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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-1020


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - Alpha - Romeo
NTAR
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 - 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)


542-Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 11 April 1944, at the Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 10 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-1020, 19 May 1944, LT. Paul D. Tracy USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LST-1020 was initially 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, 15 August to 19 September 1944

  • Following service in the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater USS LST-1020 was reassigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Six, CAPT. D.F.J. Shea USN (23);
    LST Group One Hundred Six, CDR. O.P. Thomas Jr. USN (26);
    LST Div Two Hundred Twelve
  • Following World War II USS LST-1020 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal

    China Service Medal (extended)
    20 November 1945 to 3 April 194620 November 1945 to 3 April 1946

  • Decommissioned, 16 July 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 13 June 1948
  • USS LST-1020 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold to the Walter W. Johnson Co. for scrapping
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t.
    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 Source
    LSTs995/1020 239k Southern France Invasion, August 1944. LST's loading invasion supplies and vehicles at Nisida, Italy, 9 August 1944, just prior to the Southern France Operation. Note barrage balloons overhead. Ships loading on beach include (left to right):
    USS LST-1019;
    USS LST-504;
    USS LST-1020; and
    USS LST-995; among others. Passing by in center distance is
    USS LST-505.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-258037, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    Rob Rielly
    1020 120k USS LST-1020 and USS LST-495 beached preparing to lower her ramp to unload troops and equipment during the invasion of southern France, location and date unknown. Sue Bolen
    1020 118k USS LST-1020 and USS LST-495 beached while unloading troops and equipment during the invasion of southern France, location and date unknown. Sue Bolen

    USS LST-1020
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Tracy, Paul D., USNR19 May 1944 - November 1945
    02LT. Robinett, Joseph W., USNRNovember 1945 - March 1946
    03LTjg. Kennedy, Richard V., USNRMarch 1946 - 16 July 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
    Nelson T. Cotter YN1 Diaries (2) USS LST 1020
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 22 May 2020