Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
USS LST-779
USS LST-779 was a United States Navy LST-542-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.
LST-779 was laid down on 21 May 1944, by the Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was launched on 1 July 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Andrew Vavrek, and commissioned at New Orleans, Louisiana, on 3 August 1944.
After a short period for final fitting out at the Naval Base at Algiers, LST-779 departed on 14 August 1944, for her two-week shakedown at St. Andrews Bay, Florida. The ship returned to New Orleans, via Gulfport, Mississippi, and Algiers, on 5 September, where she loaded her tank deck with heavy construction materials earmarked for forward areas. At New Orleans, she loaded five sections of Tank Landing Craft (LCT) on the main deck, made final checkups, met other logistical needs, and on 7 September, departed for the Pacific Fleet.
After transiting the Panama Canal on 18 September 1944, the ship steamed to San Diego, California, visiting Acapulco, Mexico, en route. On 8 October, LST-779 departed San Diego, unescorted, and arrived at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, on 18 October. Having unloaded the materials she carried from New Orleans, she undertook a period of intensive training with units from the US Army and Marine Corps in Hawaiian waters. It was not until January 1945, that LST-779 embarked her combat load of ammunition, gasoline, equipment, and marines of the 2nd 155-millimeter Howitzer Battalion, USMC and eight amphibious trucks (DUKW) from the 473rd Amphibian Truck Company (US Army). On 22 January, she departed Hawaii, setting a course for the Marianas.
Operating as part of LST Tractor Group Charlie, Task Unit (TU) 53.3.8, LST-779 conducted a rehearsal off Tinian on 13 February 1945, and conducted two days of logistics at Saipan, from whence she departed on 15 February. She arrived off Iwo Jima at dawn on 19 February (D-Day). The tank landing ship moved to the task unit's position in area Charlie, 8,500 yd (7,800 m) from the beach. During that day and part of the next, she lay off the coast while the initial waves landed in smaller craft. Around 14:00, on 20 February, she moved in close to the beach and launched her eight DUKWs, and at 16:00, in response to a call by forces ashore for heavy artillery, she beached on Red Beach 1 at 16:34 and began unloading at 16:40. At 16:50 the ship's 40-millimetre (1.6 in) guns began engaging targets on Mount Suribachi. Five minutes later, at 16:55, the 40-mm battery ceased firing. By 04:00, on 21 February, the marines had unloaded all the heavy artillery on board, together with part of the ammunition and gasoline. At 04:25 LST-779 was straddled by heavy enemy fire. A Japanese mortar round hit a gasoline-laden tracked landing vehicle (LVT) within ten feet (three point zero metres) of the ship's bow, and the resulting explosion produced fragments that pierced the hull. At 04:43 the tank landing ship began to withdraw from the beach.
Afterward, Lt. Hopkins, LST-779's commanding officer, reported on board the amphibious command ship Auburn and conferred with Rear Admiral Harry W. Hill, Commander, Task Force 53 and his staff, who questioned him regarding beaching conditions, traction for vehicles on the beach, and the amount of cargo unloaded by his ship. Rear Admiral Hill also complimented LST-779's efforts as a job well done and ordered her not to re-beach until notified. From 08:00 until 18:00, the ship lay off Iwo Jima, near the line of departure taking LVTs and DUKWs aboard to unload powder and shells. During that time, at 15:00, she received orders to launch her pontoon barges. At 16:04, the first barge, no. 16, was launched and secured alongside, followed by the second, no. 14, which was secured forward of no. 16 at 17:06. At 19:23, sea swells and fresh wind caused no. 16 to puncture LST-779's hull just above the water line, allowing cresting waves to enter the hull. Conditions prevented the re-loading of the barges which were in danger of breaking loose as the manila lines and wire cables kept parting. On 22 February, at 01:03, both barges in fact broke loose and although the ship attempted to recover them, the efforts proved unsuccessful. Close to the line of departure at 09:33, the ship launched barge no. 13 and secured it to her starboard side. DUKWs began unloading ammunition off the bow ramp at 10:00. The barge put a small hole in the starboard side at 13:20. After being told to close in on Red Beach 1, the ship anchored 400 yd (370 m) off the beach awaiting orders. After shifting anchorage to 800 yd (730 m) off Green Beach, the anchor dragged and the ship remained underway the remainder of the evening maintaining her position off the beach.
On 23 February 1945, LST-779 received order to beach on the left flank of Green Beach 1, at 08:30, and she did so at 08:42, and unloaded the remainder of her combat cargo. Throughout the day the beach party continued unloading the remainder of the 2nd Howitzer Battalion's ammunition. That same day units from the 2nd Battalion of the 28th Marines took the summit of Mount Suribachi, and erected an American flag tied onto a section of pipe found nearby. Lt. Col. Chandler W. Johnson, the battalion commander, deemed the flag too small to be visible to many of the marines fighting on the island. He told 2nd Lt. Albert T. Tuttle to go down to one of the ships on the beach and procure a large battle flag "large enough that the men at the other end of the island will see it. It will lift their spirits also." Tuttle hastened on board LST-779, beached near the base of the volcano, and obtained a larger set of colors. Tuttle, in turn, entrusted the flag to Pfc. Rene A. Gagnon, Lt. Col. Johnson's runner, to carry to the top of Mount Suribachi. It was the raising of that second flag that was documented by Associated Press Photographer Joe Rosenthal and SSgt. William H. Genaust, USMC, in their iconic images. An air alert sounded at 19:21, and the ship opened fire on enemy planes overhead from 19:25 to 19:35. Enemy aircraft were again fired upon from 20:00 until 20:10. The ship secured from general quarters at 21:00.
Unloading continued on 24 February 1945, until the end of the second dog watch. At 20:30, as the ship retracted from the beach, an air alert caused all ships to make smoke, obscuring the anchorage area and rendering maneuvering hazardous. LST-779 anchored 400 yards off Red Beach 1 at 20:49, and then shifted her anchorage to a position 600 yd (550 m) off Red Beach 1 at 22:45.
Hub AI
USS LST-779 AI simulator
(@USS LST-779_simulator)
USS LST-779
USS LST-779 was a United States Navy LST-542-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.
LST-779 was laid down on 21 May 1944, by the Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was launched on 1 July 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Andrew Vavrek, and commissioned at New Orleans, Louisiana, on 3 August 1944.
After a short period for final fitting out at the Naval Base at Algiers, LST-779 departed on 14 August 1944, for her two-week shakedown at St. Andrews Bay, Florida. The ship returned to New Orleans, via Gulfport, Mississippi, and Algiers, on 5 September, where she loaded her tank deck with heavy construction materials earmarked for forward areas. At New Orleans, she loaded five sections of Tank Landing Craft (LCT) on the main deck, made final checkups, met other logistical needs, and on 7 September, departed for the Pacific Fleet.
After transiting the Panama Canal on 18 September 1944, the ship steamed to San Diego, California, visiting Acapulco, Mexico, en route. On 8 October, LST-779 departed San Diego, unescorted, and arrived at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, on 18 October. Having unloaded the materials she carried from New Orleans, she undertook a period of intensive training with units from the US Army and Marine Corps in Hawaiian waters. It was not until January 1945, that LST-779 embarked her combat load of ammunition, gasoline, equipment, and marines of the 2nd 155-millimeter Howitzer Battalion, USMC and eight amphibious trucks (DUKW) from the 473rd Amphibian Truck Company (US Army). On 22 January, she departed Hawaii, setting a course for the Marianas.
Operating as part of LST Tractor Group Charlie, Task Unit (TU) 53.3.8, LST-779 conducted a rehearsal off Tinian on 13 February 1945, and conducted two days of logistics at Saipan, from whence she departed on 15 February. She arrived off Iwo Jima at dawn on 19 February (D-Day). The tank landing ship moved to the task unit's position in area Charlie, 8,500 yd (7,800 m) from the beach. During that day and part of the next, she lay off the coast while the initial waves landed in smaller craft. Around 14:00, on 20 February, she moved in close to the beach and launched her eight DUKWs, and at 16:00, in response to a call by forces ashore for heavy artillery, she beached on Red Beach 1 at 16:34 and began unloading at 16:40. At 16:50 the ship's 40-millimetre (1.6 in) guns began engaging targets on Mount Suribachi. Five minutes later, at 16:55, the 40-mm battery ceased firing. By 04:00, on 21 February, the marines had unloaded all the heavy artillery on board, together with part of the ammunition and gasoline. At 04:25 LST-779 was straddled by heavy enemy fire. A Japanese mortar round hit a gasoline-laden tracked landing vehicle (LVT) within ten feet (three point zero metres) of the ship's bow, and the resulting explosion produced fragments that pierced the hull. At 04:43 the tank landing ship began to withdraw from the beach.
Afterward, Lt. Hopkins, LST-779's commanding officer, reported on board the amphibious command ship Auburn and conferred with Rear Admiral Harry W. Hill, Commander, Task Force 53 and his staff, who questioned him regarding beaching conditions, traction for vehicles on the beach, and the amount of cargo unloaded by his ship. Rear Admiral Hill also complimented LST-779's efforts as a job well done and ordered her not to re-beach until notified. From 08:00 until 18:00, the ship lay off Iwo Jima, near the line of departure taking LVTs and DUKWs aboard to unload powder and shells. During that time, at 15:00, she received orders to launch her pontoon barges. At 16:04, the first barge, no. 16, was launched and secured alongside, followed by the second, no. 14, which was secured forward of no. 16 at 17:06. At 19:23, sea swells and fresh wind caused no. 16 to puncture LST-779's hull just above the water line, allowing cresting waves to enter the hull. Conditions prevented the re-loading of the barges which were in danger of breaking loose as the manila lines and wire cables kept parting. On 22 February, at 01:03, both barges in fact broke loose and although the ship attempted to recover them, the efforts proved unsuccessful. Close to the line of departure at 09:33, the ship launched barge no. 13 and secured it to her starboard side. DUKWs began unloading ammunition off the bow ramp at 10:00. The barge put a small hole in the starboard side at 13:20. After being told to close in on Red Beach 1, the ship anchored 400 yd (370 m) off the beach awaiting orders. After shifting anchorage to 800 yd (730 m) off Green Beach, the anchor dragged and the ship remained underway the remainder of the evening maintaining her position off the beach.
On 23 February 1945, LST-779 received order to beach on the left flank of Green Beach 1, at 08:30, and she did so at 08:42, and unloaded the remainder of her combat cargo. Throughout the day the beach party continued unloading the remainder of the 2nd Howitzer Battalion's ammunition. That same day units from the 2nd Battalion of the 28th Marines took the summit of Mount Suribachi, and erected an American flag tied onto a section of pipe found nearby. Lt. Col. Chandler W. Johnson, the battalion commander, deemed the flag too small to be visible to many of the marines fighting on the island. He told 2nd Lt. Albert T. Tuttle to go down to one of the ships on the beach and procure a large battle flag "large enough that the men at the other end of the island will see it. It will lift their spirits also." Tuttle hastened on board LST-779, beached near the base of the volcano, and obtained a larger set of colors. Tuttle, in turn, entrusted the flag to Pfc. Rene A. Gagnon, Lt. Col. Johnson's runner, to carry to the top of Mount Suribachi. It was the raising of that second flag that was documented by Associated Press Photographer Joe Rosenthal and SSgt. William H. Genaust, USMC, in their iconic images. An air alert sounded at 19:21, and the ship opened fire on enemy planes overhead from 19:25 to 19:35. Enemy aircraft were again fired upon from 20:00 until 20:10. The ship secured from general quarters at 21:00.
Unloading continued on 24 February 1945, until the end of the second dog watch. At 20:30, as the ship retracted from the beach, an air alert caused all ships to make smoke, obscuring the anchorage area and rendering maneuvering hazardous. LST-779 anchored 400 yards off Red Beach 1 at 20:49, and then shifted her anchorage to a position 600 yd (550 m) off Red Beach 1 at 22:45.