Landing Ship, Tank ( LST ) was the military designation for naval vessels created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying significant quantities of vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto an unimproved shore.
The majority, a thousand, were laid down in the United States during WWII for use by the Allies. Eighty more were built in the United Kingdom and Canada.
LST Mk.1
The British evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940 demonstrated to the Admiralty that the Allies needed relatively large, ocean-going ships capable of shore-to-shore delivery of tanks and other vehicles in amphibious assaults upon the continent of Europe. As an interim measure, three 4000 to 4800 GRT tankers, built to pass over the restrictive bars of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, were selected for conversion because of their shallow draft. Bow doors and ramps were added to these ships which became the first tank landing ships, "LST (1)": HMS Misoa , Tasajera and Bachaquero . They later proved their worth during the invasion of Algeria in 1942, but their bluff bows made for inadequate speed and pointed up the need for an all-new design incorporating a sleeker hull.
LST Mk.2
Development
At their first meeting at the Atlantic conference in Argentia, Canada in August 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill confirmed the Admiralty's views. In November 1941, a small delegation from the Admiralty arrived in the United States to pool ideas with the United States Navy's Bureau of Ships with regard to development of the required ship. During this meeting, it was decided that the Bureau of Ships would design these vessels. As with the standing agreement these would be built by the US so British shipyards could concentrate on building vessels for the Royal Navy. The specification called for vessels capable of crossing the Atlantic and the original title given to them was "Atlantic Tank Landing Craft" (Atlantic (T.L.C.)). Calling a vessel 300 ft (91 m) long a "craft" was considered a misnomer and the type was re-christened "Landing Ship, Tank (2)", or "LST (2)".
Design
Within a few days, John C. Niedermair of the Bureau of Ships sketched out an awkward looking ship that proved to be the basic design for the more than 1,000 "LST (2)" which would be built during World War II. To meet the conflicting requirements of deep draft for ocean travel and shallow draft for beaching, the ship was designed with a large ballast system that could be filled for ocean passage and pumped out for beaching operations. The rough sketch was sent to Britain on 5 November 1941 and accepted immediately. The Admiralty then requested the United States to build 200 "LST (2)" for the Royal Navy under the terms of lend-lease.
The preliminary plans initially called for an LST 280 feet (85 m) in length; but, in January 1942, the Bureau of Ships discarded these drawings in favor of specifications for a ship 290 feet (88 m) long. Within a month, final working plans were developed which further stretched the overall length to 328 feet (100 m) and called for a 50-foot (15 m) beam and minimum draft of 3.8 feet (1.2 m). This scheme distributed the ship's weight over a greater area enabling her to ride higher in the water when in landing trim. The LST could carry a 2,100-ton (1,900 t) load of tanks and vehicles. The larger dimensions also permitted the designers to increase the width of the bow door opening and ramp from 12 to 14 feet (3.7 to 4.3 m) and thus accommodate most Allied vehicles. As the dimensions and weight of the LST increased, steel plating thickness increased from 0.25-inch (6.4 mm) to 0.375-inch (9.5 mm) on the deck and sides with 1-inch-thick plating under the bow. By January 1942, the first scale model of the LST had been built and was undergoing tests at the David Taylor Model Basin in Washington, D.C.
Provisions were made for the satisfactory ventilation of the tank space while the tank motors were running, and an elevator was provided to lower vehicles from the main deck to the tank deck for disembarking. In April 1942 a mock-up of the well deck of an LST was constructed at Fort Knox, Kentucky to resolve the problem of ventilation within the LST well-deck. The interior of the building was constructed to duplicate all the features found within an actual LST. Being the home to the Armored Force Board, Fort Knox supplied tanks to run on the inside while Naval architects developed a ventilation system capable of evacuating the well-deck of harmful gases. Testing was successfully completed in three months. This historic building remains at Fort Knox today.
Early LST operations required overcoming the 18th century language of the Articles for the Government of the United States Navy: "He who doth suffer his ships to founder on rocks and shoals shall be punished..." There were some tense moments of concept testing at Quonset, Rhode Island in early 1943 when designer Niedermair encouraged the commanding officer of the first U.S. LST to drive his ship onto the beach at full speed of 10 knots (19 km/h).
Production
In three separate acts dated 6 February 1942, 26 May 1943, and 17 December 1943, Congress provided the authority for the construction of LSTs along with a host of other auxiliaries, destroyer escorts, and assorted landing craft. The enormous building program quickly gathered momentum. Such a high priority was assigned to the construction of LSTs that the previously laid keel of an aircraft carrier was hastily removed to make room for several LSTs to be built in her place. The keel of the first LST was laid down on 10 June 1942 at Newport News, Va., and the first standardized LSTs were floated out of their building dock in October. Twenty-three were in commission by the end of 1942.
The LST building program was unique in several respects. As soon as the basic design had been developed, contracts were let and construction was commenced in quantity before the completion of a test vessel. Preliminary orders were rushed out verbally or by telegrams, telephone, and air mail letters. The ordering of certain materials actually preceded the completion of design work. While many heavy equipment items such as main propulsion machinery were furnished directly by the Navy, the balance of the procurement was handled centrally by the Material Coordinating Agency — an adjunct of the Bureau of Ships — so that the numerous builders in the program would not have to bid against one another. Through vigorous follow-up action on materials ordered, the agency made possible the completion of construction schedules in record time.
The need for LSTs was urgent, and the program enjoyed a high priority throughout the war. Since most shipbuilding activities were located in coastal yards and were largely used for construction of large, deep-draft ships, new construction facilities were established along inland waterways. In some instances, heavy-industry plants such as steel fabrication yards were converted for LST construction. This posed the problem of getting the completed ships from the inland building yards to deep water. The chief obstacles were bridges. The Navy successfully undertook the modification of bridges and, through a "Ferry Command" of Navy crews, transported the newly constructed ships to coastal ports for fitting out. The success of these "cornfield" shipyards of the Middle West was a revelation to the long-established shipbuilders on the coasts. Their contribution to the LST building program was enormous. Of the 1,051 LSTs built during World War II, 670 were constructed by five major inland builders. Chicago Bridge and Iron shipyard in Seneca, Illinois launched 156 ships and was specifically chosen because of their reputation and skills, particularly in welding. The most LSTs constructed during WWII were built in Evansville, Indiana, by Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron, & International Steel Co.
Modifications
By 1943, the construction time for an LST had been reduced to four months; and, by the end of the war, it had been cut to two months. Considerable effort was expended to hold the ship's design constant; but, by mid-1943, operating experience led to the incorporation of certain changes in the new ships.
The LST-491 class replaced the elevator installed in the original LST-1 class , to transfer equipment between the tank deck and the main deck, with a ramp that was hinged at the main deck. This allowed vehicles to be driven directly from the main deck into the tank deck, and then across the bow ramp to the beach or causeway, speeding the process of disembarkation.
Changes in the later LST-542 class included the addition of a navigation bridge, the installation of a water distillation plant with a capacity of 4,000 gallons per day, the removal of the tank deck ventilator tubes from the
The Judicialization of Politics in Latin America
Palgrave Macmillan is a global academic publisher, serving ... 'This book is essential reading to understand the important ... is currently Assistant Professor of Latin American History ...
Amazon.com: The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture, and Society in ...
The History of Venezuela (Palgrave Essential Histories) by H. Micheal Tarver. In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.
The History of Venezuela (140396260X) TARVER - Palgrave Macmillan
Palgrave Essential Histories Availability: Now In Stock From Palgrave ... necessary background information to understand how Venezuela became what it is today. The history begins ...
Macmillan: The History of Venezuela: (Palgrave Essential Histories ...
Macmillan: The History of Venezuela: (Palgrave Essential Histories): H. Micheal Tarver, Julia C. Frederick: Bonus Publisher Materials: Author Biography
Amazon.com: Venezuela (9781741045451): Thomas Kohnstamm, Sandra Bao ...
The History of Venezuela (Palgrave Essential Histories) by H. Micheal Tarver. In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.
Macmillan: The History of Cuba: (Palgrave Essential Histories ...
Macmillan: The History of Cuba: (Palgrave Essential Histories): Clifford L. Staten: Bonus Publisher ... The History of Venezuela
Powell's Books - The History of Armenia: From the Origins to the ...
The History of Latin America: Collision of Cultures; The History of Venezuela ... Armenians -- History. Series: Palgrave Essential Histories Publication Date:
Books about Venezuela
The History of Venezuela (Palgrave Essential Histories) (Paperback) by See larger image by H. Micheal Tarver (Author), Julia C. Frederick (Author) - Tracing the nation's 300 ...
Powell's Books - The History of Havana (Palgrave Essential Histories ...
The History of Latin America: Collision of Cultures; The History of Venezuela; The History of Havana (Palgrave Essential Histories) by Dick Cluster
Palgrave Macmillan -- Featured Series
Palgrave Essential Histories ... THE HISTORY OF VENEZUELA