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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-543

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Foxtrot - Xray
NEFX

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 (1)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 6 December 1943 at Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville IN.

Launched, 1 February 1944

Commissioned USS LST-543, 6 March 1944 at US Navy Yard Algiers, LA., LT. Robert F. Blake in command

During World War II USS LST-543 was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:

Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Invasion of Normandy, June 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, May and June 1945

Following World War II USS LST-543 performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until early May 1946

Decommissioned, 31 May 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 17 July 1947

Final Disposition, sold, 5 December 1947 to Bosey, Philippines for scrap

USS LST-543earned two 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
	41k	USS LST-543 with an LCT loaded on her main deck, probably headed toward the European Theater of Operations, circa early 1944		Norris D Shane
	185k	USS LST-326, USS LST-292 and USS LST-543 on Omaha Beach, Normandy, circa 1944. Photo by Ceylon Dearborn EM1/c USS LST-982		Reg Dearborn for his father Ceylon Dearborn EM1/c USS LST-982

View the USS LST-543
DANFS history entry located at the US Navy 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 Homeport
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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Last Updated 12 June 2009