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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USNS T-LST-550
ex
 USS LST-550 (1944 - 1952)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Hotel - Mike
 NEHM
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - European-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, 13 November 1943, at Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville, IN.
  • Launched, 9 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-550, 10 April 1944, LT. V. A. Meehan, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-550 was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Invasion of Southern France, 15 August to 22 September 1944 Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 to 30 June 1945

  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-550 came under the command of:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Six, CAPT. D. F. J. Shea USN (23)
     LST Group One Hundred Eight, LCDR. W. R. Peeler USN (34);
     LST Division Two Hundred-Fifteen
  • Following World War II USS LST-550 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    20 September to 3 October 1945
    15 October to 4 December 1945
    1 to 13 January 1946

  • Decommissioned, 13 January 1946 and assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q012
  • Transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service, 31 March 1952 and placed in service as USNS T-LST-550
  • Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 1 November 1973
  • USS LST-550 earned two battle stars 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 Source
    USS LST-550
    LST-550
    1016055004     		75k Vol.2 No.12 of "The Invader", the monthly magazine produced for the Evansville Shipyard during World War II. This issue was published in September, 1944. The front cover features a photograph of USS LST-550.
    Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co. photo from USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. LST Shipyard Collection    		 David Upton
    LST-550
    1016055005    		 243k LST-550 underway during builders trials 7 April 1944.
    Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library "All images in the collections are intended for personal or educational/research use only and are not intended for commercial purposes"    		 David Upton
    LST-550
    1016055006    		 238k
    LST-550
    1016055007    		 241k
    LST-550
    1016055008    		 275k
    LST-550
    1016055009    		 365k
    LST-550
    1016055010    		 234k
    LST-550
    1016055011     		228k USS LST-550 commissioning, 10 April 1944, at Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co.., Evansville, IN.
    Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co. photo from USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. LST Shipyard Collection    		 David Upton
    LST-550
    1016055012     		194k USS LST-550 in the Port of Oran, Algeria, far left, loading for the invasion of Southern France, circa August 1944. Robert Wiersema from the estate of Percy J. Egge, GM/2c USS LST-1011
    LST-692 282k LST's loading for the Invasion of Southern France at Nisida, Italy, 9 August 1944, just prior to the Southern France Operation. Ships present include (left to right): USS LST-550; USS LST-692; USS LST-655. Note barrage balloons overhead.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-258038, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    LST-550 283k USS LST-550 beached, circa 1943, location unknown. Glenn Palmer for his father-in-law Robert Bugai MM/1c USS LST-550
    LST-550, 1090,1024,1138 70k From left to right LST-550, USS LST-1090, USS LST-1024 and USS LST-1138 beached in the Philippines during the re-occupation period following the liberation of the Philippines, date and place unknown. Mike Blades
    SCAJAP LST Q012
    Union 87k LST-Q012 is in the center background as USS Union (AKA-106)'s LCVPs circle in the transport area off Inchon, prior to going to the line of departure on the first day of the Inchon Invasion, 15 September 1950.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-423215, a US Navy photo, now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Scott at LBS Products
    USNS T-LST-550
    LST-550 152k USNS T-LST 550 glides up the Perfume River with a load of supplies for allied forces near the DMZ, circa April 1968.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 82554 by PH1 Don Grantham.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    USS LST-550
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Meehan, V. A., USNR10 April 1944 - 13 January 1946
    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 5 August 2022