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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Russ Padden

LSM(R)-536 / LFR-536 White River

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Alpha - Alpha
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (3-17FEB57, 3NOV67, 5MAY69) - Navy Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (10) - Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (8)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
LSM(R)-501 Class Landing Ship Medium, (Rocket):
  • Laid down, 9 June 1945, at Brown Ship Building Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 14 July 1945
  • Commissioned USS LSM(R)-536, 28 November 1945, LT. John M. Cates, USNR in command
  • Decommissioned, 31 July 1946, at Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs
  • Recommissioned, 16 September 1950, LT. Henry O. Bergkamp, USNR, in command
  • During the Korean War LSM(R)-536 participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    15 July to 17 August 1952
    12 to 16 October 1952
    27 to 30 November 1952     		Third Korean Winter
    1 December 1952 to 9 February 1953

  • Named USS White River LSM(R)-536), 1 October 1955
  • Decommissioned, 7 September 1956, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 2 October 1965, at Long Beach Naval Shipyard, LT. William C. Carlson in command
  • During the Vietnam War White River (LSMR-536 / LFR-536) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    25 May to 5 June 1966
    14 to 30 June 1966     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V
    1 to 18 July 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II
    1 July 1966
    13 to 28 July 1966
    1 to 20 October 1966
    13 November to 2 December 1966
    8 February 1967
    2 March 1967
    13 March 1967     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VI
    28 November to 31 December 1968
    1 to 9 January 1969
    25 January to 21 February 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III
    11 June to 21 July 1967
    3 to 24 August 1967
    31 October to 27 December 1967
    15 to 29 January 1968     		Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    28 April to 1 June 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 4 February 1968
    21 March to 1 April 1968     		Vietnamese Summer-Fall 1969
    12 to 20 June 1969
    20 to 31 October 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV
    2 to 30 April 1968
    11 to 30 June 1968     		Vietnamese Winter-Spring 1970
    1 to 14 November 1969
    27 January to 16 March 1970

  • Redesignated Inshore Fire Support Ship (LFR-536), 1 January 1969
  • Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 22 May 1970, at Yokosuka, Japan
  • Final Disposition, sold in November 1970 to Nissho-Iwai American Corp, New York City, N.Y. for scrapping
  • LSM(R)-536 earned two battle stars for Korean War service and ten campaign stars for the Vietnam War
    Specifications:
    Displacement 758 t.(light), 1,175 t. (fully loaded)
    Length 206' 3"
    Beam 34' 6"
    Draft light, 5' 4" (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
    White River 55k LSM(R)-536 firing her rockets, 29 June 1946, place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    White River 42k LSM(R)-536 underway, date and place unknown. .
    White River 61k LSM(R)-536 underway in 1949, place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    White River 68k LSM(R)-536 moored to a buoy, date and place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    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
    White River 75k LSM(R)-536 underway, date and place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    White River 34k LSM(R)-536 underway, date and place unknown. Gunter Krebs
    White River 51k LSM(R)-536 firing rockets at a Viet Cong infiltrated village in South Vietnam, June 1966.
    US Navy photo # USN 1117202    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    White River 69k LSM(R)-536 firing rockets at a Viet Cong infiltrated village in South Vietnam, June 1966.
    US Navy photo # USN 1137966    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Clarion River 45k White River (LSM(R)-536), Clarion River (LSM(R)-409), St. Francis River (LSM(R)-525) and Carronade (IFS-1) off Danang, South Vietnam in 1967 Mobile Riverine Force Association
    View the White River (LSM(R)/LFR-536)
    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
    USS White River LSMR 536
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 29 April 2007