Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-118


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Juliet - Bravo
 NVJB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 21 October 1944, at Brown Ship Building Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 11 November 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-118, 8 December 1944, LT. Nicholas Mellan USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-118 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Twelve, LCDR. A. F. Dineen USN (22)
     LSM Group Thirty-four, LCDR. V.W. Webb USNR;
     LSM Division Sixty-Seven and participated in the follow campaign:

    Asiatic Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 17 April to 18 May 1945

  • Following World War II USS LSM-118 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    4 to 13 September 194528 September to 3 December 1945
    24 to 27 September 1945 
  • Decommissioned, 25 April 1947
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LSM-118 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold in October 1958, to Foss Launch & Tug Co., Seattle, WA., converted to a barge, 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
    fully loaded, 6' 4" forward, 8' 3" aft
    Speed 13.2 kts. (max.), (928 tons displacement)
    Complement
    5 officers
    54 enlisted
    Armament
    one twin 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
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,225 Bbls
    Troop Accommodations
    2 officers
    46 enlisted
    Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station
    Endurance 4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement)
    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.
     one Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
    twin propellers, 2,800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LSM-118 39k USS LSM-118 crew photo at Amphibious Training Base, Little Creek, VA., 1944 Jim Bohls for his father Walter F. Bohls SM2/c USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 36k USS LSM-118 moored bow on at NavSta Pearl Harbor, T.H., circa 22 February to 3 March 1945 or 24 January-February 1946. Jim Bohls for his father Walter F. Bohls SM2/c USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 29k USS LSM-118 port side aft 20mm gun mount, gunnery practice off Okinawa, circa 17 April to 19 May 1945. Jim Bohls for his father Walter F. Bohls SM2/c USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 142k USS LSM-118 port side aft 20mm gun mount, gunnery practice off Okinawa, circa 17 April to 19 May 1945. Left to right: Bob Arndt, Frank Ammendola, Bill Azarowicz. Note USS LSM-335 in the background. Mike Virgintino for his father Ralph Virgintino USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 23k USS LSM-118 loaded with cargo from Guadalcanal, 17 July 1945. Jim Bohls for his father Walter F. Bohls SM2/c USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 109k USS LSM-118 enroute to Guam from Okinawa during Typhoon Ida, 11 to 19 September 1945. Mike Virgintino for his father Ralph Virgintino USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 162k USS LSM-118 Crew members near the bow ramp of USS LSM-118. Left to right: Executive Office Mr. Barthold, Pete Lucas, Raphael Virgintino, Will Warren, Ken Gehris, Jack Walsh. Marines in background. Tientsin, China, October 1945. Mike Virgintino for his father Ralph Virgintino USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 37k USS LSM-118 moored at Tangku, China, circa October-December 1945. Jim Bohls for his father Walter F. Bohls SM2/c USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 33k USS LSM-118 and USS LSM-288 moored at Tientsin, China, circa October-December 1945. Jim Bohls for his father Walter F. Bohls SM2/c USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 37k USS LSM-118 beached at Tsing Tao, China, circa October-December 1945. Jim Bohls for his father Walter F. Bohls SM2/c USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 579k USS LSM-118 Christmas card, 1945. Mike Virgintino for his father Ralph Virgintino USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 1062k
    LSM-118 157k USS LSM-118 at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, 10 January 1946, loading US Coast Guard Cutter CG-83362 for the trip back to the US. Note the bow of the cruiser USS Pittsburgh CA-72) laying on the pier. It was torn off during Typhoon Connie on 5 June 1945. Mike Virgintino for his father Ralph Virgintino USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 33k USS LSM-118 and three other LSMs enroute from Guam to Pearl Harbor, 11 to 24 January 1946. Jim Bohls for his father Walter F. Bohls SM2/c USS LSM-118
    LSM-118 57k USS LSM-118 in San Francisco Bay, February 1946.
    US Navy photo # NH 79854 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy D.M. McPherson, 1974.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-118 57k USS LSM-118 Cruise Log USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history extract for USS LSM-118 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Mellan, Nicholas, USNR8 December 1944 - 15 December 1945
    02ENS. McGrath, Leo E., USNR15 December 1945 - 2 June 1946
    03LCDR. Mosier, Clifford Eugene, USN2 june 1946 - 25 April 1947
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    USS LSM-LSMR Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Ship Medium (LSM) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last updated 1 June 2018