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______________________________________________________________ The U.S. Coast Guard manned nearly 100 LST's during World War Two and served in all invasions of the period. Length: 327'9" Beam: 50' Draft unloaded: 1'6' bow, 7'5" stern. loaded at sea: 8'2" bow, 14'1" stern. Loaded, Beached:3'1" bow, 9'6" stern. Displacement: 1,625 (light) 4,080 (full load) Propulsion: 2 General Motors 12-567 diesels with twin shafts and rudders Range 24,000 nautical miles at 9 knots Top speed: 11.6 knots Complement: 111 Troops: 163 Armament (original): 7 40 mm single mounts, 6 20 mm single mounts, 2 .50 caliber machine guns, 4 .30 caliber machine guns. Courtesy of Jim Flynn LST-19 Circa 1943 ______________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Jim Flynn LST-19 Circa 1943 ______________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Jim Flynn LST-19 Circa 1943 Built By the Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh Pa and commissioned on May 15th 1943. Decommissioned on March 20, 1946. Her Commanding Officers were: LCDR Charles M. Blackford III USCGR LT Howard K. Heath USCGR LT(jg) Oakley Jr USCGR LT(jg) D. S. Williams USCGR She earned 4 battle stars during WWII. For an interesting story by QM3 Walter Nasmyth USCGR about life aboard the LST-19 and his witness to a horrific explosion while moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor on May 21st, 1944 click here. Courtesy of Jim Flynn LST-762 July 24, 1945 LST-762 was built by the American Bridge Co in Ambridge PA and commissioned on September 5, 1944. Decommissioned on July 16th 1946 but the Coast Guard crew was removed on March 26th. Her Commanding Officers were: LT Franklin Ewers USCG Sept 5 1944 to Sept 3, 1945 LT C.C. Pearson Sept 3, 1945 to Mar 29, 1946 She was awarded one battle star. _______________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Paul George, former LT USCGR LST-763 She was built by the American Bridge Company, Ambridge PA and commissioned on September 8, 1944, decommissioned on April 29, 1946. Sold for scrap on December 11 1947. Her Commanding Officer was LT Alton W. Meekins from Sept 8, 1944 - April 29, 1946. She was awarded two battle stars for her service during WWII. ______________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Ken Laesser LST-768 Launched on September 23, 1944 at Ambridge PA and commissioned October 4, 1944 in New Orleans with LT B.R. Aandrews USCGR in command. She was decommission on April 15, 1946. She earned three battle stars for service in WWII. A viewer wrote "My father was a radar operator aboard LST 768 USS Fitzpatrick during WWII, serving in the South Pacific during the battles for Okinawa and Iwo Jima. He passed away in 1985 when I was a teenager and we didn't talk as much as I wish we had, but I remember him telling some stories of life aboard ship. He said that someone aboard had a pet monkey that smoked cigarettes. If you know any additional information, I would like to hear about it." If you can help this gentleman, please drop me a line and I will forward it to him. Thanks. Courtesy of Jim Flynn LST-789 August 28, 1945 Off Japan. Built by Dravo Corporation Pittsburn PA and commissioned on September 11, 1944. Decommission April 29, 1946. Her Commanding Officers were: LT Harold M. Mulvey USCGR LT(jg) Lothrop M. Forbush USCGR ENS W. N Seehorn She earned two battle stars during WWII. ______________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Jim Flynn LST-169 June 15, 1944 LST-169 was built by the Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Company in Evansville, IN and commissioned on May 22nd 1943. Decommissioned on April 12, 1946. She saw action at three major invasions in the Pacific: Tarawa, Saipan and Leyte. She earned three battle stars for her service in WWII. Her Commanding Officers were: LT Robert S. Kittredge USCGR LT David L. Gershon Jr USCGR LT Robert Sanderson USCGR _______________________________________________________________ Contributed by Paul George LST-764 1945 The above was submitted by LT Paul George, USCGR who advises LST 764 was used in the Pacific and was Coast Guard Manned. Our only D-day use was at IWO JIMA on Feb. 19, 1945. ______________________________________________________________ Contributed by Paul George LST-764 Beached with Mount Suribachi in the background. This might have been taken the same day as the famous flag raising by the Marines. The LST-764 was built by the American Bridge Company, Ambridge, PA and commision September 15, 1944. She was decommissioned on April 30th 1946. She was awarded one battle star in WWII. Her Commanding Officers were: LT R.F. Nichols USCGR from Aug 9, 1944 to Jan 17, 1946. LT Joe B. Raby USCG Jan 17, 1946 to April 30, 1946 ______________________________________________________________ Contributed by Paul George LST-787 Beached at Iwo Jima. Built by the Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh PA and commissioned September 13, 1944. Decommissioned May 27th 1946. Her initial armament was: 7 40mm single mounts, 6 20mm single mounts, 2 .50 caliber machine guns and 4 .30 cal machine guns. Her Commanding Officers were: LT W.S. Lawrence USCGR Aug 9 1944 to Jan 29, 1946 LT Andrew G. Ramstad USCGR Jan 29, 1946 to May 27, 1946 She earned two battle stars in WWII. ______________________________________________________________ Courtesy of Paul George, former LT USCGR LST-787 ______________________________________________________________ NEXT