LSTs as aircraft carriers

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maxs75
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LSTs as aircraft carriers

#1

Post by maxs75 » 13 Oct 2006, 20:31

Hi there,

I'm interested in info about the use of LSTs as aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean during WW2.
It seems that they were used both at Anzio and Provence.
http://www.airwarfareforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=1555
Do you have additional info?

Thanks in advance
Max

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Andy H
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#2

Post by Andy H » 13 Oct 2006, 21:08

I would say they were more akin to CAM ships used by the British during the earlier stages of the Battle of the Atlantic than aicraft carriers.

Six LST(2)S (numbers 16,158,337,386,525 & 906) were modified in the Med in 1943-44 with one or two used at Sicily,Salerno,Anzio and southern France. They had a 16ft wide, 220ft long flight deck stretching from bridge to bow. Two Army Piper L-4 spotter aircraft could be carried. The superstructure prevented the planes landing back onboard, thus they had to either ditch or land ashore. LST906 was slightly different in that she had two aircraft racks on each side and the enlarged flight section forward of the bridge held 4 more L4 Pipers.

LST393 was another type of LST aircraft carrier. It was referred to as a Brodie Device equipped "aircraft carrier". This carried 3-4 L4's. To launch the aircraft it was suspended on the aft end of the cable and the pilot lowered to it from the catwalk via a bosuns chair. The ship turned into the wind, the aircraft ran down the cable, and released itself before reaching the end. For recovery the aircraft would hook the ring and slide down the cable to stop.

Source:Landing Ship, Tank(LST) 1942-2002 by G.L.Rottman. Published by Osprey under the New Vanguard title, number 115

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Andy H


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Andy H
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#3

Post by Andy H » 13 Oct 2006, 21:14

The 393 is actually still around. 8O

On its website, listed below you can see some pictures of its aircraft carrier days

http://www.lst393.org/photogallery.html

Regards

Andy H

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Agrippa
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#4

Post by Agrippa » 14 Oct 2006, 03:29

My grandfather actually served on the 525 during the Anzio and Anvil-Dragoon operations. Andy H is quite correct that the LST conversions were less carriers and more aircraft ferries. My grandfather said that once the Piper Cubs left, the LST crewmen never found out what happened to them, though the rumor during the Southern France operation was that his two aircraft were destroyed almost immediately. The aircraft were largely just another piece of cargo carried by the landing craft (the only difference being that the aircraft unloaded themselves); the 525 still landed on the beach with her traditional partner, the 526, even though it had a flight deck. The flight deck was taken down at some point after August 1944, I can't recall when exactly, though pictures of the 525 in December 1944 when it participated in the British landings in Athens show it without the flight deck.

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#5

Post by Custermen » 14 Oct 2006, 04:46

The book "And There Shall Be Wars" is the journal of a soldier in the 151st Field Artillery of 34th Infantry Division. This book was written by Bud Wagner and includes the original entries to his journal plus commentary he added. He kept his journal in a Prince Albert tobacco can so to keep it concealed from security. He also owned a camera.
In his book, he has several small photos. He includes photos of a Cub plane or two. He was on board an LST that had a flight deck installed and his jeep was stored under it. As I recall, he witnessed a couple of Cub flights from the LST deck, resulting in one crash and fatality. I know he witnessed a crash at sometime but not sure if this was it.

Bud Wagner became a liason agent for the artillery. Basically he drove a jeep and carried orders, maps and mail from the various artilery HQ's mostly at night. He has some great first-hand accounts of his experiences and all the time trying to keep his trusty mount in operating condition.

Link to webpage for Bud Wagner's book with a selection of photos that (I think) includes an LST at Anzio.
http://members.tripod.com/lloyde_wagner/index.htm

I have an extra autographed copy if anyone would like one. Cost $25.

Steve

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#6

Post by Andy H » 15 Oct 2006, 01:17

Couple of pictures here:-

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/odd/index3.htm

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Andy H

maxs75
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#7

Post by maxs75 » 15 Oct 2006, 13:36

Thank you really much.
Is it possible to know which one of them were used as a/c carriers for Sicily and other operation?
Of the number listed, LST-158 was sunk soon after Sicily, so it should be used as plane carrier.
LST 16, 337, and 386 were at Sicily and Salerno. The only one at anzio was LST 386.
In provence there were LST 525 and 906.
Can find which one were used on each operation?

Thank you again
Max

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#8

Post by Custermen » 17 Oct 2006, 00:40

I tried to insert photos URLs from the site for Bud Wagner's book.
You will have to go into the site and look thru the photos. One photo was taken on board an LST bound for Salerno prior to shipping out from Birzerte.
The photo shows the "runway deck" built on top of the LST with a L-3 sitting on it.

Another photo was taken in March 23, 1944 at Anzio. This appears to be taken from the deck of an LST with a Cub on it. In the background is LST 355 unloading at Anzio.

Steve

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#9

Post by maxs75 » 18 Oct 2006, 11:20

Steve, can you provide me the link?
Thanks
Max

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#10

Post by Custermen » 18 Oct 2006, 17:10

See previous message above. Go to that link and select Photos 2 and Photos 3 ( I believe) to find this images.

Steve

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#11

Post by maxs75 » 19 Oct 2006, 19:10

Thanks Steve, I found it.
I also found the LSTs modified for each operation.

Max

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Re: LSTs as aircraft carriers

#12

Post by JamesL » 05 Feb 2011, 00:22

A comment I came across in the War Diary of the 815th Aviation Engineer Battalion, Participation in the Sicilian Campaign.

They were training on the beaches of Bizerte in combat engineering, demolitions, and night fighting. Additionally .......

"Another practical though unusual assignment given the battalion was that of constructing an Irving Grid deck on timber bents on the upper deck of an LST. This construction provided an airplane carrier for artillery reconnaisance planes and was used successfully during the initial invasion of Sicily."

The number of the LST was not given.

I suspect that the Cubs could have landed at the partially completed field at Licata, Sicily or the Italian Army Artillery Field at Anzio-Nettuno ... provided American infantry troops were there to greet them.
Last edited by JamesL on 05 Feb 2011, 23:10, edited 1 time in total.

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Takao
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Re: LSTs as aircraft carriers

#13

Post by Takao » 05 Feb 2011, 01:52


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Re: LSTs as aircraft carriers

#14

Post by JamesL » 05 Feb 2011, 04:28

Takao - excellent link! Thanks.

It looks like the 10th Army Engineers designed the ship's modifications and the 815th Air Corps Engineers built it. I wonder if a naval architect got a chance to look at the changes?

I am impressed that one pilot landed on the beach an hour after the US infantry troops. I understand the beach turned into a real traffic jam with the beached LSTs and loose pontoons, soft sand and stuck vehicles. Its fortunate he had a place to set down without crashing.

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Re: LSTs as aircraft carriers

#15

Post by maxs75 » 17 Feb 2011, 15:54

Thank you!
Max

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