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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Lost to enemy action, 20 DEcember 1944

USS LST-359


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Foxtrot - Alpha
 NZFA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (20 December 1944) - Navy Unit Commendation
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 21 November 1942, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 11 January 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-359, 9 February 1943, LT. James A. Ferreola in command
  • During World War II USS LST-359 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Sicilian occupation, July and August 1943 Anzio-Nettuno advanced landings, January through March 1944
    Salerno landings, September 1943 Invasion of Normandy, June 1944
    Convoy KMS-31, November 1943 .

  • USS LST-359 was sunk by torpedo attack, 20 December 1944, by the German submarine U-870 in the eastern Atlantic
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 February 1945
  • USS LST-359 earned five 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
    (2-boat davits) 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 Source
    LST-359 72k USS LST-359 launching at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C., 11 January 1943.
    Charleston Navy Yard photo # 135-43    		 Robert Hall USS Tidewater
    LST-359 1683k USS LST-359 maneuvering in the harbor at Termini-Imerese, Sicily, 13 September 1943 in support of the Salerno landings. USS LST-350 is moored pierside in the background.
    US National Archives photo # III-SC 182818, Box 187, a US Army Signal Corps. photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Dave Kerr
    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-359 42k USS LST-359, with her barrage balloon hovering overhead, steams in formation as part of the Allied invasion fleet headed toward beachheads in the vicinity of Nettuno and Anzio for the drive on Rome, to the right in the background is a column of LCI's, circa 3 February 1944.
    ACME Photo by Bert Brandt for the War Picture Pool, from the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History    		 Bill Gonyo
    View the LST-359
    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
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    This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 9 October 2009