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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LST-61

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Mike - Victor

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - European- African-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 24 June 1942, at Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.

Launched, 8 November 1942

Commissioned USS LST-61, 5 February 1943, LT. Norris G. Murphy, USNR, in command

During World War II LST-61 was assigned to both European and Asiatic_Pacific Theaters of operation and participated in the following campaigns

Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943	Western Caroline Islands operation Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands September and October 1944
Invasion of Normandy, June 1944	.

Decommissioned, 5 June 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 19 June 1946

Final Disposition, sold, 2 June 1947, to Southern Trading Co., Philadelphia, PA., and converted for merchant service. She was subsequently scrapped in 1960

LST-61 earned three battle stars for World War II service

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	Source
91k	*LST-61* moored, date and location unknown.	Ann Ruyle Hoffstetter for her father LTjg. Dwight Ruyle USNR USS LST-61
91k	*LST-61* and *LST-55* unloading cargo on Omaha Beach, Normandy, June 1944.	Robert Hurst
69k	*LST-61* and *LST-197* on the beach at Normandy after 6 June 1944 US Navy photo	Russ Padden

View the LST-61
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center

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 26 October 2007