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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Rushmore (LSD-14)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Papa - Alpha
 NZPA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (2-Cuba)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Philippine Liberation Medal (2)
Casa Grande Class Dock Landing Ship:
  • Authorized under the Lend-Lease Act as British Mechanized Artillery Transport BAPM-6
  • Reclassified Landing Ship Dock LSD-14, 1 July 1942
  • Contract awarded for LSD-14 to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA., 10 September 1942
  • Laid down, 31 December 1943 as HMS Sword at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA.
  • Lend-Lease canceled or modified never commissioned in Royal Navy as HMS Swashway (F-145)
  • Launched, 10 May 1944 as Rushmore
  • Commissioned USS Rushmore (LSD-14), 3 July 1944, LCDR. E. A. Jansen, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Rushmore was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Luzon operation
    Leyte landings, Dulag, Yellow Beach, 20 October 1944     		Borneo operation
    Tarakan Island operation, 1 May 1945
    Consolidation and capture of Southern Philippines
    Palawan Islands landings, 28 February 1945
    Mindanao Island landings, Zamboanga, 10 March 1945     		.

  • Decommissioned, 16 August 1946
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Pascagoula, MS.
  • Recommissioned, 21 September 1950, at Charleston, S.C.
  • Decommissioned, 30 September 1970
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 November 1976
  • Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Final Disposition, disposed of as a target 28 April 1993
  • USS Rushmore earned three battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications: (as reported by Office of Naval Intelligence, 7 April 1944)
    Displacement 4,032 (light draft), 7,930 (seagoing - loaded)
    Length 457' 9" o.a.
    Beam 72"
    Draft 8' 2 ½" fwd, 10' ½" aft (light draft); 15' 5 ½" fwd, 16' 2" aft (seagoing loaded)
    Speed 17 knots maximum (design speed)
    Endurance 8,000 miles @ 15 knots
    Crew Complement 17 officers, 237 men; Landing Craft: 6 officers, 30 men
    Troop Complement 22 officers, 218 men
    Landing Craft 6 officers, 30 men
    Speed 17 knots maximum (design speed)
    Endurance 8,000 miles @ 15 knots
    Crew Complement 17 officers, 237 men; Landing Craft: 6 officers, 30 men
    Troop Complement 22 officers, 218 men
    Well Deck Capacity (without prefabricated "Super-Decks" installed)
  • 3 LCT (Mk V or VI) each w/ 5 medium tanks or
  • 2 LCT (Mk III or IV) each w/ 12 medium tanks or
  • 14 LCM (Mk III) each w/ 1 medium tank or 1, 500 long tons cargo or
  • 47 DUKW or
  • 41 LVT or
  • Any combination of landing vehicles and landing craft up to capacity
    Well Deck Capacity (with prefabricated "Super-Decks" installed)
  • 108 DUKWs or
  • 92 LVTs or
  • Any combination of tracked/wheeled vehicles up to capacity
    (Note: LSDs were incapable of repairing landing craft in this configuration)
    Aircraft LSDs 1 - 27 (still in commission in late 40's or early 50's) were fitted/retro-fitted with a prefabricated steel grated "Portable Deck" suspended between the wing walls and supported by removable I-beam girders. The aft end of the portable deck contained a wooden helicopter platform, enabling the ship to land and launch 1 helicopter at a time. Stowage of helicopters was limited to capacity of the portable deck installed for the mission. Aircraft servicing was limited to re-fueling. With portable deck and aircraft platform installed, the Landing ship, dock was still capable of transporting, launching and repairing smaller amphibious craft and vehicles up to the size of a Landing craft, utility (LCU) in their well decks
    Armament
  • 1 - 5"/.38 caliber Dual Purpose single barrel mount in open tub (w/director)
  • 2 - 40MM quad barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (w/directors)
  • 2 - 40MM twin barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (w/directors)
  • 16- 20MM single barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (local control)
    Propulsion
  • 2 - Babcock and Wilcox Boilers, D Type, 2 Drum, Single Furnace, Single Uptake,
    Oil Fired
  • 2 - Skinner Engines - steam turbine (geared)
  • Twin screws
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Rushmore 54k USS Rushmore (LSD) underway, date and location unknown. Bob Allport USS Carter Hall.
    Rushmore 23k USS Rushmore (LSD) underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in World War II
    Rushmore 34k USS Rushmore (LSD) underway, date and location unknown. .
    Rushmore 36k USS Rushmore (LSD) at anchor, circa 1952, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Glacier 245k USS Rushmore (LSD-14) underway in convoy off the Greenland coast with other Arctic DEW Line supply and support ships, circa June-July 1959. Marc Schenck, Photo by his father LTjg. Bernard Schenck USS Glacier
    Rushmore 45k Royal Order of The Bluenose issued to Lt. Peter L. Stamer USN USS Rushmore upon crossing the Arctic Circle, 26 June 1965. Linda Whealton, daughter of LT. Stamer
    View the USS Rushmore (LSD-14)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    View the USS Rushmore 1963 Mediterranean Cruise book from the LT. Peter L Stamer USN collection, donated by his daughter Linda Whealton, submitted by Robert Hall
    View the USS Rushmore 1965 Arctic and Mediterranean Cruise book from the LT. Peter L Stamer USN collection, donated by his daughter Linda Whealton, submitted by Robert Hall
    View the USS Rushmore Change of Command program, 23 December 1965 from the LT. Peter L Stamer USN collection, donated by his daughter Linda Whealton, submitted by Robert Hall
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    2009 Reunion Information
    Place: Allentown, PA.
    Date: 23 to 27 September 2009
    Contact: John Bonner
    E-mail: USS Rushmore (LSD-14) 2009 Reunion
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The LSDs of the US Navy
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Dock Landing Ship (LSD) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 25 July 2008