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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Lost to enemy action, 11 July 1943

LST-158

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 11 July 1943)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship
  • Laid down, 11 July 1942, at Missouri Valley Bridge &, Iron Co.. Evansville IN.
  • Launched, 16 November 1942
  • Commissioned USS LST-158, 10 February 1943
  • During WWII LST-158 was assigned to European Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North African occupation , May, June and July 1943 Sicilian occupation 19 to 11 July 1943

  • Sunk off Licata, Sicily, 1 July 1943, as a result of enemy aircraft bombing
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 28 July 1943
  • USS LST-158 earned two battle stars for World War 11 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
    9 officers, 120 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    14 officers, 131 enlisted
    Boats 6 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 Source
    LST-158 47k LST-158 on the building ways at Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co., Evansville IN, 16 November 1942, ready for launching
    (This photograph may not be reproduced without permission of the Evansville Museum.)    		 With permission, from the collection of the Evansville Museum
    LST-158 38k LST-158 burning in the distance after being fatally struck by a German aerial bomb off Licata, Sicily, 11 July 1943.
    Frame capture from the "Victory at Sea" series, Episode 14, "Roman Renaissance."
    Photo courtesy USS Wilkes (DD-441) Association web site.    		 Paul Sullenberger for his father Sam Sullenberger BMC, USS LST-158, USS LST-492, USS LST-512
    LST-158 29k LST-158 burning after being fatally struck by a German aerial bomb off Red Beach, Licata, Sicily, 11 July 1943. Paul Sullenberger for his father Sam Sullenberger BMC, USS LST-158, USS LST-492, USS LST-512
    LST-158 29k LST-158 burning after being fatally struck by a German aerial bomb off Red Beach, Licata, Sicily, 11 July 1943. A vehicle on the main deck is exploding on the starboard side. Astern and to the port side, if you look closely enough, is an LCVP in the water that was probably manned by crewmen Verdell Jacobson and Tommy Brown. They picked up the Commanding Officer along with BMC Sullenberger.
    Frame capture from the "Victory at Sea" series, Episode 14, "Roman Renaissance."     		Paul Sullenberger for his father Sam Sullenberger BMC, USS LST-158, USS LST-492, USS LST-512
    View the LST-158
    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 Homeport
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
    Evansville Museum
    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 is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 20 April 2007