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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

LSM(R) / LFR-525 St Francis River

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Lima - Romeo - Bravo
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (5-6 January 1967, 30 October 1968) - Navy Unit Commendation (3) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (3) - Vietnam Service Medal (10) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (14)
Fourth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Individual Awards

Silver Star - Commanding Officer LSM(R)-525, 17 July 1951 Wonsan Harbor, North Korea
LSM(R)-501 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket):
  • Laid down, 19 May 1945, at Brown Ship Building Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 16 June 1945
  • Commissioned USS LSM(R)-525, 14 August 1945, LT Raymond J. Sponsler, USNR in command
  • Decommissioned, 28 March 1946, at Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs
  • Recommissioned, 16 September 1950
  • During the Korean War LSM(R)-525 participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    17 to 22 July 1951
    24 August to 21 September 1951     		Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    5 May to 6 June 1953
    Third Korean Winter
    23 March to 18 April 1953     		.

  • Named USS St Francis River (LSM(R)-525), 1 October 1955
  • Decommissioned, 21 November 1955
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group
  • Recommissioned, 18 September 1965, at San Francisco Naval Shipyard, Hunters Point
  • During the Vietnam War St Francis River participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    17 April to 3 May 1966
    9 to 27 May 1966     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    7 August to 1 September 1968
    2 to 7 September 1968
    20 September to 7 October 1968
    25 October to 18 November 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    3 August to 1 September 1966
    12 September to 5 October 1966
    8 to 16 December 1966
    31 December to 10 February 1967
    15 April to 17 May 1967
    26 to 31 May 1967     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    2 to 18 November 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 to 14 June 1967
    25 August to 23 September 1967
    3 October to 14 November 1967     		Tet/69 Counteroffensive
    23 February to 12 March 1969
    29 May to 8 June 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    1 April 1968     		Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 to 20 June 1969
    23 June to 15 August 1969
    28 to 31 October 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    2 April to 21-May 1968
    27 May to 17 June 1968     		Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    1 November 1969 to 2 January 1970

  • Reclassified Inshore Fire Support Ship (LFR-525), 1 January 1969
  • Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1970 at Yokosuka, Japan
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in November 1970, to Nissho-Iwai American Corp, Sasebo, Japan
  • St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 / LFR-525 earned three battle stars for Korean War service and ten campaign stars for the Vietnam War.
    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
    LSMR-524 80k LSM(R)-525 (right) and LSM(R)-524 (left) preparing to get underway, probably from Southern Pacific Docks, Houston, TX. for NAB Little Creek, VA., circa August 1945. Photo by John A McDonald USS LSMR-524. Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    St Francis River 89k LSM(R)-525 underway enroute to NAB Little Creek, circa August 1945. Photo taken from LSM(R)-524 by John A. McDonald. Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    St Francis River 48k LSM(R)-525 underway off Cape Hatteras, N.C. while enroute to NAB Little Creek, circa August 1945. Photo taken from LSM(R)-524 by John A. McDonald. Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    St Francis River 53k LSM(R)-525 underway, date and location unknown. Photo from LSM(R)-524 by John A. McDonald. Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    St Francis River 64k LSM(R)-525 underway, date and location unknown. Photo from LSM(R)-524 by John A. McDonald. Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    St Francis River 73k View of LSM(R)-525 bridge area while coming alongside LSM(R)-524, date and location unknown. Photo from LSM(R)-524 by John A. McDonald. Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    St Francis River 92k View of LSM(R)-525 bridge area while coming alongside LSM(R)-524, date and location unknown. Photo from LSM(R)-524 by John A. McDonald. Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    St Francis River 86k View of LSM(R)-525 bridge area while coming alongside LSM(R)-524, date and location unknown. Photo from LSM(R)-524 by John A. McDonald. Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    LSMR-523 95k LSM(R)-523,
    LSM(R)-524,
    LSM(R)-525,
    LSM(R)-527,
    LSM(R)-526 and
    LSM(R)-519
    at anchor in a nest of six LSMRs at Green Cove Springs, FL, January 1946. The deck log entry of LSM(R)-524 for January 1946 indicates the following:
    "Moored at Berth Oak 31, St. John's River, Green Cove Springs, Fla. in 14 feet of water, mud bottom, with 35 fathoms of chain to bow anchor, 300 feet of cable to the stern anchor and moored port side to the USS LSM(R) 523 moored to the starboard side, the starboard side to the USS LSM (R) 525 moored to the port, port side to, USS LSM (R) 527 moored to the USS LSM (R) 525, USS LSM (R) 526 moored to LSM (R) 527, USS LSM (R) 519 moored to starboard side of USS LSM (R) 526 on the following Bridge bearing 166 (T), North End of bridge 068 (T), tower 219 (T) with the following machinery in operation #1 ship service generator, #1 boiler, #2 refrigerator, #2 fresh water pump, #2 fire and flushing pump, #2 air compressor"
    		Photo submitted by Donald Tourville USS LSMR-528
    Log Entry submitted by Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    Pit River 58k Seventeen LSM(R)s at Green Cove Springs, FL. during Operation "Zipper", the process of decommissioning the fleet, commonly called "mothballing", March 1946.
    From front to back:
    LSM(R)-519
    LSM(R)-526,
    LSM(R)-527,
    LSM(R)-525,
    LSM(R)-524, (See Deck Log entry below)
    LSM(R)-529,
    LSM(R)-521,
    LSM(R)-528,
    LSM(R)-522,
    LSM(R)-531,
    LSM(R)-536,
    LSM(R)-535,
    LSM(R)-534,
    LSM(R)-520,
    LSM(R)-533,
    LSM(R)-530,
    LSM(R)-523,
    The LSMR-524 Deck Log states during the month of March 1946
    Moored in Birth Oak 31, St. Johns River Green Cove Springs. Fla. Anchorage in 14 feet of water, mud bottom with 65 fathoms of chain to bow anchor and 495 feet of cable to the stern anchor. Nested with LSM (R) type ships: 523, 530, 533, 520, 534, 535, 536, 531, 522, 528, 521, and 529, moored to our starboard numbering from inboard to outboard. LSM(R) type ships: 525, 527, 526, and 519, moored to our port numbering from inboard to outboard , on the following bearing: bridge opening 180 .5 (T), signal tower 235 (T), pt. of land 336 (T). The following machinery in operation: #1 generator, #1 evaporator, #2 fire & flushing pumps, #2 fresh water pumps, #2 refrigeration unit.
    		Robert Hanle to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Log Entry submitted by Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    St Francis River 66k LSM(R)-525 crew members resting on deck after their hot work down in the magazines during the "Battle of the Buzz Saw" Wonsan Harbor, North Korea, 17 July 1951. Empty 5"/38 shall casings are all that remain of the over 150 rounds fired during the battle. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    St Francis River 120k LSM(R)-525 underway, date and place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    St Francis River 134k LSM(R)-525 underway, date and place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    St Francis River 102k St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 and Clarion River LSM(R)-409 recommissioning ceremony, 18 September 1965, at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, Hunters Point. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    St Francis River 119k St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 passing through the Golden Gate at San Francisco enroute out to sea to conduct trials after recommissioning, September 1965. David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN USS St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 1966-67.
    St Francis River 136k St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 underway at San Francisco while conducting trials after recommissioning, September 1965. David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN USS St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 1966-67.
    St Francis River 93k St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 underway at San Francisco while conducting trials after recommissioning, September 1965. David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN USS St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 1966-67.
    St Francis River 66k St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 heading out to sea passing under the Golden Gate Bridge at San Francisco, CA., 16 October 1965. Note the San Francisco Marina District in the background David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN USS St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 1966-67
    St Francis River 77k St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 heading out to sea passing under the Golden Gate Bridge at San Francisco, CA., 16 October 1965. Note the Marin County headlands in the background. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    St Francis River 110k St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 underway in San Diego Bay, circa late 1965 - early 1966. David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN USS St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 1966-67
    Clarion River 134k Clarion River (LSMR-409), Carronade (IFS-1), White River (LSMR-536 ) and St. Francis River (LSMR-525) off Danang, South Vietnam in November 1967.
    US Navy photo.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    St Francis River 153k St. Francis River LSM(R)-525 firing her rockets in August 1969 off the coast of South Vietnam. Photo taken from the ships bridge. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    View the St Francis River LSM(R)/LFR-525
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    U.S.S. St. Francis River LSMR 525
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
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    Last Updated 13 April 2007