LST 499 USS Landing Ship, Tank

[aukepalmhof]

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

Laid down, 3 September 1943, at Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville, IN.
Launched, 5 November 1943
Commissioned USS LST-499, 10 January 1944

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
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 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
Propulsion two General Motors 12-567, 900hp diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders

During World War II USS LST-499 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theatre and participated in the following campaign - Invasion of Normandy, June 1944. Joined Force O- loaded at Portland Harbour, left Portland Harbour 5th, arrived Omaha 6th The capacity for the LST was 8 jeeps, 21 x 3 ton and 6 x 15 cwt trucks and 18 tanks: 177 troops.
Sunk as a result of enemy action, 8 June 1944 (mined off Normandy.)
Struck from the Naval Register, 22 August 1944
USS LST-499 earned one battle star for World War II service.
Tanzania 1994 1000s sgMS2016A, scott 276SS.

Source: http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/16/160499.htm

Peter Crichton
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