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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Landing Craft Tank
LCT(5)-159

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal

Landing Craft Tank (Mark 5):

Laid down, 16 September 1942, at Quincy Barge Builders, Quincy, IL.

Delivered, 29 September 1942, in three sections for trans-shipping to Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.

Assembled and launched at Mare Island Navy Yard, 15 October 1942

Placed in service, date unknown

In October 1942 LCT(5)-159, ENS. McNeill, Officer in Charge, was selected for a trial of towing a LCT directly to the combat zone. SS Ewig Young towed LCT(5)-159 (which had a LCM and LCVP piggy back on each other) for a couple of days until a storm broke the tow. The crew was taken aboard the merchantman while the LCT(5)-159 disappeared in the fog. A couple of days later LCT(5)-159 was found by a picket destroyer off the West Coast of Mexico in good shape. She was towed by a tug to San Francisco loaded onto the deck of a merchantman and shipped to Noumea, New Caladonia. There her old crew and skipper remanned her and soon after, in December 1942, she joined LCT Flotilla Five. On 26 December 1942, LCT(5)-159 departed Noumea on an eight day voyage with a load of 900 drums of avgas destined for Lunga Beach, Guadalcanal.
W.L.McGee The Amphibians are Coming, vol 1; p. 87-97
Contributed by Wojciech Aksamit

During World War II LCT(5)-159 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LCT Flotilla Five, LCDR Paul A. Wells;
LCT Group Thirteen;
LCT Division Twenty Five and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Capture and defense of Guadalcanal, 10 October 1942 to 8 February 1943	Treasury-Bougainville operation Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina, 1 November to 15 December 1943
New Georgia Group operation New Georgia-Rendova-Vangunu occupation, 20 June to 5 October 1943

Placed out of service, date unknown

Struck from the Naval Register, 8 January 1946

LCT(5)-159 earned three battle stars for World War II service

Final Disposition, hulk destroyed, 1 December 1945

Specifications:
Displacement 285 t.(fl)
Length 114' 2" (o.a.)
Beam 32' 8"

Draft

limiting 3' 6"

max.navigational 3' 6"

Speed 10 kts.

Range 700 nautical miles at 7 kts.

Complement

1 officer

10 enlisted

Cargo Capacity 150 short tons

Armament

two single 20mm AA gun mounts

two .50 cal. machine guns

Armor

wheelhouse 2 1/2"

gun shields 2"

Fuel Capacity Diesel 80 Bbls

Propulsion

three Grey Marine 6-71 Diesel engines

one Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V. D.C. Ships' service generator

three propellers, 675shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
MINSY 6108-42, Navy Photo, 10/3/1942	758k	In this series of photos the first photo shows all the hull sections of *LCT(5)-156* are in place on the building ways and section B-2 of *LCT(5)-157* is being lowered into place early in the morning of 3 October 1942 at Mare Island Navy Yard. In the second photo all the hull sections of *LCT(5)-156* and *LCT(5)-157* are in place on the ways later in the day. Two days later, 5 October 1942, the deck house is on *LCT(5)-156, the ramp is on LCT(5)-157* and all hull sections are in place for *LCT(5)-158. The next day, 6 October 1942, all the hull sections for LCT(5)-319* are in place and work continues on *LCT(5)-156, LCT(5)-157* and *LCT(5)-158. Four days later, 10 October 1942, (front to back and left to right) LCT(5)-321, LCT(5)-322, LCT(5)-159, LCT(5)-320, LCT(5)-158, LCT(5)-319, LCT(5)-156* and *LCT(5)-157* with *YD-33* at the end of the ways. One day later, 11 October 1942, (front to back and left to right) *LCT(5)-160, LCT(5)-321, LCT(5)-322, LCT(5)-159, LCT-320, LCT-158* and *LCT-319* with *YD-33* at the end of the ways.	Darryl Baker
MINSY 6122-42, Navy Photo, 10/3/1942	730k
MINSY 6132-42, Navy Photo, 10/5/42, Navy Photo, 10/3/1942	952k
MINSY 6172-42, Navy Photo, 10/6/42	832k
MINSY 6251-42, Navy Photo, 10/8/42	768k
MINSY 6320-42A, Navy Photo, 10/11/42	870k
	186k	*LCT(5)-159* being launched at Mare Island Navy Yard, 15 October 1942. The yard used its' 150 ton floating crane, *YD-33*, to lift the LCT over the building ways caisson into the water. LCTs were assembled on the building ways and as their construction progressed they were moved down the ways and were placed in the water by the floating crane. The yards log indicate that LCT(5)-159 was launched/placed in the water on 15 Oct 1942. Photo from a supplement dated 9 March 1947 issued of the Vallejo Times Herald	Darryl Baker
	126k	*LCT(5)-159* being launched at Mare Island Navy Yard, 15 October 1942 using *YD-33* to lift the *LCT(5)-159* over the building ways caisson into the water. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 6407-42.	Darryl Baker
1018036905	50k	*LCT(5)-369, LCT(5)-159* and *LCT(5)-482* nested together probably after the New Georgia Operation, circa July 1943.	Marjorie Lang Kinzy for her father James A. Lang LCT(5)-369
	36k	*LCT(5)-482* and *LCT(5)-159* landing troops, date and location unknown.	Richard Fox, WWII Landing Craft Tank web site
	69k	*LCT(5)-159* landing troops, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	82k	*LCT(5)-482* and *LCT(5)-159* landing troops, date and location unknown.	Richard Fox, WWII Landing Craft Tank web site
	56k	*LCT(5)-482* and *LCT(5)-159* landing troops, date and location unknown.	Richard Fox, WWII Landing Craft Tank web site
	27k	*LCT(5)-159* and *LCT(5)-65* beached at Wewak, New Guinea, 18 October 1945, while unloading cargo for the Australian Army from SS Sam Foyle.	Australian War Memorial