WORK OF L.S.T.

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 148, 20 December 1945, Page 9

WORK OF L.S.T.

INVASION TACTICS

Although Wellingtonians have " seen tank landing craft (L.S.T.'s) in action many times on the screen, they now have their first opportunity of seeing two of them while the visiting American ships are in port*

The ships, specially designed for landing transport vehicles, tanks, and personnel on invasion beaches, were used in a great number of important operations. The par: played by a tank landing ship in an invasion operation was briefly described yesterday by Lieutenant-Commander R. P. Rudolph, who is captain of L.S.T. 275, and in command of both vessels. After the initial softening up of land defences by warships and a.v support, the bow doors of the LS.T.'s arp opened, the ramparts dropped, and out pour the amphibious tanits with their crews, and. proceed to the beaches. During these landings the L.S.T.'s lie 500 to 1000 yards offshore, and later often beach themselves. L.S.T. 273 beached on five of her seven major operations. Sometimes difficulty is experienced in getting off the beaches again, sometimes not—it aJI depends on the terrain.

The ships carry many marines during the operation—L.S.T. 273 carried 300 to 500 on many occasions. Two types of tanks are used, the L.V.T.'s, which are heavily armed and run on caterpillars, and the well-known "ducks," which are not so heavily armed, and run on wheels. Either type is used, according to the land to be attacked.

After the first assault troops are landed, more troops are sent in from the bigger troopships lying further offshore, while the L.V.T.'s are busy travelling from the L.S.T.'s to the shore, carrying equipment, ammunition, food, and barbed wire—in fact, everything necessary to make the landings a success. Throughout the whole operation cover is provided from the air. The L.S.T.'s are heavily armed with antiaircraft guns—their only armament. Sometimes they are forced to lie off the landing beaches for long periods, and it is recorded that one L.S.T. was actually anchored off a beach for two months. L.S.T. 273 was anchored off Okinawa for 16 days. The two ships at present in port suffered only minor damage during the war, although L.S.T. 273 was hit by a lot of shrapnel in the invasion of Saipan.

Asked what use would be made of the L.S.T.'s now that the war is over Lieutenant F. E. Guedry, of L.S.T 273 said that although he knew nothing of his Government's plans on the subject, it was probable that some of the ships would remain in the United States navy, but many would be sold to commercial firms. If the ships could carry cargoes in wartime they C 0l _ci_ a- ° carry them in peacetime, and their shallow draft would enable them to enter waters—such as rivers— where larger ships could not go. 'The ?™£ °. ca Pacity of the ships was about 1000 tons.

The greatest single operation in the Pacific war was the invasion of Leyte m the Philippines, but the greatest concentration of fire was at Okinawa Inere, although' the military forces employed were not as great numerically as those used at Leyte, the island was much smaller and the fighting much more concentrated.