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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-137

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Bravo - Uniform
NGBU

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship

Laid down, 23 October 1943, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.

Launched, 19 December 1943

Commissioned USS LST-137, 26 January 1944, LT. John A. Culley, USNR, in command

During World War II USS LST-137 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater:
LST Flotilla Eleven;
LST Group Thirty-Two; and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
European-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

Decommissioned, 20 November 1945

Struck from the Naval Register, 5 December 1945

USS LST-137 earned one battle star for World War II service

Sold, 26 March 1948, to Ships and Power Equipment Corp., Barber, N.J.

Resold in 1948 to Shell Oil Co.

Rebuilt as a shallow draft tanker suitable for Shell’s movement of crude oil from their Lake Maracaibo oil fields to the Shell refineries in Aruba and Curacao

Named MT Laura, reflagged Venezuela

Final Disposition, scrapped in 1953

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
1018078001	186k	*LCT(6)-780* being launched from USS LST-137 at a shipyard in the Port of Plymouth, Devon, U.K., 24 April 1944. USS LST-137 was at this time assigned to *LST Group Thirty-two, Flotilla Eleven*, Refs: COM LST-GR 32 War Diary, and 4-1-30-44; LST-137 (Muster Roll) 1/26/44-11/20/45. Images are frames from a short film called "D-Day" United News Newsreel, National Archive ID 39013, Local ID 208-UN-106.	David Upton
1018078005	145k
1018078003	161k
1018078002	173k
1018078004	169k
1018078006	168k
1018078007	141k
1018078008	150k
	60k	USS LST-137 departing Plymouth, England, 9 July 1945 in Convoy No. 9.	Richelle Slater for her father Richard F. Ring C-MoMM USS LST-134
	78k	USS LST-137 beached on Omaha Beach, Normandy, 6 June 1944.	Jesse Iatonna LCT-218

USS LST-137
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Culley, John A., USNR	26 January 1944 - 1945
02	LT. Guthrie, H. L., USNR	1945 - 20 November 1945


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
The USS LST Ship Memorial
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 12 August 2022