USS LST-779 was a United States Navy used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.
Construction and commissioning 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.
Service history 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.
Invasion of Iwo Jima
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, 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 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 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-779s commanding officer, reported on board the amphibious command ship 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-779s 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-779s 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 off the beach awaiting orders. After shifting anchorage to off Green Beach, the anchor dragged and the ship remained underway the remainder of the evening maintaining her position off the beach.
Flag raising on Mout Suribachi
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.
Continuing resupply 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 off Red Beach 1 at 22:45.
On 25 February, the ship proceeded on orders to the attack transport at 02:03, and moored on the latter's starboard side at 04:28. She then commenced onloading cargo until full at 11:11. She then proceeded toward Black Beach, where she beached at 11:36 and began offloading. Unloading completed at 21:15, and she retracted at 22:53. She then ran aground on an uncharted sandbar at 23:03. The ship continued maneuvering to come alongside Harry Lee from 23:50 until 02:45, on 26 February, as strong winds made it very difficult to do so. From 03:00 until 12:00, on 26 February, LST-779 continued unloading from Harry Lee. After clearing the attack transport, she beached on Black Beach at 13:32, and began unloading eight trucks, four trailers, and approximately 300 cases of ammunition. At 19:53 the cargo was unloaded and she retracted from the beach and maneuvered to moor alongside at 20:48.
On 27 February 1945, LST-779 cleared Bladen at 21:05, with a cargo of 42 vehicles, 120 tons of medical supplies and ammunition, 20 medical officers, and 162 men of the Medical Battalion, V Amphibious Corps. She continued maneuvering with great difficulty among the transports and other amphibious ships and craft close to the beach. As another tank landing ship took her position on the beach, LST-779 ran aground on uncharted sandbar. After some additional maneuvering the ship finally beached and began unloading at 01:40, on 28 February. She continued unloading her medical cargo until 15:00. Upon orders she retracted from the beach at 15:33 with mattresses plugging the holes in her hull to proceed to a convoy rendezvous for departure from the waters around Iwo. At 17:15 she joined the convoy proceeding to Saipan for repairs.
Operations at Okinawa On 6 April 1945, after completion of repairs, LST-779 cleared the floating drydock and moored alongside another tank landing ship in Tanapag Harbor, Saipan. At 18:35, she embarked elements of the 20th Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees) with their heavy construction equipment and departed for Okinawa, on 12 April. She arrived there on 17 April. The ship landed at Kinmu Wan Bay, on the eastern side of Okinawa. All ships proceeded into the bay in single column and LST-779 anchored at 14:05. During the night the eight tank landing ships unloaded all their pontoon barges to create a "T-shaped" pier for unloading equipment. On 18 April, she got underway at 15:48, proceeding to within of Gushikawa, where she anchored. At 16:07, she secured from general quarters, and at 18:15 moored alongside and LST-779 supplied her with fuel, ammunition, and stores.
She beached at 10:40, on 19 April 1945, and then in attempting to moor at 11:08, caused damage to the bow doors. She successfully moored at 11:30, and began unloading at 12:01. At 12:27, moored alongside, and by 20:45, all cargo and Seabees were ashore. The ship retracted from the beach and cleared LST-898 at 21:45, and anchored off the beach at 22:35. On 20 April, the ship got underway and while maneuvering between two tank landing ships, LST-779 grounded on an uncharted reef or rock. She made initial attempts to retract from this position that proved unsuccessful. Eventually, at 04:01, on 21 April, she ungrounded and shifted to an anchorage adjacent to the survey ship . Later, maneuvering at various courses and speeds, the ship left Kinmu Wan, at 15:51, to form in a convoy as TU 51.29.19. This convoy of eight LSTs departed in formation with two submarine chasers as escorts for Saipan, at 17:05. After an uneventful six-day voyage from Okinawa to Saipan, the ship anchored in the outer Tanapag Harbor, at 10:45, on 27 April.
Supplying advanced bases During the next few months LST-779 turned from landing on invasion beachheads to the job of supplying advanced bases. She remained at Saipan, from 27 April 1945, until she got underway bound for Guam, on 24 May. Arriving the next day she moored in Apra Harbor, Guam, at 12:26 next to . She departed Guam, on 13 June, at 16:48, bound for Saipan, arriving on 14 June. She then got underway for Iwo Jima, on 16 June, with her tank deck loaded with aviation stores and four pontoon barges secured to her sides, and arrived at her destination on 19 June. Although Japanese planes managed to drop a few scattered bombs on the island, the ship emerged unharmed and continued to unload her cargo. As she attempted to retract from the beach, however, high winds and heavy seas caused by an approaching typhoon forced her to broach. With the assistance of the salvage vessel , the infantry landing craft , and three bulldozers, LST-779 managed to work herself free at high tide with only minor damage. She remained at Iwo Jima, until 28 June, when she got underway for Guam, arriving on 3 July.
Sinking of Indianapolis