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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Lost to enemy mine, 19 June 1944, off Normandy beachhead

USS LST-523


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

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal


LST-491 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 15 October 1943, at Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.
  • Launched, 6 December 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-523, 3 February 1944, LTjg. Harold H. Cross, USN, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-523 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 19 June 1944

  • Struck from the Naval Register, 22 August 1944
  • USS LST-523 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sunk by enemy mine, 19 June 1944, off the Normandy beachhead
    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-523 508k Location of US ships sunk off Normandy
    USS LST-523
    USS Susan B. Anthony (AP-73)
    USS Corry (DD-463)
    USS Glennon (DD-620)
    USS YMS-304
    SS Charles Morgan
    Illustration from "National Geographic" magazine, June 2002
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.

    USS LST-523
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Cross, Harold Howard, USN3 February 1944 - 19 June 1944
    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
    USS LST-423 Action Report, 19 June 1944
    Sinking of LST-523 -History of the 300th Combat Engineers, 1943 to 1945, Remembering the Men of LST 523
    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
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 21 February 2020