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-202


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Echo - Yankee
NZEY
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippine Liberation Medal (1)



USS LST-202 was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 15 July 1942 at the Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Seneca, IL;
  • Launched, 16 March 1943;
  • Commissioned USS LST 202, 9 April 1943, LT Benjamin Ayesa, USCGR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-202 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LST Flotilla Seven;
    LST Group Twenty-One;
    LST Division Forty-Two and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Bismarck-Archipelago operations
    Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 26 to 30 December 1943, 3 to 7, 11 to 14, 23 to 27 January, 15 to 10, 21 to 25 February 1944
    Admiralty Islands landings, 29 February to 4 March and 7 to 11 March 1944
    Western New Guinea operations
    Toem-Wakde-Sarmi operation, 17 to 18, 21 to 23 May 1944
    Noemfoor Island operation, 9 to 14 July 1944
    Cape Sansapor operation, 30 July, 2, 4 to 10, 12 to 18, 20 to 26 August 1944
    Morotai landings, 15 September 1944
    Eastern New Guinea operation
    Saidor operations, 15 to 17, 19 to 21 January, 4 to 7 February 1944
    Leyte operation;
    Leyte landings, 13 to 27 October 14 to 29 November 1944
    Hollandia operations, 21 to 28 April, 1 to 7, 9 to 14 May 1944  

  • Following World War II USS LST-202 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 15 October to 3 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 11 April 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 28 August 1946
  • USS LST-202 earned five battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 16 April 1948, to the Bethlehem Steel Co., Seattle, WA.
    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 Contributed
    By
    LST-466
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Photo # USMC 69080
    125k Cape Gloucester Invasion, December 1943. Loading LSTs at Oro Bay, New Guinea, on December 24, 1943, in preparation for the Cape Gloucester landings two days later. Photographed by Brenner. LSTs present include (from left to right):
    USS LST-202,
    USS LST-466,
    USS LST-468,
    USS LST-475,
    USS LST-474, and
    USS LST-18. Note Marines marching by Jeep in foreground.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # USMC 69080 and Photo from "A Photographic History of World War 2", Colliers, 1946.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Dan Wilmes
    LST-18/202.245
    Photo from "A Photographic History of World War 2", Colliers, 1946
    315k
    LST-204 271k USS LST-204 (background) beached at Cape Gloucester, New Britain as US Army soldiers struggle to off load a jeep through the surf and sand from USS LST-202, 27 December 1943. Photo from "A Photographic History of World War 2", Colliers, 1946 Dan Wilmes
    LST-202 60k USS LST-202 and USS LST-204 (background) beached at New Britain, while off loading tanks and other equipment, 27 December 1943.
    US Coast Guard photo # 3058, from the collections of the US Coast Guard Historian's Office.
    Mike Green
    LST-204 1094k USS LST-202 (background) and USS LST-204 beached at Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 27 December 1943, as a wounded Marine from the 7th Marine Regiment is carried aboard USS LST-204.
    US Army Signal Corps photo #SC 186796, 12 May 1944.
    Dave Kerr
    LST-202 98k US Army troops wading ashore from USS LST-202 on the beach at Cape Gloucester, New Britain in January 1944. Ron Reeves
    LST-466 965k LSTs, including USS LST-466 and USS LST-202, lined up on the beach at Cape Sudest, New Guinea, awaiting loading for the Admiralty Islands action, 12 March 1944.
    US National Archives photo # III-SC 271517, Box 504, a US Army Signal Corps photo, by T/4 Henry C. Manger, now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Dave Kerr
    LST-202 80k USS LST-202 under attack, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo from the US Coast Guard Historian's Office.
    Mike Green
    LST-202 1112k A staff conference aboard USS LST-202 while enroute to the Vogelkop Peninsula at Dutch New Guinea. CDR. R.S. Malven USNR, General Headquarters Observer, BGEN Charles E. Hurtis, CG 6th Div Artillery, COL. Charles H. Swartz, Field Artillery executive officer, 6th Div Artillery, LCDR Thomas N. Kelley, USCGR, CO LST-202, 30 July 1944.
    US National Archives photo # III-SC 261034, a US Army Signal Corps. photo by LT. Schuman, now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Dave Kerr
    LST-202
    1016020216
    357k USS LST-202 beached while unloading on the north coast of Dutch New Guinea during the Wakde-Sarmi Operation in May 1944.
    US National Archives Identifier 205586919, Local Identifier 26-G-2298, US Coast Guard Photo # 2298.
    David Upton
    LST-202 953k Invasion task force as seen from USS LST-202 in Maffin Bay, Dutch New Guinea, 30 July 1944.
    US National Archives photo # III-SC 261039, a US Army Signal Corps. photo by, now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Dave Kerr
    LST-202 848k Various vehicles; Buffaloes, Ducks, Tractors, and a truck carrying a Piper Cub plane are put ashore from USS LST-202 on Red Beach, at Cape Opmarai, Dutch New Guinea, 30 July 1944.
    US National Archives photo # III-SC 261053, a US Army Signal Corps. photo by LT. Schuman, now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Dave Kerr
    LST-202
    1016020213
    527k Surf's up as USS LST-202 unloads supplies at Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island for American forces of occupation. circa 26 December 1943.
    US National Archives Identifier 205584302, Local Identifier 26-G-3077, US Coast Guard Photo # 3077, by Schestzer.
    David Upton
    LST-202
    1016020215
    284k Marines and Coast Guard Sailors push a "jeep" ashore from USS LST-202 at Cape Gloucester, New Britain from USS LST-202 at Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island for American forces of occupation. circa 26 December 1943.
    US National Archives ID 205584246, Local Identifier 26-G-3063, US Coast Guard Photo # 3063, by Schestzer.
    David Upton
    LST-202
    1016020214
    284k An M4 Sherman Tank rolls down the ramp of USS LST-202 at Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island, circa 26 December 1943.
    US National Archives ID 205584249., Local Identifier 26-G-3070., US Coast Guard Photo # 3070, by Schestzer.
    David Upton
    LST-202
    1016020212
    721k USS LST-202 delivers a big load of supplies to American forces of occupation. The cargo includes everything from army trucks to toothpicks, being delivered at Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island, circa 30 December 1943. (Definitely a different beach than that in photo #1016020213)
    US National Archives ID 205584228, Local Identifier 26-G-3407, US Coast Guard Photo # 3407, by Schestzer.
    David Upton
    LST-18/202.245 360k USS LST-18, USS LST-245, LST-202 and USS LST-467 landing troops and material, on the beach at Leyte, P.I., on D-Day 20 October 1944.
    US Navy photo
    Raymond Cvetovich, Ph.D.
    LST-18/202 79k From left to right USS LST-67, USS LST-66, USS LST-18, USS LST-245, and USS LST-202 landing troops and material on the beach at Leyte, P.I., D-Day 20 October 1944.
    from the US Coast Guard Magazine "The Coast Guard and the Pacific War".
    Don Leal USS LST 67 & USS LST 19
    LST-202 832k “An LST Opens Its Jaws”, a painting by Coast Guard Combat Artist John S. Gretzer depicting a tank and an ambulance rolling down the ramp of USS LST-202 and through the shallow surf onto the beach.
    US Coast Guard photo # 0324441
    Robert Smith, Archivist US Navy Memorial

    USS LST-202
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Ayesa, Benjamin USCGR9 April 1943 - ?
    02LT. Edge, Robert R. USCGRno dates
    03LCDR. Kelley, Thomas N. USCGRno dates
    04LT. Gaillard, Harold H. USCGRno dates
    05LT. Elliot, Robert B. USCGR? - 11 April 1946
    Courtesy US Coast Guard Historian's Office

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

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    History of LST Flotilla Seven
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 27 August 2021