WORLD WAR II AND THE LST

By Ted Beard

 The Japanese declared war on the United States on December 8, 1941, followed by Germany and Italy on December 11th. This country was totally unprepared, having lost important elements of our Navy when Pearl Harbor was bombed. The Germans and Italians were building strength in Europe. The United States and their Allies would now be fighting on two major fronts, the Pacific and Europe, and as late as 1942 were fighting a defensive war.

The Allied High Command came to the conclusion that a new and different type of Navy craft was needed, that would accommodate their plans to gain the offense. That new and different type of craft would be ships with flat bottoms and able to land on beaches fully loaded with troops and equipment ready to fight. Several types of landing crafts were produced. Only two were able to cross over vast expanses of water under their power. One was the LST. I will discuss the part LSTs and LCVs played in winning the war as 2 ½ years of my Navy career was aboard an LST and in a crew of an LCVP.

It is difficult to believe that an LST went from a rough pencil sketch to a commissioned ship and in less than a year, the United State’s Amphibious Navy was born. Over 1,000 LST’s were produced. They were not a pretty ship. No name. Only a number.

LST stands for "Landing Ship Tanks." The crew called them "Large Slow Targets"as their top speed was about 10 knots. Some LSTs carried 6 LCVPs which stands for "Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel." Large name but the crew called them "Small Boats." Each Small Boat could carry 30-35 troops, fully equipped, to the beach, ready for combat to clear the beach allowing the LSTs to unload heavy equipment including tanks, trucks, food, water, and medical supplies, fully loaded and ready to fight.

Life aboard an LST wasn’t too bad. The ship was 385 feet long and 60 feet wide. Only ¼ or less of the space was designated as crew’s quarters. It was a little crowded as the ship carried 80 crew members and 24 Small Boatmen. Fresh water was a major concern and used mainly for cooking and for drinking which was rationed. Showers and personal hygiene was taken care of with salt water that was also used in washing of clothes. Our unmentionables were washed in our helmets and other clothes in a 5 gallon bucket and a plumber’s friend, all the courtesy of the United States Navy. Food was adequate. Especially if you craved dehydrated and powdered potatoes, milk and eggs. There was plenty of canned meats and vegetables, especially Spam. Even today I won’t touch the stuff. Always had fresh bread, and a breakfast of toast with chipped beef and gravy was a favorite. I’ll not tell you what we called it.

After Boot Camp, Gunners School, with a brief stop at Little Creek, VA. I was transferred to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and assigned to LST 376 and to a Small Boat crew, my first sight of an LST and a LCVP. The 376 left Brooklyn for a long, long trip to Arzew, Africa where my foot was planted on foreign soil for the first time. I doubt if more than five of the crew had ever been to sea before, probably including the Captain.

The Small Boat crews were transferred to Bizirte, Africa, for Small boat training for about three weeks, living in the desert and housed in tents. Fresh water was again scarce. We had to wash our eating kits in sand and sea water. Almost to a man, good cases of Diarrhea was the result. So far have only mentioned the good stuff. Didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for us.

Back to the 376. The crew did not know it but we were preparing for our first action against the enemy. Sicily, the 376 dropped anchor early in the morning of July 10, 1943. It seemed so quiet. Was I afraid? Of course I was afraid but also excited, and about to set foot for the first time on foreign soil held by the enemy. Not being able to explain how I really felt, here is a quotation that describes what every amphibious sailor must have experienced going into the face of the enemy. The author is unknown but he must have been a Small Boatman.

"There is nothing in warfare or perhaps in life to be compared with the hushed mystery of the final approach in a night landing, Everything is uncertain; there is no sound but the rush of water, the throbbing of your boat’s engines and of the beat of your own heart. You cannot see your shipmates on either flank, nor anything but the boat ahead and the boat astern. The shore, if dimly visible, is shrouded in darkness, with a heavy sea running. Have we surprised the enemy or is he merely watching and waiting to unleash fierce dogs of death and destruction? A few mistakes on our part may utterly wreck this vast and long-planned effort. There can be no half way success in an amphibious landing; it is either win all splendidly or lose all miserably."

The assault on Sicily was the first only complete Amphibious operation of the war. However, LSTs and Small Boats were predominant at the assaults on Salerno, Anzio and on D-Day, Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. After the landing in Sicily and the beach was secure, my Small Boat crew was transferred to the 327. We were fortunate as the 376 was sunk off the coast of France with heavy loss of life. I lost some good friends and shipmates.

The LST was called the workhorse of the Navy, some converted to floating repair ships, temporary hospital ships, others became tiny aircraft carriers, some evacuated civilian refugees, transported prisoners of war, wounded soldiers, and became instant supply ships between the battle areas and supply depots.

On May 2, 1945, Italy surrendered. On May 5th, Germany surrendered. On September 2nd, 1945 Japan surrendered. The war in the Pacific and Europe was over.

Along with many others I am proud of the role the United States Amphibious Navy played and participated in, in achieving this total victory. The New York Times carried two stories about the LCVPs. "The Boat that Sunk Hitler," And "Overdue Praise for the Higgins Boat, D-Days unsung heroes."

Churchill was quoted as saying, "The destinies of two great empires seemed to be tied together by some God Dammed thing called an LST."

The United State’s Amphibious Navy has taken its place in the history of World War II. I am the only member of the boat crew still living. We made every beach assault in the Atlantic and D-Day in France. I still think of them. We went through so much together.

©Ted Beard 2004