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

USS LST-197


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - Charlie - Sierra
 NQCS
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon - (retroactive - Anzio) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Individual Awards

Purple Heart (17 KIA at Anzio)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 15 June 1942, at Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL.
  • Launched, 13 December 1942
  • Commissioned USS LST-197, 5 February 1943. LT. T. S. Medford, USNR, in command During World War II USS LST-197 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the following campaigns
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943 West coast of Italy operations-1944
    Anzio-Nettuno advanced landing, 22 January to 1 March 1944
    Salerno landings, 9 to 21 September 1943 Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

  • USS LST-197 was reassigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and performed occupation duty in the Far East until early November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 5 April 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 31 October 1947, to Luria Steel and Trading Co., New York, N.Y.
  • USS LST-197 earned four 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 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
    LCI(L)-9 84k USS LST-197 at Pozzuoli Bay, Port of Nisida in February 1944, after the Anzio operations along with from let to right:
    USS LCI(L)-218,
    USS LCI(L)-35,
    USS LCI(L)-231,
    USS LCI(L)-9,
    USS LCI(L)-104,
    USS LCI(L)-215,
    USS LCI(L)-213.
    Note: COMFLOTONE commodore's barge near the open doors USS LST-197.    		 Submitted by Tim Hummel for his father Roy D. Hummel MoMM2/c USN, USS LCI(L)-9 Flotilla 11
    LST-197/61 44k USS LST-197 going into drydock after Anzio where she was hit by German RR guns and lost 17 men killed in action. The LCI in the foreground is unidentified. Paul Giordano
    LST-197/61 69k USS LST-197 and USS LST-61 beached at Normandy after 6 June 1944.
    US Navy photo    		 Russ Padden
    LST-197 37k USS LST-197 at Omaha Beach, Normandy, D+3, 9 June 1944. Paul Giordano
    LST-197 489k USS LST-197 off the coast of California in late 1944. Note the causeways secured to her sides. David Buell
    View the USS LST-197
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    LST Home Port
    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
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 31 July 2009