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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LSM-51

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippine Liberation Medal (4)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 22 June 1944, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 24 July 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-51, 11 August 1944, LT. James O. Potts, USN in command
  • During World War II LSM-51 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:
  • Decommissioned, 8 May 1946, at Terminal Island, San Pedro, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • Final Disposition, sold, 11 February 1948, to Charles Weaver & Co., Detroit, MI., for conversion to a barge, run aground, 29 March 1953 off Bodega Head, CA. and broke up
  • LSM-51 earned five battle stars 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
    LSM-18 50k LSM-51 at right and LSM-18 foreground, Ormoc Bay, Philippine Islands, 7-11 December 1944. Bill Brinkley and the USS LSM-LSMR Association
    LSM-51 20k LSM-51 at Luzon, LTjg. Wilson Dickson standing on the ramp at, Lemery, Luzon Island, Philippines. LSM-51 Web Site
    LSM-51 44k LSM-51 alongside Fort Drum in Manila Bay, 13 April 1945 during the assault on the fort. Note the two LCTs standing off waiting to transfer troops to the Fort. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-51 82k LSM-51 alongside Fort Drum in Manila Bay, 13 April 1945 during the assault on the fort. Using a specially built ramp from the bridge of LSM-51 to the top of the wall, Infantrymen land at Fort Drum to cover Engineers during operations to eliminate Japanese on the island fortress of El Farile. Approximately 3,200 gallons of an oil and gasoline mixture was dumped into the fort and ignited with the explosion of a 600 lb. charge of TNT.
    US Army Signal Corps. photo # SC 205915.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-51 120k LSM-51 alongside Fort Drum in Manila Bay, 13 April 1945 during the assault on the fort. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-51 16k See LSM-51 site for story behind the "For Sale" sign on LSM-51s starboard side LSM-51 Web Site
    The DANFS history extract for LSM-51 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-51
    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.