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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LST-316
ARL-43 Cerberus


Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Oscar - Alpha

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal


LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 15 October 1942 at the New York Navy Yard;
  • Launched, 28 January 1943;
  • Commissioned USS LST 316, 3 February 1943
  • During WWII LST-316 was assigned to European Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    European Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
    Salerno landings, 9 to 21 September 1943 .

  • Decommissioned, 24 May 1945 for conversion to Landing Craft Repair Ship Cerberus (ARL-43) at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Conversion canceled, 12 September 1945
  • Reverted to LST-316
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 March 1946
  • Final Disposition, sold to James Hughes, Inc., New York, NY for conversion to merchant service
  • LST-316 earned three 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
    (2-boat davits) 7 officers, 104 enlisted
    (6-boat davits) 9 officers, 120 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    (2-boat davits) 16 officers, 147 enlisted
    (6-boat davits) 14 officers, 131 enlisted
    Boats 2 or 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 Source
    LST-60/316/535 118k LST-316, LST-60 and LST-535 beached at Juno Beach, in Mike Sector on D+1 (7 June 1944) LST Home Port Web Site
    LST-316 42k LST-316 moored bow to stern with an unidentified LST, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1943 issue
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret

    View the LST-316 / Cerberus (ARL-43)
    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 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 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 30 August 2007