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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LST-779

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Iwo Jima, February 1945) - China Service Medal (retroactive) American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 21 May 1944, at Dravo Corp. Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Launched, 1 July 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-779, 3 August 1944, LTjg. Joseph A. Hopkins, USNR, in command
  • During World War II LST-779 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, February 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, April 1945

  • Following World War II LST-779 performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until early April 1946
  • Decommissioned, 18 May 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 19 July 1946
  • Final Disposition, sold, 5 December 1947, to Bosey, Philippines, fate unknown
  • LST-779 earned 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 Source
    LSM-242 121k Aerial view of the Iwo Jima beachhead, circa February 1945. Ships that can be identified include;
    LST-715,
    LST-790,
    LST-724,
    LST-224,
    LST-784 and
    LST-779.
    LSM's include;
    LSM-242,
    LSM-140,
    LSM-47, and
    LSM-43.
    LCTs include;
    LCT-892, and
    LCT-1029.
    The one lone LCI that is identifiable is LCI(L)-1077.
    USMC photo # 110582    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-264 154k From top to bottom;
    LST-779,
    LST-808,
    LST-788,
    LST-760,
    LST-724 and LSM-264 beached at the foot of Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, 25 February 1945.
    US Navy photo # S-193-A2.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    View the LST-779
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    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
    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
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 10 November 2006