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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LSM-49

Voice Call Sign "Booty Niner"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Iwo Jima)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX., (date unknown)
  • Launched, (date unknown)
  • Commissioned USS LSM-49, 14 August 1944, LT. Richard Greenwood, USN in command
  • During World War II LSM-49 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:
  • Decommissioned, 13 May 1946, at Terminal Island, San Pedro, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown)
  • Sold, 20 February 1948, to Nick Bez, Seattle, WA, Resold, 1957 to Canaveral International, Miami, FL, for use as a supply ship for the Eastern Test Range, renamed Western Venturer
  • Final Disposition, run aground in Bahamas, 13 November 1970 and broken up
  • LSM-49 earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
    Length 203' 6" o.a.
    Beam 34' 6"
    Draft light, 3' 6" forward, 7' 8" aft, fully loaded, 6' 4" forward, 8' 3" aft
    Speed 13.2 kts. (max.), (928 tons displacement)
    Complement 5 officers, 54 enlisted
    Armament one single bow mounted 40mm gun, four single 20mm gun mounts
    Vehicle/Boat Capacity 5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVT's, or 9 DUKW's
    Troop Capacity 2 officers, 46 enlisted
    Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station
    Propulsion two Fairbanks Morse (model 38D81/8X10, reversible with hydraulic clutch) diesels. Direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm, twin screws, Endurance, 4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement)
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS LSM-49
    LSM-49 179k LSM-49 pre-commissioning crew, 24 July 1944, after completing training at NAB Little Creek. They traveled by train to Houston to commission the ship at Brown Shipbuilding Co. Hugh L. Hudson Jr.
    LSM-49 62k LSM-49 and LSM-141 at Iwo Jima, circa 19 February 1945. Photo by Raymond R. Nase, MoMM3/c, USS LSM-49, USS LSM-467, photo 001
    Contributed by Hugh Hudson
    LSM-49 46k LSM-49 beached at Iwo Jima. date unknown with other LSMs Joe Helmstettger to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-49 68k LSM-49 seen here departing Iwo Jima for Philippines, circa 16 March 1945. Photo taken from another LSM. Note port side damage. Photo by Raymond R. Nase, MoMM3/c, USS LSM-49, USS LSM-467, photo 002
    Contributed by Hugh L. Hudson Jr.
    LSM-49 159k LSM-49 on the left with another LSM beached at Saipan, date unknown. Photo by Raymond R. Nase, MoMM3/c, USS LSM-49, USS LSM-467, photo 008
    Contributed by Hugh L. Hudson Jr.
    LSM-49 201k LSM-49 moored pierside, date and place unknown. Photo by Raymond R. Nase, MoMM3/c, USS LSM-49, USS LSM-467, photo 007
    Contributed by Hugh L. Hudson Jr.
    LSM-293 70k LSM-293, LSM-141, LSM-49 and LSM-4 beached, date and place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Commercial Service
    LSM-49 62k ex LSM-49 in commercial service as Western Venturer, 10 December 1962. Western Venturer was under charter to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as a Missile Ranger Tender for NASA at Cape Canaveral. FL. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-49 107k ex LSM-49 in commercial service as Western Venturer, moored pierside, date and place unknown. Anonymous
    LSM-49 113k ex LSM-49 in commercial service as Western Venturer, moored pierside, date and place unknown. Anonymous
    LSM-49 101k ex LSM-49 in commercial service as Western Venturer, moored pierside, date and place unknown. Anonymous
    The DANFS history extract for LSM-49 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 20 August 2004