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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-659


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Victor - Victor
NKVV
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 - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)


LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 31 December 1943 at American Bridge Co. Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 20 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-659, 20 April 1944, LT. John H. Christensen, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-659 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 southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944

  • After service in Europe USS LST-659 was re-assigned to the Asiatic Pacific Theater and came under the command of;
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Six, CAPT. D.F.J. Shea USN (23);
    LST Group One Hundred Seven, CDR. L. F. Teuscher USN (23);
    LST Division Two Hundred Fifteen
  • USS LST-659 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 September 1945 to 7 January 1946
  • Decommissioned, 7 January 1946 and assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q003
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 7 February 1947
  • USS LST-659 earned one battle star for World War 11 service
  • Final Disposition, sold, 25 May 1947, to the government of South Korea, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t. (beaching displacement)
    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-659 147k USS LST-659 commissioning crew photo, taken at American Bridge Co., Ambridge PA, 10 April 1944. The crew nicknamed the ship the "Easter Egg" because she was commissioned on Easter Sunday, 1944 Marvin Peterson
    LST-659
    1016065904
    166k USS LST-659 married to a barge while unloading at Saint Tropez, France. 27 August 1944.
    David Upton
    LST-659 96k USS LST-659 beached on Leyte Island, Philippines, circa late 1945. Note that she carries a causeway secured to her port side and LCT-1017 loaded on her main deck. Marvin Peterson
    LST-659 91k

    USS LST-659
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Christensen, John H., USNR20 April 1944 - February 1945
    02LTjg. Doonan, William P., USNRFebruary 1945 - 7 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
    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 1 January 2021