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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-221


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Charlie - Hotel
 NVCH
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, 9 June 1944, at Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, DE.
  • Launched, 29 July 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-221, 26 August 1944, LTjg. William James Carter USNR in command
  • During WWII USS LSM-221 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Six, CDR. A. R. Quinn USN;
     LSM Group Sixteen, LCDR. J.T Brugger Jr., USNR;
     LSM Division Thirty-Two and participated the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 2 April to 17 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS LSM-221 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 17 September 1945 to 16 February 1946
  • Decommissioned, 18 March 1947, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LSM-221 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Sold, 29 December 1947 for commercial service
  • Placed in service by Commercial Barge Lines, Evansville, IN., renamed M/V Commercial Courier
  • Sold for scrapping in 1961 to Charles Weaver & Co., Detroit, MI.
    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
    USS LSM -221
    LSM-221 43k Launching of LSM-221 at Dravo Shipbuilding Co, Wilmington DE., 29 July 1944 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-61 49k USS LSM-221, USS LSM-61 and USS LSM-165 beached at Botangas Bay, P.I., circa August-September 1945. William Lewis to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-221 50k USS LSM-221 nested with another LSM, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Commercial Service
    LSM-221 71k Ex-USS LSM-221 moored pierside, date and location unknown. Tom Lange USS LSM-74 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-221 94k Looking toward the stern of Ex-USS LSM-221, in commercial service as M/V Commercial Courier, moored pierside, Jacksonville, FL., date unknown.
    Photo by J.C. Kellow Photographer    		 Tom Lange USS LSM-74 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-221 97k Looking toward the bow of M/V Commercial Courier, moored pierside, Jacksonville, FL. date unknown.
    Photo by J.C. Kellow Photographer    		 Tom Lange USS LSM-74 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history extract for USS LSM-221 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Carter, William James, USNR26 August 1944 - May 1945
    02LT. Cholis, NIcholas P., USNRMay 1945 - November 1945
    03LTjg. Smith, R. W., USNRNovember 1945 - May 1946
    04ENS. Vicory, Freeman M., USNRMay 1946 - September 1946
    05ENS. Gaffore, G.A., USNRSeptember 1946 - December 1946
    06LTjg. Andersen, Douglas Joseph, USNDecember 1946 - 18 March 1947
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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 8 April 2022