LST 284 USS Landing Ship, Tank

[aukepalmhof]

This miniature sheet shows the USS LSTs 380 – 499 – 284 – 382 from right to left.

LST 380 has been covered on Palau 2004 (SG MS 2049).

LST 284

Laid down, 9 August 1943, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
Launched, 17 October 1943
Commissioned USS LST-284, 25 November 1943, ENS. W. H. Pennington in command

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' 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)
Speed 12 kts. (maximum)
Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
Complement
9 officers, 120 enlisted
Troop Accommodations
14 officers, 131 enlisted
Boats 6 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
Lend Lease built vessels were to be outfitted with armament after convoying across Atlantic and included
1 - 12 Pounder anti-aircraft multi-barrel mount
6 - 20MM mounts
4 - Fast Aerial Mine (FAM) mounts
Propulsion two General Motors 12-567, 900hp diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders

During World War II USS LST-284 was assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theatre and the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre and participated in the following campaigns: Invasion of Normandy, June 1944. Invasion of Southern France, August and September 1944. Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, May, June and August 1945.
Following World War II USS LST-284 performed occupation duty in the Far East until early November 1945
Decommissioned, 13 March 1946
Struck from the Naval Register, 19 June 1946
Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 11 December 1947, to Southern Shipwrecking Co., New Orleans, LA.
USS LST-284 earned three battle stars for World War II service.
Tanzania 1994 1000s sgMS2016A, scott1276SS.

Source: http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/16/160284.htm

Peter Crichton
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