| While a beach master holds a signal flag to guide in another landing craft, Tank Landing Ship USS LST-204 and Landing Ship, Medium USS LSM-23 unload supplies on Leyte’s “White” Beach. At 0625, 1 fighter and 3 high level bombers attacked LST-204’s echelon, dropping 5 small bombs that missed the LSTs. More than 26 LSTs were at Leyte on D-Day, and within a few days they were joined by nearly a 100 others. It was now an accepted part of amphibious doctrine that the LSTs would carry in the heavy vehicles and equipment needed to mount a major landing. In the 1st day of operations at Leyte, more than 125,000 men were put ashore, along with 200,000 tons of equipment. While heavy transports accounted for much of this effort, the LSTs were very much in evidence. Beaching conditions were poor for LSTs at Leyte, but crews quickly adapted to the situation and managed to speed up the unloading with the objective of leaving the area as quickly as possible. At Leyte, LSTs that remained in the area after October 24 actually were at great risk, although the full danger was not understood until much later. The LSTs and other transport ships of the landing operations survived largely because of superb actions by an outgunned portion of the United States 7th fleet and a decision by Imperial Japanese Navy’s Center Force commander Admiral Takeo Kurita (April 28, 1889 – December 19, 1977) to withdraw at the very hour he could have entered Leyte Bay and raised havoc with the transport ships anchored there. This threat happened because of Admiral William Halsey’s still-disputed decision to take the main fleet north to fight what proved to be a decoy group of carriers. For a short time, the amphibious forces at Leyte were in far greater danger than they knew. Only the actions of Task Force 77.3’s escorts – “tin can” destroyers engaging Japanese cruisers and battleships – saved the beached LSTs. LSTs at Leyte also found themselves under frequent attack by Japanese aircraft, and came to feel the 1st effects of the “kamikaze” strategy. Leyte was well within reach of land-based Japanese aircraft from other islands in the Philippines. LST-204, an LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship, was laid down on July 24, 1942, at Chicago Bridge and Iron Company in Seneca, Illinois. On April 3, 1943, it was launched into the Illinois River, sponsored by Mrs. Florence M. Jacobs (March 29, 1895 – 1973). Mrs. Jacobs was the mother of Abraham “Abe” Jacobs Junior (October 1, 1922 – August 8, 1998) of USS Canopus (AS-9) and attached to the 4th Marine Regiment on Corregidor, where he surrendered on May 8, 1942. He survived the war, and returned to the United States. His mother was employed as a timekeeper for the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company. On April 27, 1943, it was commissioned with Lieutenant Arthur I. Roberts (March 25, 1903 – February 10, 1984), United States Coast Guard, in command. LST-204 sailed down the river to the Mississippi River to New Orleans and to the Pacific for combat duty. During World War II, USS LST-204 was manned by Coastguardsmen. The ship was assigned to LST Flotilla 7, LST Group 21, LST Division 42 and served in the Eastern New Guinea operations (Finschhafen occupation September 1943; Saidor occupation; January and February 1944), Bismarck Archipelago operation (Cape Gloucester, New Britain December 1943 – January, February and March 1944; Hollandia operation April and May 1944), Western New Guinea operations (Biak Island operation June 1944; Noemfoor Island operation July 1944; Cape Sansapor operation July and August 1944, Morotai landings-September 1944) before the Leyte landings in October and November 1944. Lieutenant Charles W. Radke (January 17, 1899 – June 18, 1985), United States Coast Guard, assumed command on October 5, 1944, for the Leyte Gulf operation. Afterwards, she served at the Lingayen Gulf landing in January 1945 and the Mindanao Island landings in March and April 1945. LST-204 was decommissioned on February 23, 1946, and was struck from the Navy list on June 5, 1946. On October 8, 1947, she was sold to the New Orleans Shipwrecking Corporation of Chicago, Illinois, for scrapping. LST-204 earned 7 battle stars for World War II service. USS LSM-23 was laid down at Brown Shipbuilding Company in Houston, Texas, on April 30, 1944. She was launched into the Buffalo Bayou on May 21, 1944. Commissioned on June 23, 1944, Lieutenant Karl K. Hickman (April 15, 1917 – September 4, 1992) in command. USS LSM-23 sailed into the Gulf of Mexico on to the Pacific through the Panama Canal. The Landing Ship, Medium served at the Leyte landings from October 13 – November 29, 1944, and the Ormoc Bay Landings, December 7-8, 1944. She then served with occupation forces in Japan from September 29 – November 29, 1945. USS LSM-23 decommissioned on April 1, 1946, at the Charlestown Navy Yard in South Carolina. USS LSM-23 earned 1 battle star for World War II service. The ship was sold to Hill Dredging Corporation, Ventnor, New Jersey, on February 12, 1948. Her final disposition is unknown. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1801.jpg |
| Image Size | 572.16 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2498 x 1873 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | October 20, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | Leyte |
| Country | Philippines |
| Archive | Kansas Historical Society |
| Record Number | E970.4 *5 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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