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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LSM(R)-517 Pee Dee River

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign 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
  • 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
  • Final Disposition, 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, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 758 t.(light), 993 t. (attack) 1,175 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 13 kts.
    Complement 6 officers, 137 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
    Propulsion two General Motors (non-reversing with airflex clutch) diesels. Direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm, twin screws, Endurance, 3,000 miles @ 13kts
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Pee Dee River 76k 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
    Pee Dee River 75k LSM(R)-517 underway, date and place unknown. Stanley Parker USS LSM(R)-517
    Pee Dee River 70k 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
    Pee Dee River 56k LSM(R)-517, followed by LSM(R)-512 and two additional LSMRs laying smoke, date and place unknown. Stanley Parker USS LSM(R)-517
    Pee Dee River 70k LSM(R)-517 underway, off San Diego, CA., 21 August 1954.
    Photo by Oather Morper.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Pee Dee River 86k LSM(R)-517 underway in 1954, place unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Pee Dee River 61k LSM(R)-517 underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 84999 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy D.M. McPherson, 1976.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Pee Dee River 72k LSM(R)-517 underway, date and place unknown. Stanley Parker USS LSM(R)-517
    Pee Dee River 100k ex-Pee Dee River LSM(R)-517 in commercial service as Western Sea Inc.'s barge Western Sea, date and place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    View the Pee Dee River LSM(R)-517
    History entry located at NavSoruce
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 16 April 2004