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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-918

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Papa - Oscar NVPO

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)

LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 5 April 1944, at Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., Hingham, MA.

Launched, 7 May 1944

Commissioned USS LST-918, 29 May 1944, LT. Paul Cherin, USNR, in command

During World War II, USS LST-918 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Leyte operation Leyte landings, 20 October 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March to 7 June 1945

Following WWII USS LST-918 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 22 October to 5 November 1945

Decommissioned, 12 June 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 31 July 1946

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 18 December 1947, to The Learner Co., Oakland, CA.

USS LST-918 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		Contributed By
	327k	Ten LSTs moored at the Yonabaru Pier, Okinawa, 23 July 1945. From right to left: USS LST-819, USS LST-879, USS LST-681, USS LST-926, USS LST-944, ? USS LST-715, USS LST-918, USS LST-871, ? ? US Navy photo 21st USNCB Neg. No. 204.		Donn Cuson

USS LST-918
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command

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 and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 28 October 2011