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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Grounded off Normandy, 10 June 1944

Landing Craft Tank
LCT(5)-209

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 6 June 1944 Normandy)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal
Landing Craft Tank (Mark 5):
  • Laid down, 28 September 1942, at Bison Shipbuilding Corp, North Tonawanda, N.Y.
  • Launched, 12 October 1942
  • Delivered, 21 October 1942
  • Placed in service, date unknown
  • During World War II LCT(5)-209 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater, LCT Flotillas Eighteen, LCDR. A. Hayes, and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Date Campaign and Date
    Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
    Salerno landings, 9 to 21 September 1943  
  • Grounded off Normandy, 10 June 1944, Tore bottom open on obstacle, engine room flooded. Drifted ashore, 19 June at Fox Red Beach. Salvaged by USS Bannock (ATF-81), 18 July and beached at at Easy White Beach. Pulled off Easy White by USS Diver (ARS-3), 18 July and towed away by LCIs. 11th PhibFor endorsement to action report, dated 26 June states she was repaired and operational. Towed to Dartmouth, England by USS LST-382, arrived, 7 September 1944, Probably declared Damaged Beyond Repair and scrapped.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 11 December 1944
  • LCT(5)-209 earned three battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, probably scrapped
    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. Ship's service generator
    three propellers, 675shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LST-380 1184k LCT(5)-209 and LCT(5)-219 are in the right background as USS LST-382 mates with a causeway at the Paestum Beaches, during the Salerno Invasion, 2 to 21 September 1843.
    US US National Archives photo # 26-G-2003 a US Coast Guard photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 Dave Kerr
    LST-380
    1016038209    		 455k During the Salerno Invasion motorized equipment rolls out the doors of USS LST-382 onto a floating causeway as they come ashore at Paestum, twenty miles south of Salerno. This picture is one of the first to be released showing the open doors and ramps of an LST. USS LST-350 waits offshore to beach while LCT-209 is beached and unloading troops and equipment ashore from the transports in the harbor, 2 to 21 September 1943..
    US National Archives Identifier 205578932, Local Identifier 26-G-2004, US Coast Guard Photo # 2004    		 David Upton
    LCT-109 384k A waterproofed M31 tank recovery vehicle being loaded on to LCT(5)-209 during training along the English coast. Note the simulated turret without cupola and the dummy 75-mm and 37-mm guns.
    Photo Department of Defense - U.S. Army Files. Image from p.65 of "The U.S. Army's Official Pictorial Record: The War Against Germany". Pub. in the US by Brassey's, 22883 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles,Va. 20166.    		 Robert Hurst
    LCT-109
    1018020902    		 358k LCTs including LCT(5)-209, LCT(5)-213, LCT(5)-22 and LCT(5)-7 at Falmouth, England, during May-June 1944 preparing for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, France. These LCTs were assigned to move elements of the U.S. Army 29th Infantry Division.. Note LCT-209 is already loaded with equipment showing a rare image of two M26 armored heavy tank transporter/tank recovery tractors closest to the pilot house.
    Photo from the US National Archives    		 David Upton
    There is no history available for LCT-209 at Navsource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    World War II LCT Flotillas
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Tank (LCT) 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 July 2021