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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LSM-53

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 (4) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal (3)

LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:

Laid down (date unknown) at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.

Launched (date unknown)

Commissioned USS LSM-53, 16 August 1944, LT. Arthur H. Nelson, USNR in command

During World War II LSM-53 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:

Luzon operation;
(a) Lingayen Gulf landing, 9 January 1945
Manila Bay-Bicol operation;
(a) Nasugbu, 31 January 1945
Consolidation of the southern Philippines;
(a) Visayan Island landings, 18 to 19 March 1945, and 26 to 31 March 1945
(b) Palawan Islands landings, 28 February to 1 March 1945
Borneo operation;
(a) Brunei Bay operation, 10 to 14 June 1945

Decommissioned, 15 April 1946

Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)

Final Disposition, sold 14 August 1947, to Indian River Lines Inc., Wilmington, DE., converted to a barge, fate unknown

LSM-53 earned four battle stars for World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
Length 203' 6" oa
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)

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
60k	*LSM-53* beached at Leyte, P.I., date unknown.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
56k	*LSM-53* on the beach unloading at Brunei Bay, Borneo, 10 June 1945. Photo from the Geoge F. Crouse Collection, photo No, a28a.	Submitted by Gary F. Crouse, in honor of his deceased father George F. Crouse who served as a MoMM/1 USS LSM-52
127k	*LSM-53* together with an unidentified LSM in the locks in the Panama Canal, date unknown.	Bob Magnuson to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
118k	*LSM-53* together with an unidentified LSM in the locks in the Panama Canal, date unknown.	Bob Magnuson to the USS LSM / LSMR Association

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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