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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-526


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Zulu - Victor
 NDZV
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
LST-491 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 30 October 1943, at Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.
  • Launched, 27 December 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-526, 17 February 1944, LTjg. J. W. Keeshan, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-526 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following actions/campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Convoy UGS-36, 1 April 1944 Invasion of southern France 15 August to 25 September 1944

  • Decommissioned, 21 December 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 21 January 1946
  • USS LST-526 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold to Chester D. Bentliff, Lake Charles, LA, for operation, 24 January 1947, 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
    Mary Ann Karolchyk and Cheryl Brozovic on behalf of their father Luke Karolchyk LST-907
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LST-526
    1016052604    		 289k USS LST-526 underway with an unidentified LCT loaded on her main deck, 6 March 1944.
    US Navy photo taken by an airship belonging to Airship Patrol Squadron Fourteen (ZP-14)    		 Rick Davis
    LST-526 144k USS LST-526 unloading vehicles, probably in North Africa, date unknown. Sue Bolen
    LST-526, LST-140 109k USS LST-526 and USS LST-140 loading for the invasion of southern France, at Naples, Italy, August 1944 Hyperwar US Navy in World War II
    LST-526
    1016052602    		 206k USS LST-526 docked in a Mediterranean port possibly North Africa or Italy, date unknown.
    Luke Karolchyk LST-907 photo collection.    		 Louis Orotelli
    LST-526, LST-140 109k USS LST-526 and USS LST-140 loading for the invasion of southern France, at Naples, Italy, August 1944 Hyperwar US Navy in World War II
    LST-74 171k USS LST-526, USS LST-140, USS LST-74 and LST-174 loading for the invasion of southern France, at Naples, Italy, August 1944 Rich Heller
    Sgt. William Heller's
    World War II Memoirs
    3rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army
    1943-1945
    LST-265 103k USS LST-526 and USS LST-265 docked at Marseille, France while unloading during the invasion of southern France circa August-September 1944. Photo by Haven Sanborn, Radio Mechanic, 523rd Fighter Squadron USAAF. Murray Sanborn for his father Haven Sanborn
    USS LST-526
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Keeshan, J. W., USNR17 February 1944 - 1945
    02LTjg. Coe, M. A., USNR1945 - 21 December 1945
    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 Homeport
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 24 February 2023