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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Cape May County (LST-521)
ex
 USNS T-LST-521
 USS LST-521


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Zulu - Hotel
 NDZH
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-491 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 4 October 1943, at Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL.
  • Launched, 13 December 1943
  • Accepted by the US Navy and placed in reduced commission, 9 February 1944, for ferrying to New Orleans, LT. J. J. Kilthau (Ferry Command) in command
  • Placed in full commission as USS LST-521, 17 February 1944, at New Orleans, LT. R. K. Wing, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-521 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    European-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

  • Decommissioned, 21 October 1945
  • Laid up in the Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 20 October 1950, LCDR. Sheldon Potter III USNR in command
  • Decommissioned, date unknown, assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service, placed in service as USNS T-LST-521
  • Placed out of service, date unknown
  • Named Cape May County (LST-521), 1 July 1955
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 November 1959
  • USS LST-521 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t.
    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)
    limiting 11' 2"
    maximum navigation 14' 1"
    Speed 11.6 kts. (trial)
    Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
    Complement
    13 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
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 4,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A, 900hp Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    three Diesel-drive 100Kw 230V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 1,700shp
    twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LST-521 89k USS LST-521 beached, date and location unknown. Jesse Iatonna LCT-218
    LSM-297 76k USS LST-521 USS LSM-297 and USS Krishna (ARL-38) during "Operation Blue Jay" the construction of Thule Air Force Base in Greenland, July 1951. LST-521 struck a boulder on her port side while beaching. The damage to the ship included flooding of the port shaft alley along with the evaporators. She was towed by USS Hoist (ARS-40) to the Boston area and traveled under her own power (starboard engine) to the Bethlehem Steel Company dry dock on Key Highway, Baltimore, MD. for repairs. Photo Contributed by - USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Photo Caption courtesy of Ken Smith ET3 USS LST-521
    LST-521 149k USS LST-521 under way, circa 1950s, location unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 84856. Courtesy of William H. Davis, 1976    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    LST-521
    1016052103    		 281k USS LST-521 and USS LST-603 participating in US Marine Corps amphibious landing exercises at either NAB Little Creek, VA. or Marine Corps Base Camp Lajeune, N.C., circa 1950s. David Upton
    LST-521
    1016052104    		 287k
    USS LST-521
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
     LT. Kilthau, J. J. (Ferry Command)9 February 1944 - 29 February 1944
    01LT/LCDR. Wing, Reginald K., USNR17 February 1944 - May 1946
    02LTjg. Piper, Harlow H., USNRMay 1946 - 30 June 1946
     Decommissioned30 June 1946 - 20 October 1950
    03LCDR. Potter III, Sheldon, USNR20 October 1950 - December 1951
    04LT. Boyett, Arford Clennon, USNDecember 1951 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    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 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 22 March 2024