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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LST-906

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - Juliet - Juliet
NTJJ

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

542-Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 24 January 1944, at Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., Hingham, MA.

Launched, 11 March 1944

Commissioned USS LST-906, 27 April 1944, ENS. R. J. Driken USN in command

During World War II USS LST-906 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
Invasion of southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944

Decommissioned, 20 May 1945, after grounding at Leghorn, Italy, 18 October 1944

Struck from the Naval Register, 22 June 1945

USS LST-906 earned one battle star for World War II service

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 22 June 1945

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
1016090610	73k	The ship's sponsor Mrs. Henry Levine breaks the traditional bottle of Champagne across the bow of *LST-906* during the launching ceremony, 11 March 1944, at Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., Hingham, MA.	Peter Bergh
1016090611	56k	*LST-906* launching, 11 March 1944, at Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., Hingham, MA.	Peter Bergh
1016090608	81k
1016090607	85k
1016090609	61k	USS LST-906 commissioning ceremony, 27 April 1944, at Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc. Invited guests.	Peter Bergh
1016090612	61k	USS LST-906 commissioning ceremony, 27 April 1944, at Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc. Order of Events 1. Ship's company takes station for commissioning 2. Commandant's representative arrives onboard 3. Chaplain offers invocation 4. Shipyard repesntivie turns ship over to Commandant's representative 5. Commandant's representative puts ship in commission 6. National anthem-break commission pennant, hoist ensign and jack 7. Commandant's representative addresses Ship's Company 8. Commanding Officer reads his orders and assumes command 9. First watch is set. 10. Reception for guests either aboard or in shipyard Note-The red arrow points to ENS. Charles Richard Bergh	Peter Bergh for his father ENS. Charles Richard Bergh USNR USS LST-906
1016090617	50k
1016090618	49k
1016090613	44k
1016090614	56k
1016090615	42k
1016090616	51k
	66k	USS LST-906 (foreground), USS LST-1011 (middle) and USS LST-1012 (background) at the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Norfolk, VA., 27 May 1944.	The Library of Virginia. US Army Signal Corps Photograph Collection
	82k	USS LST-906 in a shipyard while bow door is repaired following a collision with another ship while in a convoy, date unknown. While the ship was in the shipyard her flight deck was installed.	Raymond Cvetovich, Ph.D
	110k	Invasion of southern France, St. Tropez, circa August - September 1944. The photo of USS LST-906 came with the attached message: "Here is the photo of *LST-906* with Capt. Alfred "Dutch" Schultz as pilot of 'Janey' the L4B Piper Cub artillery spotting plane. This information comes from Dutch Schultz's book "Janey: A Little Plane in a Big War". Dutch was the Pilot of the plane that my Dad flew in and took pictures for the 3rd Division. I met him last year and he remembered my Dad from more than 55 years ago. The Seabees converted the LST-906 into a homemade aircraft carrier, which was used in the Invasion of Southern France at St. Tropez."	Rich Heller Webmaster The Society of the 3rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army
	100k	USS LST-906, with US Army Air Force L-4 Grasshopper on her flight deck being prepared for take-off. Note additional L-4 type aircraft stowed alongside the deck. US Army photo. Photo and text from "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman.	Robert Hurst
	89k	An undated photo of USS LST-906 with a USAAF L-4 Grasshopper just having left the flight deck, with Navy personnel looking on. US Army photo. Photo and text from "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman.	Robert Hurst
	146k	US Army Air Corps pilots and spotters aboard USS LST-906 talk over their mission before taking off in their L-4 Grasshopper aircraft to serve as spotters for naval gunfire in the invasion of Southern France, 15 August 1944. Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo # NH 94900	Mike Green
	92k	Undated photo of USS LST-906 underway in the Mediterranean. She is fitted with a 220' x 16' temporary flight deck for launching USAAF Piper L-4 Grasshopper observation aircraft, one of which is shown, ready for launching. US Navy photo from "Allied Landing Craft and Ships of World War Two" by the US Division of Naval Intelligence.	Robert Hurst

USS LST-906
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	ENS. Driken, R. J., USN	27 April 1944 - September 1944
02	LTjg. Van Syoc, Orrin Jay, USNR	September 1944 - 4 May 1945
03	LT. Sperling, Jack Irving, USNR	4 May 1945 - 20 May 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 Brodie System - Runway On A Rope
Brodie System YouTube video
Brodie Landing System
The Saga of the Seasick US Army Piper Cubs on the Navy's Smallest Aircraft Carriers
The USS LST Ship Memorial
LST Homeport
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association
The Society of the 3rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 11 February 2022