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| USN LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship 1,625 Tons (Light) 4,080 Tons (Full) 328' x 50' x 4" x 8' 3" 2 × Twin 40mm Bofors 4 × 40mm Bofors AA guns 12 × 20mm cannons 2 × 50 ton derrick cranes  John Innes 2002  Justin Taylan 2003 |
Ship History Built in the Navy shipyard in Norfolk Naval Yard, Virginia. Laid down August 21, 1942 LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship. Launched November 8, 1942 as USS LST-342. Commissioned December 31, 1942 in the U.S. Navy (USN) under the command of Lt Edward S. McCluskey, USNR. Sent overseas to the South Pacific. Assigned to LST Flotilla 5, Group 14 under Commander Paul S. Slawson. Wartime History On July 17, 1943 at 1:00am departs Guadalcanal with military cargo embarked and at 7:00am arrives Renard Sound in the Russell Islands where additional cargo was added for a total of about 500 tons primarily 155mm howitzer shells. At 4:30pm departs Renard Sound with additional personnel embarked including U.S. Army 4 officers, 169 enlisted men plus U.S. Navy 2 officers and 21 enlisted men. Shortly after departing, turns back to Wernham Cove (Linggatu Cove) to await an escort but none arrived. At 6:20pm departs alone without escort due to the urgent need for the shells and overnight bound for Rendova Harbor. Sinking History On July 18, 1943 at 1:30am hit by a torpedo fired by Japanese submarine RO-106 south of Gatukai Island (Nggatokae) at roughly Lat 9° 3' S Long 158° 11' E. The explosion broke the ship into two halves with the stern section sinking immediately trapping personnel inside. Lost was Lt. Commander McClelland Barclay and S2 Horace Brady Bottoms. Meanwhile, the bow section remaining afloat. The bow section remained afloat and was towed to Purvis Bay (Tokio Bay) off Florida Island (Nggela Sule) and beached and usable equipment was salvaged then abandoned. Fate of the Crew Many of the crew were in the water and some managed to deploy life rafts from the bow section and floated at sea until morning and attempted to paddle towards Wickham Anchorage and attempted to signal friendly planes. At 5:00pm spotted by a PBY Catalina and soon afterwards, USS LCI(L)-62 arrived to rescue them at 5:30pm then delivered to Wickham Anchorage where they received medical treatment. On July 20, 1943 at 7:43pm the rescued crew returned to Guadalcanal. Shipwreck The bow section remains at Purvis Bay (Tokio Bay) off Florida Island (Nggela Sule). The bow and doors are above the waterline with "342" visible on the bow with traces of gray paint. Memorials The crew and passengers that went down with the ship were officially declared dead the day of the sinking or July 19, 1943 for the U.S. Navy personnel. Those who went down with the ship earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Bottoms also has a memorial marker at Marietta National Cemetery in Marietta, GA. Awards LST-342 earned one battle star and the Navy Unit Commendation for her World War II service. References NARA "USS LST-342 - Torpedoing U.S.S. L.S.T. 342 - 0130 Love July 18, 1943" pages 1-10 (Pages 1-3) "Report of Torpedoing U.S.S. L.S.T. 342 - 0130 Love July 18, 1943" by T. B. Montgomery July 28, 1943 (Page 2) "At about 0125 I noticed a torpedo wake approaching the ship on the port beam at about frame thirty seven as reported in reference (e). When I first observed the wake it was about 40 yards from the ship, and seemed to extend away from the ship for about a distance of 150 yards... (Page 3) "...were it disappeared. The width of the wake was about 2 feet. I instantly realized that what I saw was the wake of a torpedo and started to give a warning by calling out when the next thing I realized was the ship had been hit by hearing a dull thud followed by an explosion... As soon as the explosion occurred I had the believe that the ship would sink and would do so slowly. I started to get my life jacket, but before I even found it felt myself on the water's surface when I experienced a suction which dragged me under the surface of the water for about 10 feet, and I estimate I was underwater for about 15 or 20 seconds. At the time I felt the suction I started fighting to get to the surface... and could see the after cross section of the forward part of the ship that was still afloat. I remember distinctly seeing the cargo, and the orderly manner in which the 155 mm projectiles were still in place impressed me. What also occurred to me at this time was the clean cut manner in which the after part of the ship had been severed from the forward part; it seemed to me as if this had been done by a cutting torch, so definite and clean cut was the separation." (Pages 5-7) "Report of Torpedoing U.S.S. L.S.T. 342 - 0130 Love July 18, 1943" by G. B. Carter July 31, 1943 (Pages 8-10) "Report of Torpedoing U.S.S. L.S.T. 342 - 0130 Love July 18, 1943" by G. B. Carter Dec 7, 1943 Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - LST-342 Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - Casualties: U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Vessels, Sunk or Damaged Beyond Repair during World War II, 7 December 1941-1 October 1945 "USS LST-342 sunk by Japanese submarine RO-106 west of Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 18 July 1943." NHHC (NHHC) - H-020-2: Central Solomon Islands Campaign "On 18 July 1943, Japanese submarine RO-106 torpedoed and sank LST-342 off the Solomon Islands. The explosion broke the ship in two; the stern section sank immediately, while the bow remained afloat and was pulled into harbor. Among those killed was famed artist McClelland Barclay, who had had a very successful career painting covers for the Saturday Evening Post and numerous other periodicals. Beginning in 1938, he painted numerous recruiting posters for the U.S. Navy, many of which were among the most famous and popular during and even after the war, before becoming a reserve officer. Barclay became one of first, and most prolific, Navy combat artists (NHHC still has the program and two combat artists). Barclay stated: “A camera cannot catch the human element of a fight, the sweat and blood and courage our boys expend every time they face the enemy.” Barclay’s body was never recovered." NavSource USS LST 342 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - McClelland Barclay FindAGrave - McClelland Barclay (photo, biography) "The stern sank immediately, and Barclay, along with most of the crew, perished. He was awarded the Art Directors Club Medal posthumously in 1944, "in recognition of his long and distinguished record in editorial illustration and advertising art and in honor of his devotion and meritorious service to his country as a commissioned officer of the United States Navy" American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - S2c Horace B. Bottoms FindAGrave - S2 Horace B Bottoms (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Horace Brady Bottoms (memorial marker photo) The Flying Kiwi - LST 342 (Tank Landing Ship 342) photos 1988 Contribute
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