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Lost to enemy action, 11 July 1943

USS 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 USS LST-158 was assigned to Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
North African occupation Tunisian operations, 26 May to 9 July 1943	Sicilian occupation 9 to 11 July 1943

Sunk off Licata, Sicily, 11 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:

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

Size	Image Description	Source
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
50k	A half-track is being loaded on the nearest LST at Bizerte, as USS LST-158 also loads for the Sicilian occupation in July 1943. US Army Signal Corps photo.	Ray Sullenberger, BM2, Sam Sullenberger, BMC, Verdell Jacobson, MoMM2, and Tommy Brown, survivors of the sinking of the LST 158.
38k	USS 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
29k	USS 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
29k	USS 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
10k	Another view of USS LST-158 burning after being fatally struck by a German aerial bomb off Red Beach, Licata, Sicily, 11 July 1943. This frame was captured from the "Victory at Sea" series, Episode 14, "Roman Renaissance" This colonized version of the picture was used in the History Channel's "Hero Ships - LST's" a few years ago. (Ironically, when this footage was shown on the history channel, the narrater was describing the bombing of USS LST-313 off Gela. *LST-158* was never mentioned.	Paul Sullenberger for his father Sam Sullenberger BMC, USNRUSS LST-158, USS LST-492, USS LST-512 and his brother Ray Sullenberger, BM2.
94k	USS LST-158 burning after being fatally struck by a German aerial bomb off Red Beach, Licata, Sicily, 11 July 1943. This "Life" magazine photo was sent to Sam Sullenberger in 1993 by Tommy Brown, who was in the LCVP that most likely rescued Sam Sullenberger when he abandoned ship. This one is submitted for Tommy Brown, Verdell Jacobson, and Sam and Ray Sullenberger. Photo ©"Time-Life Inc.	Paul Sullenberger for his father Sam Sullenberger BMC, USNRUSS LST-158, USS LST-492, USS LST-512, Ray Sullenberger, BM2, Tommy Brown and Verdell Jacobson.
858k	Another view of USS LST-158 burning after being fatally struck by a German aerial bomb off Red Beach, Licata, Sicily, 11 July 1943. US Army Air Corps photo.	Paul Sullenberger for his father Sam Sullenberger BMC, USNR, his brother Ray Sullenberger, BM2. Verdell Jacobson and Tommy Brown, all survivors of USS LST 158

USS LST-158
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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 Homeport
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 7 March 2013