At a landing on Camp Garcia, Puerto Rico, here is an LST that comes all the way to the shoreline because of its flat bottom. On the side of the LST are what I called floating docks that are placed in the front of the LST in order for the assorted equipment on the LST. Depending on the depth of the water at the beach head, depends on the use of the floating docks.
The LST was always a ship that was in the Task Force for any of our Carribbean or Mediterranean Seas. My last memories of the Task Force during a storm would always see the LST floating back and forth because of the flat bottom and watching sailors and marines holding onto the deck ropes and blowing lunch. I'm glad that I never was on an LST.
Sharing a fewMemories of "So You Served". Enjoy,
Marty Dougherty