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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-9


International Radio Call Sign: November - Victor - Alpha - Quebec
 (WWII International Radio Call Sign: NEGAT(ive) - VICTOR - AFFIRM(ative) - QUEEN)
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Okinawa) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 11 March 1944, at Brown Shipbuilding Co, Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 24 April 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-9, 27 May 1944, LT. Robert E. Olson, USNR in command
  • During WWII USS LSM-9 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Three, CDR. W. F. Morrison USN (35);
     LSM Group Seven, LCDR. C. A. Lamborn USNR;
     LSM Division Thirteen and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 26 April 1945
  • Decommissioned, 20 December 1945, at Terminal Island, San Pedro, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 January 1946
  • USS LSM-9 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 31 January 1947
  • Sold, 31 January 1947 to Ernest A. Judd, Long Beach, CA.
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
    Length 203' 6" ovl.
    Beam 34' 6"
    Draft
    light, 3' 6" forward, 7' 8" aft
    landing, 5' 3"
    fully loaded, 6' 4" forward, 8' 3" aft
    Speed 12.5 kts. (max.), (928 tons displacement)
    Endurance 4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement)
    Complement
    5 officers
    54 enlisted
    Armament
    one twin bow mounted 40mm AA gun mount
    six single 20mm gun mounts
    Vehicle/Boat Capacity 5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVT's, or 9 DUKW's
    Troop Accommodations
    2 officers
    46 enlisted
    Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 1,225 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Fairbanks Morse (model 38D81/8X10, reversible with hydraulic clutch) Diesel engines, direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
     two Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
    twin propellers 2,800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LSM-9 98k USS LSM-9's brass nameplate. Currently in the collection of Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., LT. USN Ret. Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9
    LSM-9 95k USS LSM-9's conning tower, with the CO, LT. Robert E. Olson at the conn. Note the ship's "Fighting Cat" insignia painted on the conning tower. Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9
    LSM-9 69k USS LSM-9 enroute to Guam, late October-1944. Four of the five ship's officers on the conn, Left to right, LT. Rob Olson, Ens. Bob Sinclair, Ens. Van Fox, and Ens. Ray Biswanger. Not shown, Ens. Henry Badgett. Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9
    LSM-9 56k USS LSM-9 beached at Manus, Admiralty Islands, with a non-war casualty, a drowned tank destroyer that didn't make it aboard, loading up for Lingayen Gulf, Christmas Day, 1944. Note the stern of LSM-14 is visible in the background.(See further details under "Personal Narrative.") Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9
    LSM-9 119k USS LSM-9 early-April 1945, beached high and dry on the coral reef off Okinawa. For four days DUKW's and Army trucks hauled off our full load of ammunitions. Submersible pumps supplied needed water for our generators, and for flushing and fire fighting, through fire hoses. Photo by Seymour M. Fimoff, QM2/c, USS LSM-9, submitted by Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9
    LSM-242 103k USS LSM-9, USS LSM-242 and an unidentified LSM, beached at Okinawa while unloading across the beach.
    Photos by Ronald J. Hughes EM3/c USS LSM-242.    		 Dale Hughes
    LSM-9 60k USS LSM-9 beached at Tinian, mid-June 1945. Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9
    LSM-9 86k USS LSM-9 beached at Tinian, mid-June 1945. D.J. Martin SM3/c USS LSM-9 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-9 98k USS LSM-9 early-July 1945. Solomon Islanders greet the ship at Tulagi. Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9
    LSM-9 104k USS LSM-9 departing Hawaii for California, 21 September 1945. Note the 60-foot-long "Homeward Bound" pennant flying from her mast and the canvas tent erected over the well deck for the shelter of the 120 sailor passengers heading home to the States with the crew of LSM-9 Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9
    LSM-9 39k USS LSM-9 under way, date and location unknown. Photo courtesy Albert T. Harris USS LST-71 collection
    The history extract for LSM-9 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Olson, Robert E., USNR27 May 1944 - October 1945
    01LTjg. Montoye, Henry J., USNROctober 1945 - 20 December 1945
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    USS LSM-LSMR Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    "Personal Narrative" of the history of USS LSM-9 by Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr. Ph.D., LT. USN Ret.
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 13 April 2018