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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-215

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Bravo - Victor
NVBV ÿ> 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, 4 May 1944 at Dravo Shipbuilding Co, Wilmington, DE.

Launched, 23 June 1944

Commissioned USS LSM-215, 23 July 1944, LT. George Arthur Vovos USNR in command

During WWII USS LSM-215 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LSM Flotilla Five, CDR. W. H. Carpenter USN (26);
LSM Group Fourteen, LCDR. A. E. Lind USNR;
LSM Division Twenty-Eight and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 26 April 1945

Following World War II USS LSM-215 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
24 to 27 September 1945
28 September to 4November 1945	28 September to 4 November 1945

Decommissioned, 17 April 1946, at San Diego, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

USS LSM-215 earned one battle star for World War II service

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in November 1946, to National Metal and Steel Corp, Terminal Island CA. ÿr> 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

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
19k	*LSM-215* ready for launching at Dravo Shipbuilding Co, Wilmington DE., 23 June 1944.	Paul Burket LSM-341
51k	Launching of *LSM-215* at Dravo Shipbuilding Co, Wilmington DE., 23 June 1944.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
60k	USS LSM-215 at Purple Beach, Okinawa, near Naha, early April 1945.	Photo by the late Seymour M. Fimoff, QM2/c USS LSM-9, submitted by Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9
107k	USS LSM-215 beached at Okinawa, April 1945.	Ralph Hanson to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
49k	USS LSM-215 nested at San Diego, CA. in 1946 with another LSM.	Bill Craighead USS LSM-215 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Vovos, George Arthur, USNR	23 July 1944 - September 1944
02	LT. Mansfield, Wilber A., USNR	September 1944 - January 1945
03	LT. Percival, Edward J., USNR	January 1945 - November 1945


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 8 April 2022