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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-326

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Zulu - Delta
NWZD

USS LST-326 was manned by the US Coast Guard after a crew swap, 25 August 1943

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

USS LST-326 was loaned to the United Kingdom and later sold to France

LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 12 November 1942, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, PA.

Launched, 11 February 1943

Commissioned USS LST-326, 26 February 1943

25 August 1943 the officers and crew of USS LST-175 exchanged places with the Navy officers and crew of USS LST-326 and she became a Coast Guard-manned vessel

During World War II USS LST-326 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater, LST Flotilla 11, Group 32 and participated in the following campaigns:

**European Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Sicilian occupation, 10-11 July 1943	Invasion of Normandy, June 1944
Anzio-Nettuno advanced landings January and February 1944

Decommissioned and transferred to the United Kingdom, 9 December 1944

Royal Navy History
Commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM LST-326, 18 December 1944
As part of "W" Task Force HM LST-326 worked down the Arakan coast of Burma and participated in the recapture of Rangoon, before proceeding to the eventual invasion of Malaya at Morib and Port Swettenham, and so to Singapore and Bangkok etc. doing relief work repatriating ex P.O.W.s of the Japanese.
Paid off Singapore and returned to US Navy custody at Subic Bay, Philippines, 16 March 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 26 February 1946

Sold, 5 April 1946, to France, commissioned RFS LST-326

Named RFS Liamone, date unknown

Final Disposition, reportedly destroyed by a typhoon in the South China Sea, date unknown

USS LST-326 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

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
USS LST-326
	50k	USS LST-326 underway, off Anzio, 15 April 1944. US National Archives image.	Bill Brinkley
	185k	USS LST-326, USS LST-292 and USS LST-543 on Omaha Beach, Normandy, circa 1944. Photo by Ceylon Dearborn EM1/c USS LST-982	Reg Dearborn for his father Ceylon Dearborn EM1/c USS LST-982
HM LST-326
	66k	HM LST-326 launching *LCT-2483* at Bombay, circa early 1945.	Able Seaman Alan Rolls Royal Navy HM LST-326
	81k		Able Seaman Alan Rolls Royal Navy HM LST-326
	60k	HM LST-326 beached, probably in Malaya, circa March 1945.	Able Seaman Alan Rolls Royal Navy HM LST-326
	56k	A LCM being loaded aboard HM LST-326, date and location unknown.	ex Able Seaman Alan Rolls Royal Navy HM LST-326 and Colin E C Pilcher Flt Lt RAF (retired) for his father LCDR. Leonard George Pilcher RNVR Commanding Officer HM LST-326
	37k	Troops crowd the main deck of HM LST-326 while underway, date and location unknown.	Able Seaman Alan Rolls Royal Navy HM LST-326 and Colin E C Pilcher Flt Lt RAF (retired) for his father LCDR. Leonard George Pilcher RNVR Commanding Officer HM LST-326
	33k	Vehicles fill the main deck of HM LST-326 while underway, date and location unknown.	Able Seaman Alan Rolls Royal Navy HM LST-326 and Colin E C Pilcher Flt Lt RAF (retired) for his father LCDR. Leonard George Pilcher RNVR Commanding Officer HM LST-326
	173k	HM LST-326 moored, date and location unknown.	Able Seaman Alan Rolls Royal Navy HM LST-326 and Colin E C Pilcher Flt Lt RAF (retired) for his father LCDR. Leonard George Pilcher RNVR Commanding Officer HM LST-326
	2030k	Menu for a farewell dinner aboard HM LST-326 for Captain G Owles when Force W was paid off in Singapore on 9 February 1946. The menu consists of three sheets of paper stapled together and represents the bow doors and ramp opening.	Colin E C Pilcher Flt Lt RAF (retired) for his father LCDR. Leonard George Pilcher RNVR Commanding Officer HM LST-326
	1734k
	1834k
RFS LST-326 / Liamone
	19k	RFS LST-326 badge.	Remy Marie RFS Cheliff