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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

DE-159 / APD-55 / LPR-55 Laning

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - India - Kilo
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 20 April 1944)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down, 23 April 1943, as a Buckley Class Destroyer Escort at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA.
  • Launched, 4 July 1943
  • Commissioned USS Laning (DE-159), 1 August 1943, CDR. E. C. Woodward in command
  • Converted to a Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport at Philadelphia, PA.
  • Redesignated (APD-55), 24 November 1944
  • During World War II Laning was assigned to both the European and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters and participated in the following action:
  • Decommissioned, 28 June 1946, at Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs
  • Recommissioned, 6 April 1951, at Green Cove Springs, CDR. John D. Patterson in command
  • Decommissioned, 13 September 1956, at Bayonne, N.J.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Norfolk, VA.
  • Reclassified an Amphibious Transport, Small, redesignated (LPR-55), 1 January 1969
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 March 1975
  • Final Disposition, sold for Scrapping, 30 September 1975 to Trebor Marine Corp., Camden, N.J. for $53,000.00
  • Laning earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,400 t.
    Length 306' (ovl)
    Beam 36' 10"
    Draft 13' 6" (max)
    Speed 24 kt.
    Range 6,000 nautical miles at 12 kts.
    Complement 186
    Troop Accommodations 162
    Boats 4 LCVP landing craft
    Armament
    one 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    three twin 40mm gun mounts
    eight single 20mm gun mounts
    two depth charge tracks
    Propulsion
    two GE Turbines (turbo-electric drive)
    two boilers
    twin shafts
    12,000 Shaft Horsepower
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Laning 125k Aft plan view of Laning (APD-55) at Navy Yard Mare Island, 7 August 1945. Note Mare Island Ammunition Depot in the background.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5824-45.    		 Darryl Baker
    Laning 86k Forward plan view of Laning (APD-55) at Navy Yard Mare Island, 7 August 1945.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5825-45.    		 Darryl Baker
    Laning 68k Stern view of Laning (APD-55) underway off Navy Yard Mare Island, 8 August 1945.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5833-45.    		 Darryl Baker
    Laning 60k Broadside view of Laning (APD-55) underway off Navy Yard Mare Island, 8 August 1945.
    Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 5835-45.    		 Robert Hurst and Darryl Baker
    Laning 44k Laning (APD-55) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Hyperwar US Navy in World War II
    Laning 93k Laning (APD-55) and Bowers (APD-40) moored pierside at Norfolk, VA., circa 1951-52. Note the bedding spread across the Bowers railings. Crews aired bedding on a weekly basis. George Panos, QMS2C USS Earle B. Hall
    Laning 67k Laning (APD-55) underway, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    View the Laning (APD / LPD-55)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Reunion Contact
    Contact: Robert L. Jones
    Address: 616 E Hancock St. Lansdale PA. 19446
    Phone: 215-855-2835
    E-mail: Robert L. Jones
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To the Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Laning (DE-159) page Back To The High-speed Transport (APD) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 9 March 2007