
    LST 997
    1016099702    		 206k USS LST-997 beached on Yellow Beach (behind the Sherman tank), 15 August 1944, during the Invasion of Southern France
    Select images from a short film titled "Invasion of Southern France" US National ArRchives Identifier NAID: 24198; Local ID: 111-ADC-10436. Colorized for detail.    		 David Upton
    LST 997
    1016099703    		 181k
    USS LST-997
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Dhuyvetter, Leonard R., USNR27 May 1944 - 1945
    02LT. Vint, Vinton Claude, USN1945 -1946
    03LTjg. Gleason, Wesley Anthony, USN1946 - 7 March 1947
    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 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 Update 15 August 2025