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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Mineral County (LST-988)
ex
 USS LST-988 (1944 - 1955)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Romeo - Lima
 NVRL
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) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia Clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 10 February 1944, at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.
  • Launched, 12 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-988, 25 April 1944, LTjg. Charles E. Craig in command
  • During World War II USS LST-988 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of southern France, August and September 1944
  • Following World War II USS LST-988 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early April 1946.
  • Decommissioned, 13 June 1950
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 7 June 1951
  • Named USS Mineral County (LST-988), 1 July 1955
  • Decommissioned, 11 October 1957
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 27 September 1957
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target
  • USS LST-988 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
    LST-988 294k USS LST-988 and USS LST-907 moored at Civitavecchia, Italy while loading the US Army Air Force's 523rd Fighter Squadron's ground crew and equipment for sea lift to Corcisa, circa 13 July 1944. Photo by Haven Sanborn, Radio Mechanic, 523rd Fighter Squadron USAAF. Murray Sanborn for his father Haven Sanborn
    LST-988 58k USS LST-988 entering the harbor at Valleta, Malta, date unknown.
    US Navy photo..    		 Robert Hurst
    Constellation 182k USS Mineral County (LST-988) is to the left on Pier 5 at Boston Naval Shipyard while USS Constellation (IX-20) sits moored in the dock of floating dry dock USS ARD-16 at Pier 6 of the Boston Naval Shipyard on 5 August 1955. The harbor tug Chegodega (YTB-542) is seen at right, with Wawasee (YTB-367) at left. (U.S. Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10726) Stephen P. Carlson Preservation Specialist Boston NHP Charlestown Navy Yard Boston, MA
    View the Mineral County (LST-988)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    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 16 April 2010