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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Bledsoe County (LST-356)
ex
 USS LST-356 (1942 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Bravo - Alpha
 NZBA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (2) (retroactive - Salerno and Normandy)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal

USS LST-652 was sold to Indonesia and named KRI Teluk Tomini (LST-508)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 7 September 1942, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 16 November 1942
  • Commissioned USS LST-356, 22 December 1942, LT. George A. Jacquemot, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-356 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Sicilian occupation 10 July 1943 Invasion of Normandy 14 June 1944
    Salerno landing 9 September 1943  

  • Decommissioned, 2 July 1946, and laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Named USS Bledsoe County (LST-356), 1 July 1955
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1960
  • Sold, 8 March 1961, to the Mechanical Equipment Co., New Orleans, LA.
  • Resold, date unknown, to Indonesia, named KRI Teluk Tomini (LST-508)
  • Disposed of by Indonesian Navy, 26 January 2011
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LST-356 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
    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
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LST-307/356 11k USS LST-356 and USS LST-307 beached, date and location unknown. LST Home Port web site
    LST-356 11k USS LST-356 moored, date and location unknown LST Home Port web site
    LST-356 8k USS LST-356 underway, date and location unknown. LST Home Port web site
    LST-356 792k USS LST-356 unloading trucks across a pontoon causeway at Salerno, Italy, 9 September 1943.
    US Army Signal Corps photo # III-SC 181212, Box 181, now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Dave Kerr
    USS LST-356 / USS Bledsoe County (LST-356)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 8 June 2012