Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

HM LST-79

LST-79 was transferred to the United Kingdom under the Lend-lease Program for the duration of World War II

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 28 February 1943, at Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.

Launched, 8 May 1943

LST-79 never saw active service with the United States Navy

Transferred to the United Kingdom, 17 July 1943

Royal Navy History
Commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM LST-79, 17 July 1943
Sailed from New York in convoy UGS 15, 16 August 1943
HM LST-79 was assigned to the Royal Navy 9th LST Flotilla
Sunk by aerial torpedo in Ajaccio Harbor, Corsica, 30 September 1943

Struck from the Naval Register, 11 October 1943

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)

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 - US Varied with availability when each vessel was outfitted. Retro-fitting was accomplished throughout WWII. The ultimate armament design for United States vessels was

two - Twin 40MM gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors

four - Single 40MM gun mounts

twelve single 20MM gun mounts

Armament - UK Lend Lease built vessels were to be outfitted with armament after convoying across Atlantic and included

one - 12 Pounder anti-aircraft multi-barrel mount

six - 20MM single gun mounts

four - Fast Aerial Mine (FAM) 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
1016007901	54k	*LST-79* launching, 8 May 1943, at Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN. US LST Ship Memorial Inc.		Tommy Trampp
1016007902	72k	HM LST-79 wreckage sunk after being struck by an aerial torpedo in Ajaccio Harbor, Corsica, 30 September 1943.		Curtis Barber

LST-79
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index

Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 21 April 2023