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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, LT. S. J. O'Brien, USNR, in command

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 Eleven;
LST Group Thirty-Two and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943	Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
Anzio-Nettuno advanced landings, 22 January to 2 February 1944

Decommissioned and transferred to the United Kingdom, 18 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:

Displacement

1,625 t.(lt)

4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)

2,366 t. (beaching displacement)

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)

limiting 11' 2"

maximum navigation 14' 1"

Speed 11.6 kts. (trial)

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

Fuel Capacity

Diesel 4,300 Bbls

Propulsion

two General Motors 12-567A, 900hp Diesel engines

single Falk Main Reduction Gears

three Diesel-drive 100Kw 230V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

two propellers, 1,700shp

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
	94k	From left to right: USS LST-326, USS LST-358, USS LST-197, USS LST-377, USS LST-360 and an unidentified LST beached at Ajaccio, Corsica, 25-26 March 1944. The LSTs convoyed from Naples to Ajaccio carrying US troops, equipment, vehicles and supplies. After offloading the Americans at Ajaccio the LSTs loaded French military personnel and their equipment and offloaded them at Nisida, Italy. (See attached (War Diary). Photo originally was owned by US Army Captain Sanner of the 335th Engineer General Service Regiment.	Brian Miller
	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(3)-2483* at Bombay, circa early 1945.	Able Seaman Alan Rolls Royal Navy HM LST-2326
	81k		Able Seaman Alan Rolls Royal Navy HM LST-2326
	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
1016032618	127k	*RFS Liamone* (LST-326)** at anchor in IndoChina, 1948	Jacques Druel
1016032617	1213k	*RFS Liamone* (LST-326) seen her based as a depot ship on the Saïgon River prior to sometime in April 1956 along with other decommissioned ships. Liamone** is on the far right.	Jacques Druel

USS LST-326
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. O'Brien, S. J., USNR	26 February 1943 - June 1943
02	LT. Fitzgerald, E. J., USNR	June 1943 - 25 August 1943
03	LT. Saussy, John C. USCGR	25 August 1943 - 18 December 1944

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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS LST-326 Thanksgiving Day 1944 Menu
The USS LST Ship Memorial
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 20 October 2023