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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-137


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Kilo - November
 NVKN
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 18 March 1944, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 18 April 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-137, 30 May 1944, LT. William P. Baxter USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-137 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Three, CDR. W. F. Morrison USN (35);
     LSM Group Nine, LCDR. J. A. Moss USN (29);
     LSM Division Seventeen and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 17 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS LSM-137 was assigned to Occupation Service in the Far East from 11 September to 8 December 1945
  • Grounded during typhoon "Louise," 9 October 1945, at Buckner Bay Okinawa
  • Decommissioned, 8 December 1945, at Buckner Bay
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 21 January 1946
  • USS LSM-137 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, hulk sold, November 1947, to Oklahoma-Philippines Co., P.I., 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-137 67k LSM-137 immediately after launching, 18 April 1944, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C. Note the stacks of the two tugs on her port side.
    US Navy Yard Charleston photo.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-137 74k USS LSM-137 moored pierside, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-137 316k USS LSM-137 at Cebu, P.I., to transport the Americal division to Yokohama, Japan 30 August 1945. In the background are; USS LSM-256, USS LSM-107, USS LSM-177, USS LSM-212, USS LSM-83, USS LSM-82, USS LSM-134, USS LSM-4, and USS LSM-17, Photo was taken from USS LSM-186 Photo by Ken Roberts Engineering Officer USS LSM-186
    LSM-137 57k USS LSM-137 conning tower Joe Flynn for his father LT. Joe Flynn USN USS LSM-137
    LSM-137 92k USS LSM-137 hard aground at Buckner Bay, Okinawa after the typhoon of 9 October 1945
    Photo by PHM1/c Paul Uslan, USN    		 Joe Flynn for his father LT. Joe Flynn USN USS LSM-137
    LSM-137 1009k In the Foreground USS LSM-137 is hard aground at Buckner Bay, Okinawa after Typhoon Louise passed over the bay on 9 October 1945. Other ships that are identifiable in this photo include; USS LCI(R)-763, USS LCI(G)-727 and LCT-1231. Donn Cuson
    The history extract for USS LSM-137 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Baxter, William P., USNR30 May 1944 - 8 December 1945
    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
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 29 June 2018