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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LST-317 / ARL-44 Conus

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

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 New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Launched, 28 January 1943

Commissioned USS LST-317, 6 February 1943

During World War II LST-317 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

**Europe-Africa-Middle East 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, 18 May 1945 for conversion to Landing Craft Repair Ship Conus (ARL-44) at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Conversion canceled, 12 September 1945

Reverted to LST-317

Struck from the Naval Register, 12 March 1946

Final Disposition, sold, 22 January 1947, to A. G. Schoonmaker, fate unknown

LST-317 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

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

Size	Image Description	Source
75k	*LST-317* with visitors aboard. Probably taken at date of commissioning at New York Navy Yard, 6 February 1943.	Edward E. Arn dedicated to the memory of his father Edward F. Arn (at right)USS LST-317
78k	*LST-317* *LST-318* at New York Navy Yard, circa early February 1943.	Robert J. Coates for his father Walter F. Coates S2/c USNR USS LST-318
56k	*LST-317* beached, date and place unknown.	Linda Michael dedicated to the memory of her father Richard E. Porter GM3/c USS LST-317
44k	*LST-317* beached, date and place unknown.	Linda Michael dedicated to the memory of her father Richard E. Porter GM3/c USS LST-317
23k	*LST-317* at anchor, date and place unknown.	Linda Michael dedicated to the memory of her father Richard E. Porter GM3/c USS LST-317

View the LST-317
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

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Last Updated 2 March 2007