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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-144


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Lima - Bravo
 NVLB
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 (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippine Liberation Medal (1)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 24 April 1944, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 10 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-144, 12 June 1944, LT. Mervyn L. Abrams USNR in command
  • During WWII USS LSM-144 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 January 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 30 June 1945

  • At Okinawa USS LSM-144 came under the command of:
    LSM Flotilla Three, CDR. W. F. Morrison USN (35);
     LSM Group Nine, LCDR. J. A. Moss USN (29);
     LSM Division Seventeen
  • Following World War II USS LSM-144 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 11 to 20 September 1945
  • Decommissioned, 6 March 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 April 1946
  • USS LSM-144 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold in October 1946, to J. D. Achapiro, Baltimore, MD., 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-256 115k Aerial view of Little Creek Amphibious Base, 1 August 1944. Ships that can be identified are USS LSM-256, USS LSM-201, USS LSM-2, USS LSM-127, USS LSM-203, USS LSM-16, USS LSM-126, USS LSM-134 and LSM-144. The two LSTs are unidentified.
    US Navy photo.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-144 122k USS LSM-144 beached, date and location unknown. Ted Turner USS LSM-144 and John Bochles to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-144 88k USS LSM-144 underway, date and location unknown. Ted Turner USS LSM-144 and Ken Roberts USS LSM-186 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-144 77k USS LSM-144 underway, at Lingayen Gulf, date unknown. Note the damaged mainmast the result of an encounter with a boat boom of the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38). USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-186 88k USS LSM-144, USS LSM-180, USS LSM-90 and USS LSM-186 beached at Laoag, Luzon, P.I., 25-28 July 1945. Ken Roberts USS LSM-186 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The DANFS history extract for LSM-144 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 - Navy Log
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Abrams, Mervyn L., USNR12 June 1944 - September 1945
    02LTjg. Bodine, Earl C., USNRSeptember 1945 - December 1945
    03ENS. Zeller, Howard D., USNRDecember 1945 - 6 March 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    USS LSM-LSMR Association
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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