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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Lost to enemy action 6 April 1945

USS LST-447


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Charlie - Juliet
 NFCJ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 7 April 1945) - Navy Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (6) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 10 July 1942, at Kaiser, Inc. Vancouver, WA.
  • Launched, 22 September 1942
  • Commissioned USS LST-447, 13 December 1942
  • During World War II USS LST-447 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LST Flotilla Five, CAPT. G.B. Carter, USN;
    LST Group Fifteen, CDR. V. K. Busck, USN and participated in the following campaigns;
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Consolidation of the Solomon Islands
    Consolidation of the southern Solomons, June 1943     		Hollandia operation
    April 1944
    Treasury-Bougainville operation
    Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina, November and December 1943     		Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Guam, July and August 1944
    Bismarck Archipelago operation
    Green Islands landings, February 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, April 1945

  • Final Disposition, sunk off Okinawa, 7 April 1945 following kamikaze attack of 6 April 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 2 June 1945
  • USS LST-447 earned six battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation 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-446 66k USS LST-447 is pierside in board of USS LST-446 which is in the process of launching LCT-182 at Mare Island, 12 January 1943.
    Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 368-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    LST-447 77k USS LST-447 unloading supplies at Bougainville, date unknown.
    USMC photo # 18, undated    		 Tom Kermen
    LST-447 14k USS LST-447 participated in "Operation Chronicle" the Woodlark Island landing in June, 1943. It transported Argus Unit 1, (Fighter Director Radar Unit) of which Todd Cabral's father was a member, from Townsville Australia to Woodlark. Photo date and place unknown. Todd Cabral
    LST-447 96k USS LST-447 being hit by a Japanese kamikaze pilot, 6 or 7 April 1945, off the Okinawa beachhead, Fortunately, LST-447 was empty after discharging her cargo on the beach, on D-day, 1 April 1945. Richard L. Hamel MoMM/2c) USS LST-447 plank owner.
    USS LST-447
    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 Homeport
    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 25 July 2008