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

USS LST-388


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Zulu - Yankee
 NCZY
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (4)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia Clasp)
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:<
  • Laid down, 20 June 1942 at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Newport News VA.
  • Launched, 28 September 1942
  • Commissioned USS LST-388, 20 November 1942
  • During World War II USS LST-388 was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    European-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North African occupation
    Tunisian operations, November 1942 to July 1943     		Salerno landings, September 1943
    Sicilian occupation, July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, June 1944

  • USS LST-388 was transferred to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and following the war performed occupation duty in the Far East
  • Decommissioned, 1 February 1947
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 February 1947
  • Final Disposition, transferred to the Maritime Administration, 7 April 1948 and later sold, fate unknown
  • USS LST-388 earned four 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-325 90k USS LST-325 (left) and USS LST-388 (in background) unloading while stranded at low tide during resupply operations, 12 June 1944, on a Normandy beach.
    Note: propellers, rudders and other underwater details of these LSTs; 40mm single guns; barrage balloon; "Danforth" style kedge anchor at USS LST-325's stern.
    US National Archives photo # 80-252797, now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    LST-388.LST-309 61k USS LST-388 unloads on a Normandy beach at low tide, 12 June 1944. Note barrage balloon overhead.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-252794, taken by Combat Photo Unit Eight (CPU-8), now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.    		 Dave Kerr
    LST-388.LST-309 48k USS LST-388 and USS LST-309 at Pearl Harbor, T.I., 1945 Photo by John H. Kellers, GM3/c USS LCT-539
    View the USS LST-388
    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
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 30 November 2009