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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USNS T-LST-287
ex
 USS LST-287 (1943 - 1951)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Charlie - Alpha
 NGCA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

USS LST-287 was transferred to the Philippines renamed RPS Samar Oriental (LT-502)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 30 August 1943, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 31 October 1943
  • Placed in partial commission, 29 November 1943, as USS LST-287, for transit to her fitting out yard, LT. F. P. Wahlig, Ferry Command, in command
  • Commissioned USS LST-287, 15 December 1943, LT. Frank P. Eldredge, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-287 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    European-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

  • Decommissioned, 13 June 1946
  • Transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service, 29 May 1951
  • Placed in service as USNS T-LST-287
  • Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • LST-287 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Transferred to the Philippine Navy, 13 September 1976, renamed RPS Samar Oriental (LT-502)
  • Decommissioned by the Philippine Navy, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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 Source
    USS LST-287
    LST-287
    1016028708    		 519k LST-287 construction progress photo, 2 September 1943 at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA Tommy Trampp
    LST-287 68k USS LST-287 at anchor, date and location unknown. Ralph Rogers USS LST-287
    LST-287
    1016028709    		 182k USS LST-287 embarking U.S. Army soldiers of the XX Corps in November in England, 1944.
    Leonard Kaplan is in the group of five soldiers in front of LST-287 and seen checking out the 40mm (Bofor) in photo 1016028711.    		 Richard Kaplan for his father Technician T/5 Leonard Kaplan. 69th Signal Btn. XX Corps, Third Army.
    LST-287
    1016028710    		 219k
    LST-287
    1016028711    		 298k USS LST-287 with embarked U.S. Army soldiers of the XX Corps aboard, November 1944. 69th Signal Btn. XX Corps, Third Army appears in both of these photos Richard Kaplan
    LST-287
    1016028712    		 210k
    USNS T-LST-287
    LST-287 374k USNS T-LST-287 drydocked, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo # 330-PS-6135 3    		 National Museum of the US Navy
    LST-287 73k USNS T-LST-287 under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "Janes Fighting Ships, 1971-72"    		 Robert Hurst
    RPS Samar Oriental (LT-502)
    LST-287 73k Ex-LST-287 in Republic of the Philippines service as RPS Samar Oriental (LT-502) beached in the Philippines in 1987. Photos by Karsten Petersen with permission
    LST-287 140k
    LST-287 136k
    LST-287 40k RPS Samar Oriental (LT-502) moored at Poro Point, La Union Province, Luzon Island, Republic of the Philippines, 2 September 1991. Edison Sy
    USS LST-287 / USNS T-LST-287
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Wahlig, F. P. (Ferry Command)29 November 1943 - 15 December 1943
    02LTjg. Eldredge, Frank P., USNR15 December 1943 - 16 September 1944
    03LT. Cross, Elmer E., USN16 September 1944 - 13 June 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    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 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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 19 March 2021