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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-27


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Sierra - Charlie
 NDSC
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal

USS LST-27 was manned by a US Coast Guard crew during World War II
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship
  • Laid down, 10 December 1942, at Dravo Corp., Neville Island, PA.
  • Launched, 27 April 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-27, 16 June 1943, LT. Lance J. Kirstine USCG, in command
  • During World War II, USS LST-27 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater:
    LST Flotilla Eleven
     LST Group Thirty-One
     LST Division Sixty-One and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Convoy UGS-36, 1 April 1944 Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
  • Decommissioned, 9 November 1945, at Boston, MA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 28 November 1945
  • USS LST-27 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition: sold for scrapping, 15 December 1947, to Rhode Island Navigation Co., Newport, R.I.
    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
    LST-27 110k USS LST-27 beached alongside an unidentified LST in England early in June 1944 while loading out for the invasion of France. Timothy Duffy for his father Francis Duffy USS LST-27
    LST-27 280k USS LST-27 and other LSTs in convoy, June 5, 1944, bound for the Normandy beachhead.USS LST-27 carried elements of the US Army 29th Division. Timothy Duffy for his father Francis Duffy USS LST-27
    LST-27 280k
    LST-27 146k Views of Utah Beach, Normandy, in June 1944 from USS LST-27 Timothy Duffy for his father Francis Duffy USS LST-27
    LST-27 86k View from USS LST-27 while beached at Utah Beach, Normandy in June 1944 during low tide. Timothy Duffy for his father Francis Duffy USS LST-27
    LST-27 138k USS LST-27 underway in June 1944, probably in the English Channel returning to Great Britain to reload additional equipment and reinforcements. Timothy Duffy for his father Francis Duffy USS LST-27
    LST-27 181k USS LST-27 beached in June 1944 while participating in the invasion of France, location unknown. Timothy Duffy for his father Francis Duffy USS LST-27
    LST-27 108k USS LST-27 crew members in the tank deck in June 1944, location unknown. Timothy Duffy for his father Francis Duffy USS LST-27
    LST-27 220k Newspaper article with photo of Wisconsin USS LST-27 crew members. Timothy Duffy for his father Francis Duffy USS LST-27
    LST-27 458k Seaman 2c Gerald W. Haddon. At the age of fourteen he enlisted in the USCG, 23 Sept 1943, at Chicago, IL. He reported aboard USS LST-27 and sailed with the ship, 31 January 1944, to the Europe-Africa-Mediterranean Theater of Operations. Having participated in landings in the Mediterranean and at Normandy under Nazi bombs he was now a veteran. Once they discovered his true age his was transferred off the ship, 18 July 1944, and reported to USCG Headquarters in England where he was fighting to stay in the fight. Bill Gonyo
    LST-27 106k USS LST-27's tank deck with tables set for either Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, 1944. Timothy Duffy for his father Francis Duffy USS LST-27
    LST-27 219k USS LST-27's Thanksgiving 1944 Menu. Timothy Duffy for his father Francis Duffy USS LST-27
    From DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Magazine
    Julius J. Boreali Diary and Ltr. from RADM Alan Kirk Commander Western Task Force to All Hands
    LST-27
    Julius J. Boreali     		LST-27
    Diary     		LST-27
    Diary Entries     		LST-27
    RADM. Kirk lettter     		LST-27
    RADM. Kirk lettter
    USS LST-27
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Kirstine, Lance J., USCG16 June 1943 - June 1944
    02LT. Volton, Alfred, USCGJune 1944 - 15 January 1945
    03LT. Gilleran, Clarence J., USCG15 January 1945 - 9 November 1945
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    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
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    Last Updated 5 May 2023