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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LST-31 Addison County

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - Combat Acton Ribbon (retoactive -19 November 1943 -see attached Letter of Commendation) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia Clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 2 February 1943, at Dravo Corp., Pittsburg, PA.

Launched, 5 June 1943

Commissioned USS LST-31, 21 July 1943, Lt. John D. Schneidau, Jr., USNR, in command

During World War II LST-31 served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:

Gilbert Islands operation, November and December 1943
Marshall Islands operation,
(a) Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, January and February 1944
(b) Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll, February and March 1944
Marianas operation,
(a) Capture and Occupation of Saipan, June to August 1944
Tinian Capture and occupation, July and August 1944
Okinawa Gunto operation
(a) Assault and Occupation of Okinawa Gunto, May 1945

Following World War II LST-31 performed occupation duty in the Far East

Decommissioned, 8 January 1946, and transferred to Japan

Returned to US Naval custody in 1948

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group

Named Addison County (LST-31), 1 July 1955

Struck from the Naval Register, 11 August 1955

Final Disposition, sunk as a target

Addison Countyearned five battle stars for World War II service as LST-31

Specifications: (as reported by Office of Naval Intelligence-1945)
Displacement 1,625 t.(lt), 4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
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)
Speed 12 kts. (maximum)
Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
Complement

7 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
Propulsion two General Motors 12-567, 900hp diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
53k	*LST-31* off loading over the beach at Englhi Island, Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Island, circa February-March 1944.	Helen L. Schneidau from the collection of Lt. John D. Schneidau, Jr., USNR Commanding Officer *USS LST-31*
49k	*LST-31* off loading date and place unknown.	Helen L. Schneidau from the collection of Lt. John D. Schneidau, Jr., USNR Commanding Officer *USS LST-31*
64k	*LST-31* officers, 1944. Left to right, John Donald Schneidau, Jr, Commanding Officer, Walter Humkey, Executive Officer, and John Kern, First Lieutenant	Helen L. Schneidau from the collection of Lt. John D. Schneidau, Jr., USNR Commanding Officer *USS LST-31*
74k	*LST-31* officers and crew, 1944.	Helen L. Schneidau from the collection of Lt. John D. Schneidau, Jr., USNR Commanding Officer *USS LST-31*
18k	*LST-31* off loading over the beach at Okinawa, July 1945.	LST Home Port Web Site
135k	Letter of Commendation to officers and crew of Commander LST Group 8 *LST-31*, dated 23 November 1943	Helen L. Schneidau from the collection of Lt. John D. Schneidau, Jr., USNR Commanding Officer *USS LST-31*

View the Addison County (LST-31)
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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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Last Updated 15 April 2005