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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Pee Dee River (LSMR-517)
ex
USS LSM(R)-517 (1945 - 1955)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal

LSM(R)-501 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket):

Laid down, 28 April 1945 at Brown Ship Building Co, Houston, TX.

Launched, 2 June 1945

Commissioned USS LSM(R)-517, 21 July 1945, LT Leo H. Bishkin, USNR, in command

During World War II USS LSM(R)-517 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LSM(R) Flotilla Eighteen, CAPT. C. F. Macklin USN
LSM(R) Group Forty-Four
LSM(R) Division One Hundred Seven

Decommissioned, 13 April 1955 at Orange, TX.

Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange

Renamed USS Pee Dee River LSM(R)-517, 1 October 1955

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 February 1960

Sold, 22 June 1960, to Petromar Corp., Rockport, TX. for use as a shallow drilling ship;

Resold, 1989, to Western Sea Inc., Seattle, WA., for service as a fish factory ship, renamed Western Sea

Final Disposition, fate unknown

Specifications:

Displacement

758 t.(light)

994 t. (attack)

1,084 t. (fully loaded)

Length 206' 3" o.a.

Beam 34' 6"

Draft

light, 5' 4" (mean)

attack 6' 9" (mean)

fully loaded 7' 9" (mean)

Speed 12.6 kts (trial)

Complement

5 officers 133 enlisted

Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

two twin 40mm gun mounts

four twin 20mm gun mounts

ten twin continuous loading 5" SS rocket launchers

four 4.2" mortars

Armor 10-lb. STS on conning station, pilot-house, radio room, radar plot, and rocket control, 10-lb. ASPP around 40 and 20mm gun mounts and directors

Fuel Capacity

Diesel 1,225 Bbls

Propulsion

two General Motors 16-278A (non-reversing with airflex clutch) Diesel engines

Direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm Ship's Service Generators
four Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
two Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.

twin propellers 2,800shp

Endurance, 3,000 miles @ 13kts

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS LSM(R)-517
	76k	USS LSM(R)-517, crew photo, September 1945. This is the crew that manned the ship at Houston and brought her to NAB Little Creek.	Stanley Parker USS LSM(R)-517
	75k	USS LSM(R)-517 underway, date and location unknown.	Stanley Parker USS LSM(R)-517
	70k	USS LSM(R)-517 firing rockets while underway in the Chesapeake Bay off Bloodsworth Island, MD., during Exercise "Camid V", date unknown. US Navy photo # USN 445529.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	56k	USS LSM(R)-517, followed by USS LSM(R)-512 and two additional LSMRs laying smoke, date and location unknown.	Stanley Parker USS LSM(R)-517
	70k	USS LSM(R)-517 underway, off San Diego, CA., 21 August 1954. Photo by Oather Morper.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	86k	USS LSM(R)-517 underway in 1954, location unknown. US Navy photo.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	61k	USS LSM(R)-517 underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo # NH 84999 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy D.M. McPherson, 1976.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	72k	USS LSM(R)-517 underway, date and location unknown.	Stanley Parker USS LSM(R)-517
Commercial Service
	100k	Ex-Pee Dee River LSM(R)-517 in commercial service as Western Sea Inc.'s barge *Western Sea*, date and location unknown.	USS LSM / LSMR Association