USS LST - 16 USS " LST - 16 " was a built for the U . S . Navy during World War II . Like most ships in her class , she was not named and was known only by her designation . She was manned by a U . S . Coast Guard crew throughout her service career . Operational history . " LST - 16 " was laid down on 1 September 1942 at Wilmington , Delaware , by the Dravo Corp . ; launched on 19 December 1942 ; sponsored by Mrs . Lois M . Alexander ; and commissioned on 17 March 1943 with Lt . Rufus W . L . Horton , USCGR in command . Assigned to Flotilla 18 , Group 53 , Division 105 , for Operation Husky , the invasion of Sicily , the Coast Guard - manned " LST - 16 " departed Tunis on 8 July 1943 , and arrived at Transport Area 1 , Woods Hole Beach on 10 July 1943 , carrying . While engaged in unloading operations the " LST - 16 " discovered that an enemy shore battery , four miles ( 6 km ) away , had her range . The battery was located and 3 " / 50 caliber shells were fired at a range of were apparently hits . The LST ceased firing as a U . S . destroyer opened fire on the same target , putting it out of action . Crew members on " LST - 16 " observed small arms fire on the beach with our troops and the enemy separated by small ridges 6 or high about from the water line . Ordered to proceed to Bailey ' s Beach four miles ( 6 km ) south of Scoglitti she discharged DUKW s before beaching . Both ramp chains parted while discharging DUKWs and a jury rig of wire pennants was installed . The Beachmaster advised that no pontoons were available . The vessel was beached on 11 July and the commanding officer went ashore to arrange for a causeway . While awaiting the causeway , then in use by another LST , several enemy aircraft attempted to attack the beach and the " LST - 16 " opened fire . At 17 : 00 the causeway was received and all vehicles and Army were off by 19 : 00 . The ship ' s company unloaded 470 tons of supplies by hand , completing the task by 14 : 00 on 12 July . At 17 : 00 she proceeded to a newly marked beach north of Scoglitti and on 13 July loaded 300 tons of ammunition and supplies from and proceeded to anchorage . Gunners aboard " LST - 16 " fired on enemy aircraft at 21 : 50 on 14 July , and the ship began discharging ammunition and supplies via DUKWs . On 15 July the LST was underway , anchoring in Tunis Bay on next day . " LST - 16 " returned to Gela , Sicily , on 19 July 1943 , with 7 officers and 142 enlisted men of the U . S . Army and returned to Tunis Bay with 62 Italian officers and 408 Italian soldiers as prisoners of war on 22 July 1943 . Again loading 35 vehicles , 2 officers end 44 enlisted men of the U . S . Army the LST anchored off Gela on 24 July and was back in Tunis Bay the next day . On 28 July 1943 , she made her final trip to Gela with 13 officers , 153 enlisted men and 63 vehicles . She returned to Biserte on 14 August 1943 , towing two sections of pontoon causeways in tandem . In 14 trips and one shuttle trip 48 officers , 537 enlisted men , 894 tons of cargo and 167 vehicles were transported to Sicily . Thirty - six U . S . military personnel and 471 prisoners of war were returned to North Africa . While in the Mediterranean , Seabee s converted " LST - 906 " into a makeshift aircraft carrier sporting a custom - built mesh airstrip above deck . She was the base for two USAAF L - 4B Grasshoppers . Missions flown were typically as artillery spotters . " LST - 906 " was one of six LSTs so converted . " LST - 16 " participated in the Salerno landings in September 1943 , and advanced landings at Anzio - Nettuno in January and February 1944 . On 31 March 1944 , " LST - 16 " departed Naples for Plymouth , England , via Oran , to make preparations for the invasion of the coast of France . She arrived at Plymouth 25 April 1944 . On 2 June 1944 she began to take on board 34 officers , 486 enlisted men , and 79 vehicles of the U . S . Army and she also carried two barrage balloon s . On 5 June 1944 she was anchored in the mouth of the Helford River awaiting the order to set sail for Normandy . By this time she was equipped to evacuate and care for casualties , including bringing aboard , in addition to the ship ' s crew , two doctors and 20 enlisted personnel to care for the casualties . She got underway at 08 : 23 to join Convoy B - 3 from Falmouth en route to Omaha Beach . She anchored five miles ( 8 km ) off the coast of Normandy at 10 : 10 on 7 June 1944 . She continually shifted anchorage closer to shore that day , observing some close shell - fire from enemy batteries ashore . One shell landed only 100 yards off the starboard bow . At 21 : 55 that same day she anchored one mile ( 1 . 6 km ) off shore and opened her bow doors and lowered her landing ramp . She then commenced unloading some of the Army personnel into small boats for transport to Omaha Beach . She closed her bow doors at 00 : 05 on 8 July 1944 . At 01 : 02 hours she launched her LCVP # 1 to pick up casualties on the beach for return to " LST - 16 " , but it struck a mine en route and sank , killing one of the crew and injuring another . She attempted to beach herself unsuccessfully at 09 : 18 on 8 June 1944 . At 10 : 32 that same day the local control vessel ordered her to beach on Omaha Beach at 14 : 00 . Until that time she unloaded 150 Army personnel into for transport to the beach . At 13 : 30 on 8 June 1944 she beached at the western - end of Omaha Beach , dropping her bow and stern anchors as she came to a stop . She then opened her bow doors and lowered the landing ramp and commenced unloading the remaining troops and equipment beginning at 16 : 00 . By 18 : 00 all of the Army personnel , their equipment , vehicles and the two barrage balloons were safely ashore . She took aboard five casualties and 17 survivors of and retracted from the beach . She joined a convoy on 9 June that was making its way back to England and arrived at Solent at 22 : 05 on 9 June 1944 . She continued making cross - Channel trips , carrying supplies and reinforcements from England to Normandy and returning with casualties . " LST - 16 " was ordered on 25 September 1944 , to return to the United States . She did not actually leave Plymouth until 26 January 1945 , and after arriving at Norfolk on 17 February 1945 , proceeded to Davisville , Rhode Island , to unload . " LST - 16 " proceeded to Galveston , Texas via Boston and New Orleans for an availability from 11 March to 17 April 1945 . Returning to New Orleans she proceeded on 27 April 1945 , via Theodore , Mobile , Canal Zone , Pearl Harbor , Eniwetok , Saipan , Leyte , Luzon and Batangas to Tokyo , where she arrived 15 September 1945 . During the journey , the ship welcomed a new commanding officer , Lt . ( jg ) W . J . Kenneally , USCGR , on 22 May 1945 . The veteran landing craft remained in Tokyo for more than two months and on 28 November 1945 , she arrived at Saipan on her homeward voyage , which included stops at Pearl Harbor , San Francisco and the Canal Zone before Charleston was reached 20 February 1946 . She was decommissioned and her Coast Guard crew removed on 8 March 1946 . She was struck from the Navy List on 12 April 1946 . On 5 December 1947 , she was sold to Ships and Power Equipment Co . , of Barber , New Jersey , for scrapping . " LST - 16 " earned five battle star s for World War II service .