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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

HM LST-303


LST-303 was transferred to the United Kingdom for the duration of World War II
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 3 July 1942, at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.
  • Launched, 21 September 1942
  • Transferred to the United Kingdom, 21 November 1942
  • Royal Navy History
  • Commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM LST-303, 14 November 1942
  • Sailed from New York, 27 November 1943 as part of 1st Flotilla for Mediterranean duty via Bermuda
  • During World War II HM LST-303 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Sicily occupation
    Salerno landings
    West Coast of Italy operations-1944, - Anzio-Nettuno advanced landings
    Participated in the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 (MacDermott, Ships Without Names)
    Took part in the shuttle service between Tilbury, Ostend and Antwerp
    Various repairs in Thames and Antwerp
  • Allocated to 12th Flotilla for service in the Pacific
  • In the Pacific HM LST-303 participated in the
    Invasion of Malaya
    Sailed to Australia and Japan
  • Paid off and returned to US Navy custody at Subic Bay, Philippines, 4 May 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 3 July 1946
  • Final Disposition, sold, 5 December 1947, to Bosey, Philippines, date 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 - US Varied with availability when each vessel was outfitted. Retro-fitting was accomplished throughout WWII. The ultimate armament design for United States vessels was
    two - Twin 40MM gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    four - Single 40MM gun mounts
    twelve single 20MM gun mounts
    Armament - UK Lend Lease built vessels were to be outfitted with armament after convoying across Atlantic and included
    one - 12 Pounder anti-aircraft multi-barrel mount
    six - 20MM single gun mounts
    four - Fast Aerial Mine (FAM) 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-302 79k HM LST-302, HM LST-303 and USS LST-349 at Nisida, Italy, while loading or unloading equipment, date unknown. Robert Hurst
    LST-303 21k HM LST-303 moored at Morotai, Borneo, 27 October 1945. Australian troops scheduled to go to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force arrive in Morotai from Balikpapan. Troops line the rail prior to disembarkation. Units involved included, Headquarters 34 Brigade, 28th Field Company, 121 Transport Platoon, 20th Field Ambulance, and 65th Battalion. Australian War Memorial
    LST-303
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 3 November 2006