Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USNS T-LST-281
ex
 USS LST-281 (1943 - 1946)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Victor - Quebec
 NDVQ
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 (2) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 25 June 1943, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 30 September 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-281, 8 November 1943, LT. Harold R. Southworth,USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-281 was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944 Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 21 to 30 June 1945
    Invasion of southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944  

  • While assigned in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LST-281 came under the command of :
    LST Flotilla Thirty-Five, CAPT. D. H. Johnston USN (22);
    LST Group One Hundred Three, CDR. A L. Warburton USN (24);
    LST Division Two Hundred Six
  • Following World War II USS LST-281 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    20 September to 20 December 1945
    5 to 9 February 1946

  • Decommissioned, 9 March 1946
  • Assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), 20 May 1949, redesignated Q092
  • Transferred, 31 March 1952, the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), and placed in service as USNS T-LST-281
  • Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 19 May 1954
  • USS LST-281 earned three battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t. (beaching displacement)
    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
    USS LST-281
    LST-281 18k USS LST-281 at anchor off Fowley, England, 27 April 1944.
    US National Archives image    		 Bill Brinkley
    LST-311 145k Invasion shipping in Dart River, at Dartmouth, England, awaiting the invasion signal, 2 June 1944. Barrage balloons are overhead. Among the ships at left are:
    LCT(6)-551;
    LCT(6)-527;
    LCT(6)-528;
    USS LST-230;
    USS LST-49;
    USS LST-311;
    USS LST-281. Also present are several British coastal forces vessels.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-252243, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    LST-281 50k USS LST-281 at anchor off the coast of Normandy, June 1944.
    US National Archives image    		 Bill Brinkley
    LST-281 106k USS LST-281 and USS LST-229 moored together date and location unknown. Riley R. Requa MoMM3/c USS LST-49
    SCAJAP Q092
    LST-281 176k Ex-USS LST-281 as the Shipping Control Authority, Japan (SCAJAP) LST Q092, beached on Yellow Beach, Inchon 16 September 1950. In the background is Shipping Control Authority, Japan (SCAJAP) LST Q081 (ex USS LST-626). James Swank
    USS LST-281
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Southworth, Harold R., USNR8 November 1943 - August 1945
    02LTjg. Squires, Kenneth H., USNRAugust 1945 - December 1945
    03LT. Kucey, Stephen J., USNRDecember 1945 - 9 March 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
    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 by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 21 April 2017