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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-729

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Alpha - Papa
NGAP

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
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, 12 August 1944, at Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.

Launched, 18 September 1944

Commissioned USS LST-729, 16 October 1944, LTjg. S.F. McCarthy in command

During World War II USS LST-729 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

Okinawa operation;
(a) Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 17 March 1945
USS LST-729 transported LCT-1268 from Gulfport, MS. to Okinawa for the invasion

Following World War II USS LST-729 performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until late September 1945

Decommissioned, 8 July 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 28 August 1946

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 27 October 1947, to Moore Dry Dock Co., Oakland, CA.

USS LST-729 earned one battle star 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
	53k	USS LST-729, with *LCT-1268* welded to her main deck, at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone, circa 21 to 25 November 1944. *USS LST-729* was waiting at Coco Solo to transit the Panama Canal from Atlantic to Pacific while enroute to Okinawa. She arrived at Coco Solo, 2151 21 Nov 1944, entered the canal at 1338 25 Nov 1944 and exited the Pacific side at 2225 25 Nov 1944.		Mike Greene in honor of his father LTjg. J. Hubert Greene OIC LCT-1268

USS LST-729 Voyage Record (Ports of Call) and Officer list Contributed by Mike Greene

View the USS LST-729
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
LST Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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Last Updated 6 June 2008