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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

RFS Vire (L9003)
ex
 RFS LST-347 (1948 - 1950)
 HM LST-347 (1944 - 1946)
 USS LST-347 (1943 - 1944)


Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Quebec - Xray
 NZQX
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, 10 November 1942, at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA.
  • Launched, 7 February 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-347, 7 February 1943
  • During World War II USS LST-347 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Sicilian occupation, July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, June 1944
    Salerno landings, September 1943 .

  • Decommissioned and transferred to the United Kingdom, 19 December 1944
  • Royal Navy History
  • Commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM LST-347, 19 December 1944
  • Underwent refitting at Cardiff, Wales
  • HM LST-347 operated in the Far East making calls at Singapore, Port Swettenham, Java.
  • Paid off at Singapore, 23 January 1946
  • Transferred (leased) to France, at Singapore, 23 January 1948, commissioned into the French navy as RFS LST-347
  • Sold outright to France, 21 March 1949
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 28 April 1949
  • Renamed and redesignated RFS Vire (L9003) in 1950 in accordance with NATO specifications
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1957
  • USS LST-347 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-347
    LST-358 1964k USS LST-358 maneuvering in the harbor at Termini-Imerese, Sicily, 13 September 1943 in support of the Salerno landings. USS LST-347, USS LST-359 and USS LST-350 (broadside view background) are also moored in the harbor. American troops are preparing to board LCI’s to reinforce the 5th Army on the Italian mainland.
    US National Archives photo # III-SC 182815, Box 187, a US Army Signal Corps. photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Dave Kerr
    LST-350 1411k Left to right; USS LST-358 (invasion loading ID number 24) USS LST-347 (invasion loading ID number 23), USS LST-359 (invasion loading ID number 22) and USS LST-350 (invasion loading ID number 25) moored in the harbor at Termini-Imerese, Sicily, 13 September 1943, while loading supplies to reinforce the 5th Army at Salerno.
    US National Archives photos Box 187, # III-SC 182826, a US Army Signal Corps. photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Dave Kerr
    LST-347 31k USS LST-347 beached, date and location unknown. John Freedlund for his father Harold Freedlund USS LST-347
    RFS Vire (L9003)
    LST-347 103k RFS LST-347 insignia pin. André Pilon
    LST-347 79k Ex-LST-347 in service as the Republic of France ship RFS Vire (LST-347) beached at either Saigon or Haiphong, French Indochina circa 1948-49 while disembarking an old english Truck "THORNY". Note she still carries side number 347 vice 9003 on this date. Photo source is the French review magazine "la Charte". André Pilon
    LST-347 47k RFS Vire (L9003) entering the harbor at Toulon, France, circa 1952. André Pilon for Murice Minot matelot mecanician, RFS Vire
    LST-347 82k RFS Vire (L9003) loading/unloading equipment at Port Etienne, Morocco, in 1955 Photo by Marcel Picard, matelot mecanician, RFS Vire submitted by André Pilon.
    LST-347 62k RFS Vire (L9003) loading/unloading equipment at Port Etienne, Morocco, in 1955 Photo by Marcel Picard, matelot mecanician, RFS Vire submitted by André Pilon.
    View the USS LST-347
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    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
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 5 February 2010