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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LST-310 / ARL-42 Aeolus

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 22 September 1942, at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.
  • Launched, 23 November 1942
  • Commissioned USS LST 310, 20 January 1943, LT. W. P. Lawless, USNR, in command
  • During World War II, LST-310 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the:
    European-African-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Sicilian occupation, July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, 6 t o25 June 1944

  • Decommissioned, 16 May 1945 for conversion to Landing Craft Repair Ship Aeolus (ARL-42) at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.
  • Conversion canceled, 12 September 1945
  • Reverted to LST-310
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 March 1946
  • Sold, 28 January 1947, to Boston Metals Co., Baltimore, MD. for conversion to merchant service
    Sold (date unknown) to Panama Navigation Corp., named MV Mercator, re-flagged Panamanian. Sometime prior to
    1963, sold to Navemar S. A., name retain, re-flagged Argentinean. Signal (L Q M M)
    Official N. 4594
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • LST-310 earned two 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
    9 officers, 120 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    14 officers, 131 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 Contributed
    By
    LST-310 68k LST-310 moored pierside at Boston Navy Yard, January 1943.
    a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Robert J. Coates for his father Walter F. Coates QM2/c USNR USS LST-310, USS LST-318, USS LST-294.
    LST-310 108k LST-310 off-loading vehicles and equipment on the beach at Normandy 1944 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    LST-262 145k LST-310 (2nd LST from the right) along with other ships putting cargo ashore on one of the invasion beaches, at low tide during the first days of the Invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Among identifiable ships present are LST-532 (in the center of the view); LST-262 (3rd LST from right); LST-533 (partially visible at far right); and LST-524. Note the barrage balloons overhead and Army "half-track" convoy forming up on the beach.
    US Coast Guard photo # 26-G-2517 from the US Coast Guard collection in the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center and Arthur DeLorenzo MoMM3/c USS LST 262
    LST-310 51k LST-21, LST-519 and LST-310, off-loading vehicles and equipment at La Havre, France circa 1944 LST 519 web site
    LST-310 49k LST-310 at anchor, date and place unknown. LST-519 Web Site
    View the LST-310 / Aeolus (ARL-42)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    LST Homeport
    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 Back To The Landing Craft Repair Ship (ARL) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 13 April 2007