Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LST-374 / ARL-47 Minerva


Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Golf - Xray
 NCGX
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-351 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 12 November 1942, at Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 19 January 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-374, 29 January 1943
  • During World War II LST-374 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Sicilian occupation, July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, June 1944

  • Decommissioned, 29 May 1945 at Baltimore, MD.
  • Named Minerva (ARL-47), 29 May 1945
  • Start of conversion to a Landing Craft Repair Ship, 30 May 1945 at Maryland Drydock Co., Baltimore, MD.
  • Conversion canceled, 11 September 1945
  • Reverted to LST-374
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 March 1946
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 14 January 1947, to A. G. Schoonmaker
  • LST-374 earned two battle stars for World War II service
    LST 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
    LST-374 88k LST-374 and LST-314 loading supplies at an English port in preparation for the Invasion of Normandy, early June 1944. LST-314 was sunk by German motor torpedo boats, 9 June 1944. The numbers at the peaks of the LST bows are apparently berth numbers.
    US Army Signal Corps. photo # C-745 (Color) from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.    		 Bill Gonyo
    LST-314 87k LST-374 and LST-314 loading supplies at an English port in preparation for the Invasion of Normandy, early June 1944. US Naval Institute photo. Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    LST-376 96k LST-374 is to starboard of LST-376 as she loads a DUKW amphibious truck at an unidentified English port prior to the Invasion of Normandy. Robert Hurst
    View the
    LST-374 DANFS and the Minerva DANFS
    history entries located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    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 Back To The Landing Craft Repair Ship (ARL) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 8 February 2008