User:Kelly Joey/sandbox/LST 783

LST-783 was of the 542 Class, a second generation Landing Ship Tank, with a truck ramp hinged at the weather deck that raised and lowered between the tank deck and main deck to embark and disembark vehicles faster than the earlier class with elevators. The propulsion system consisted of two tried and true GM 12-567 Diesel locomotive engines.


 * Keel laid down 14 May 1944 at Dravo Ship Yard, Neville Island, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.


 * Ceremoniously launched 3 August or 11 July 1944 at Dravo Corporation Shipyard, Neville Island, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

LT. J. F. McAllister, USNR, in command
 * Commissioned 14 August 1944 at Algiers, Naval Base, New Orleans, Louisiana.


 * Assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during WWII and participated in the following campaigns: Landings at Leyte, Iwo Jima two times and Okinawa, receiving 3 battle stars.


 * Damaged 2 January 1946 at Gushikawa, Okinawa from 2 exploding LCTs beached next to the ship resulting in loss of life.


 * Following World War II, USS LST-783 performed occupation, repatriation duty in the Ryukyu Island Chain and saw service in China until mid-March


 * Decommissioned 22 August 1946, Green Cove Springs, Florida where it laid up in reserve


 * Struck from the Naval Register, 16 June 1950


 * Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 27 June 1950, to Northern Metal Co., Philadelphia, PA. LST-783 webpage

Specifications: (as reported by Office of Naval Intelligence-1945) * Displacement 1,625 t.(lt), 4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load) * Length 328' - 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)  - Speed 12 kts. (maximum) * Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons - Complement 7 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 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 - Propulsion two General Motors 12-567, 900hp diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders


 * Circus Clown Emmett Kelly Jr was aboard this ship - See a photo of the Crew and read an excerpt about their travels during the war via http://www.joeykelly.com/lst783.htm


 * Buy LST-783 Cruise Book, A WWII Journal, a 316 page, 8.5” by 5.5” paperback book about the ship and crew via http://www.joeykelly.com/midway.htm


 * See photos of the Crew via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl_aEd19Tq4