USS LST-393 facts for kids
LST 393 seen in full camouflage paint in 1945.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | USS LST 393 |
| Builder | Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, Virginia |
| Laid down | 27 July 1942 |
| Launched | 11 November 1942 |
| Commissioned | 11 December 1942 |
| Decommissioned | 1 March 1946 |
| Stricken | 14 March 1947 |
| Identification | IMO number: 5150331 |
| Honours and awards |
3 battle stars (WWII) |
| Status | Museum ship in Muskegon, MI. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | LST-1-class tank landing ship |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 328 ft (100 m) |
| Beam | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Draft |
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| Depth |
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| Propulsion | 2 General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders |
| Speed | 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Boats & landing craft carried |
Two or six LCVPs |
| Troops | approx. 140 officers and enlisted |
| Complement | 8-10 officers, 100-115 enlisted |
| Armament |
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The USS LST 393 is a special kind of ship called a tank landing ship (LST). It was built for the United States Navy during World War II. This ship is one of only two LSTs that still look almost exactly like they did when they were first built. Over 1,000 of these ships were made! Today, the USS LST 393 is a museum ship in Muskegon, Michigan, where people can visit and learn about its history.
Contents
A Hero in World War II
Building a Warship
The LST 393 started its life on July 27, 1942, at the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company. It was officially launched, meaning it touched water for the first time, on November 11, 1942. Just a month later, on December 11, 1942, it was ready for service in the Navy.
Battles and Missions
During World War II, the LST 393 played a big part in the war in Europe. It helped with important missions like the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. It also took part in the landings at Salerno, Italy, in September 1943. One of its most famous missions was the Invasion of Normandy in June 1944. For its brave service in these battles, the ship earned three special awards called battle stars.
D-Day at Omaha Beach
On the night of June 6, 1944, the LST 393 arrived at Omaha Beach during D-Day. It unloaded Sherman tanks and other important war supplies. The ship even got stuck on the beach for two days because of the changing tides! It made 30 trips to Omaha Beach. It brought equipment and supplies to France. On its return trips, it carried wounded soldiers and thousands of German prisoners.
Carrying an Airplane
The LST 393 was unique because it could carry a small airplane. This plane, an L-4 Grasshopper, could take off and land using a special system. A wire was stretched from the front to the back of the ship. The plane used a pole to grab onto the wire for landing and takeoff. This was a very clever way to use a small plane for scouting.
End of the War
After its service in France, the LST 393 was sent back to the U.S. for repairs. It was then going to be part of the planned Invasion of Japan. The ship was even painted in special camouflage for tropical areas. But as it was heading to the Panama Canal to go to the Pacific Ocean, the war ended in September 1945.
Amazing Journeys
In its first three years, the LST 393 traveled over 51,817 nautical miles. That's like going around the world more than twice! It visited 38 different places, including North Africa, Sicily, Italy, England, and France. The ship carried 9,135 soldiers, which is more than half of an Army division. It also transported 3,248 vehicles, from large howitzers to small Jeeps. Records show it carried 5,373 prisoners of war and 817 injured people.
Life After the War
Becoming a Ferry Boat
After World War II, the LST 393 returned to the United States. It was taken out of Navy service on March 1, 1946. On March 28, 1948, the ship was sold to a company called Sand Products Corporation. They changed it into a merchant ship and renamed it Highway 16.
The ship became a floating part of the old U.S. Highway 16. This highway went from Detroit to Muskegon in Michigan. The Highway 16 would carry new cars across Lake Michigan to Milwaukee. There, U.S. Route 16 would start again in Wisconsin. The ship's front doors were welded shut, and its tank deck was changed to hold cars.
A Museum Ship Today
People have worked hard to bring the LST 393 back to its original glory. In 2000, a group in Muskegon started trying to restore it. This effort paused after about two years.
In 2005, two Muskegon residents, Dan Weikel and Bob Wygant, took over the project. They got permission from the ship's owner to continue the restoration. Years of cleaning and painting made the ship ready for visitors. In 2007, they even managed to open the ship's bow doors. These doors hadn't moved since they were welded shut in the late 1940s!
The ship now serves as the USS LST 393 Veterans Museum. It has thousands of artifacts and many parts of the ship have been restored. It's a great place to learn about history and the brave people who served on this ship.
See also
- USS LST-325, another LST that is also a museum ship
- List of United States Navy LSTs
