Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

Lost to enemy action, 9 August 1943
NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-318

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - November - Quebec
NJNQ

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (9 August 1943)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Personnel Awards

Purple Hearts (4 WIA - 1 August 1943) (20 WIA - 9 August 1943)

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship

Laid down, 15 October 1942, at New York Navy Yard

Launched, 28 January 1943

Commissioned USS LST-318, 8 February 1943

During World War II, USS LST-318 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

**Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign**
Campaign and Dates
Sicilian occupation Southern Sicilian landing Licata - (Blue Beach) 9 to 15 July 1943 Northern Sicilian operations, 28 July to 17 August 1943

Final Disposition, sunk while participating in an amphibious raid behind German lines, 9 August 1943, at Coronia, Sicily

Struck from the Naval Register, 20 October 1943

USS LST-318 earned one battle star 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

7 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
Propulsion two General Motors 12-567, 900hp diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders

Size	Image Description	Source
78k	USS LST-318 and USS LST-317 at Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York, early February 1943.	Robert J. Coates for his father Walter F. Coates QM2/c USNR USS LST-310, USS LST-318, USS LST-294
55k	USS LST-318 off Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York, early February 1943.	Robert J. Coates for his father Walter F. Coates QM2/c USNR USS LST-310, USS LST-318, USS LST-294
66k	USS LST-318 launches an LCT, date and location unknown.	Gerd Matthes

View the USS LST-318
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
Fleet Reserve Association

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

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

Last Updated 15 May 2009