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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

HM FDT-216
ex
 LST-216


LST-216 was transferred to the United Kingdom for the duration of World War II
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 23 January 1943, at Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL.
  • Launched, 4 July 1943
  • LST-216 never saw active service with the United States Navy
  • Transferred to the United Kingdom, 4 August 1943
  • Royal Navy History
  • Commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM LST-216, 4 August 1943
    Sailed form Halifax, Nova Scotia for Liverpool in convoy SC 143, 28 September 1943
    Converted to Fighter Direction Tender by John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Shipyards, Clydebank, Scotland
    Re-commissioned HM FDT-216, 13 February 1944
    HM FDT-216 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the Invasion of Normandy, 6 June to 7 June 1944, providing aircraft control for US and British fighters in the western half of the assault area
  • Sunk by enemy JU-88 aircraft-launched torpedo 23 miles west of Le Havre, France, 7 July 1944. Crew rescued by HMS Burdock (K-126), five MIAs
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 13 November 1944
    LST 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 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
    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-216 59k HM FDT-216 underway, date and place unknown. Robert Hurst
    View the LST-216
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    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
    Combined Operations - Fighter Direction Tenders
    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
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    This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2004, Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 19 September 2008