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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LST-120


USS LST-120 was transferred to the Republic of Korean and named ROKS Munsan
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship
  • Laid down, 5 May 1943, at Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.
  • Launched, 7 August 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-120, 22 September 1943
  • During World War II LST-120 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater LST Flotilla Five (Capt. G.B. Carter, USN), Group Fifteen (Cdr. V. K. Busck, USN), Division 29 and participated in the:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, June and July 1944     		Tinian capture and occupation
    July 1944

  • Following World War II LST-120 performed occupation duty in the Far East
  • Decommissioned, 7 January 1946
  • Transferred to the State Department for disposal
  • Sold to the Military Government of Korea February 1947, named ROKS Munsan
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 March 1947
  • Final Disposition, Munsan, lost by stranding September 1950
  • LST-120 earned two 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
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS LST-120
    LST-120 20k LST-120 underway, date and place unknown. Jim Walker
    LST-120 150k LST-120 astern of Antelope (IX-109) in Floating Drydock ABSD-1 at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 8 January 1945.
    US National Archives photo 80-G-324233, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    ROKS Munsan
    LST-120 123k ex-LST-120 in Republic of Korea service as ROKS Munsan broached on the beach during the Changsadong Raid, 15 to 19 September 1950, while attempting to insert South Korean Guerilla forces behind enemy lines north of Pohang. A second ROK LST is in the background.
    US National Archives photo 80-G-420861, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    View the LST-120
    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 Homeport
    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 created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 31 March 2006