Lst 792

[Disinger]

Hi fellow Patriots, LST 792

I am new to this and this is my first post. I served in 1943-5 on the LST-792. I am looking for any info on my crew or related events

Thanks,

Paul Disinger

[Boats]

Seems you were in the same theater as my Uncle. He was on a similar vessel during WWII
and never talked much about those days. He'g gone now - his name was Lee (Leo)Lovison. He and I always got along - he was a great guy. He became a Chicago Fire Fighter after the war and later tinkered with auto repair. He retired and went North to some island in Upper Michigan where he finally pass on. Not too many WWII guys left they are thinning out each year. Dad was in the Aleutians in the Army during WWII - his jeep ran over a land mine and nearly took his arm off. Brother and I were both in VN. Brother's gone to now died from complications from Agent Orange.

I want to thank you for your service during WWII and welcome you aboard. I found a few details on your ship - but I'm sure you already knew those fast facts. Take Care



LST-792

LST-511 Class Tank Landing Ship:
Laid down, 25 June 1944, at the Dravo Corp., Pittsburgh, PA.
Launched, 2 September 1944
Commissioned USS LST-792, 2 October 1944, with a Coast Guard crew
During World War II LST-792 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:
Iwo Jima operation;
(a) Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, February 1945
Okinawa Gunto operation;
(a) Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, April through June 1945
Following World War II LST-792 performed occupation duty in the Far East until late October 1945
Decommissioned, 29 April 1946
Struck from the Naval Register, 19 July 1946
Final Disposition, sold, 31 October 1946, to the Suwannee Fruit & SS Co., Jacksonville, FL.
LST-792 earned two battle stars for World War II service
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Specifications:
Displacement 1,780 t.(lt), 3,640 t.(fl)
Length 328'
Beam 50'
Draft unloaded, bow 2' 4" stern 7' 6", loaded bow 8' 2" stern 14' 1"
Speed 12 kts.
Complement 8-10 officers, 89-100 enlisted
Troop Accommodations approx. 130 officers and enlisted
Boats two LCVPs
Armament eight 40mm guns, twelve 20mm guns
Propulsion two General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders



LST-792 was laid down on 25 June 1944 at Pittsburgh, Pa., by the Dravo Corp.; launched on 2 September 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Ross Elaine; and commissioned on 2 October 1944.



During World War II, LST-792 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the assault and occupation of Iwo Jima in February 1945 and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto from April through June 1945. Following the war, LST-792 performed occupation duty in the Far East until late October 1945. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 29 April 1946 and struck from the Navy list on 19 July that same year. On 31 October 1946, the ship was sold to the Suwannee Fruit & S. S. Co., of Jacksonville, Fla.



LST-792 earned two battle stars for World War II service.

[David]

Welcome to the site Paul.

[Chuck Garrett]

Hi Paul,

My Uncle Charles M Garrett was commanding officer of LST 792. He occasionally would mention incidents occurring during the war, including an owl and a monkey, taking fire while beached at Iwo Jima, and a kamikaze that crashed nearby.

Before he died in 2005, he mentioned something about a new form of radar aboard at Iwo.

I obtained some records from the Coast Guard History office including a narrative of the chief engineer, or an engineman about not fully emptying all the ballast tanks before landing, that allowed the ship to be refloated while under fire at Iwo.
A couple of pics of the ship, and one taken of the crew in 1944 are attached. Can you identify any of the guys? Do you have any pics you could post?

It would be great if you could expand on these tales for those of us interested in your experiences.

[DMZ-LT]

This is great ! Welcome here Paul , thanks for this site David

[reconeil]

Welcome, Disinger. Glad you made it there & could make it here.

Regardless Chuck,...Don't just stop there.
You got my attention.
What's with that: "Owl & monkey taking fire" at Iwo Jima bit?

Still, and given all devastating footage I've seen about that hell-hole,...it doesn't
take very much imagination visualizing even owls & monkeys being shot at there.

If anything spotted in a tree it's very wise emptying clips or magazines & killing them or it.
To hell with either any fur or feather costumes or camo such sneaky snipers might wear.
"Better to be (a quick killer) than sorry".

Neil