16

enter image description hereUnidentified ship possibly numbered 545, aircraft carrier in background, maybe San Francisco or Washington State?

Improve this question
5
  • 1
    LSM-545?
    – Semaphore
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 15:04
  • 2
    If it is LSM-545, that LSM never left the East Coast before being transferred to the Ven. navy. Here's another picture of LSM-545: navsource.org/archives/10/14/101454501.jpg The main trouble I'm having is the suspension bridge in the background. Other than the Mackinaw bridge, there just isn't one that size over here. The Bay Bridge is far too new.
    – CGCampbell
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 20:57
  • 1
    Almost certainly not Washington: there were no suspension bridges across Puget Sound during World War II.
    – Mark
    Commented Nov 4, 2014 at 5:42
  • 1
    Not asked in your question, but I believe the carrier in the background is a Casablanca-class escort carrier. Based on proximity with LSI(L)-545, it would likely be either the USS Thetis Bay (CVE-90) or the USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80), both of which were in and out of Alameda around that time.
    – Comintern
    Commented Nov 5, 2014 at 0:52
  • 2
    The bridge is the west span of the SF Bay Bridge, connecting SF (out of sight on the right) to Yerba Buena Island. Treasure Island is out of sight to the left. I'd guess the photo was taken from around the SF Ferry Building. The Bay Bridge was completed in 1936, a few months before the Golden Gate Bridge.
    – user8361
    Commented Nov 7, 2014 at 6:29

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
20

The stern is much too low to be an LSM. I'm 99% sure that it's LSI(L)-545, likely prior to departing for New Guinea in late summer of 1944. It was an LSI 341 class transport (class prototype below):

enter image description here

The bridge looks like the Golden Gate, but the only angle that would be right for that shot would make the island Alcatraz and I'm thinking that the buildings would be visible from that angle.

EDIT: After taking another scan around the San Francisco bay, it is possible that the photo was taken from the Mile Rocks lighthouse from roughly this direction, catching only the north tower of the bridge and zooming in on the departing ships:

UPDATE: I was totally wrong on the picture location. @AndyW correctly pointed out in his answer (and received my much deserved up vote) that this is the San Francisco Bay Bridge and Yerba Buena Island. Here's the same shot from Google Maps Street View.

Improve this answer
1
  • Not terribly familiar with S. Fran. Bay, but this image makes it look like it could be from a similar location.
    – cwallenpoole
    Commented Nov 4, 2014 at 5:02
10

It is USS LSIL-545. It got two battle commendations. Here is that baby in action in New Guinea (what a hell hole):

LSIL 545 in action

The New Guinea campaign was complete hell. During wartime censorship (what First Ammendment?) Roosevelt permitted photographs of dead soldiers for the first time from this campaign (notice landing craft in the background):

dead American soldiers on the beach in New Guinea

Improve this answer
4

The front number looks like 545. For the location there is text on the island, something like:

WE XXXX GREAT WORK

hth, maybe someone remembers it.

Also found this guy asking the same:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/photolibrarian/8392716550/in/photostream/

Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    One and the same, that's my Flickr site.I try to identify all the photos that I post.
    – Photolibrarian
    Commented Nov 4, 2014 at 4:21

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.