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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Caddo Parish (LST-515)
ex
 USS LST-515 (1944 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Yankee - Romeo
 NDYR
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) (4) - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Dominican Republic) - Vietnam Service Medal (9) - Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Bottom Row - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (10) - Philippine Liberation Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

USS Caddo Parish (LST-515) was transferred to the Philippines and renamed RPS Bataan (LT-85)
LST-511 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 3 September 1943, at Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL.
  • Launched, 31 December 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-515, 28 January 1944
  • During World War II, LST-515 was assigned to the European Theater and participated in the:
    European Theater
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy
    June 1944
    		 .
  • Following World War II USS LST-515 performed occupation duty in the Far East until November 1952
  • Named USS Caddo Parish (LST-515), 1 July 1955
  • Decommissioned, 20 October 1955
  • Recommissioned, 2 August 1963
  • During the Vietnam War USS Caddo Parish (LST-515) participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnam Defense
    22 to 23 October 1965
    14 to 18 November 1965
    28 November to 24 December 1965
    		 Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase V
    22 August to 25 August 1968
    31 August to 5 October 1968
    1 November 1968
    Vietnam Counteroffensive
    5 to 9 May 1966
    13 to 24 June 1966
    		 Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    2 to 27 November 1968 23 Dec to 22 February 1969
    Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase II
    14 to 22 July 1966
    6 to 7 August 1966
    23 to 25 August 1966
    14 to 18 September 1966
    1 to 5 October 1966
    28 October to 8 November 1966
    24 November to 12 December 1966
    30 January to 7 February 1967
    14 to 20 February 1967
    28 February to 5 March 1967
    19 to 31 March 1967
    11 April to 31 May 1967
    		 Tet/69 Counteroffensive
    23 February to 17 May 1969
    23 to 2 May 1969
    Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 to 14 June 1967
    11 April to 14 June 1967
    4 August to 13 November 1967
    		 Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    18 June to 19 October 1969
    24 October 1969
    31 October 1968
    Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    26-MAR to 30 June 1968
    		 .

  • Transferred to the Philippine Navy, 26 November 1969, renamed RPS Bataan (LT-85)
  • Decommissioned (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • Final Disposition (fate unknown)
  • USS LST-515 earned one battle star for World War II service and as USS Caddo Parish (LST-515) received the Navy Unit Commendation, the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, and nine campaign stars for Vietnam War 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-54 234k USS LST-515, an unidentified LST and USS LST-54 beached, date and location unknown. LST-54 is unloading a truck. Submitted by Frank Principe, Jr., Photo by Frank James Principe, Sr., USS LST-54
    Caddo County 49k USS Caddo Parish (LST-515) underway, circa 1965, location unknown Brenda Nunnery in memory of her husband James David Nunnery DK1 USN SW Ret. USS Caddo County
    View the USS Caddo Parish (LST-515)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    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
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    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 25 April 2008