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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-242


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Delta - Xray
 NVDX
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Iwo Jima)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 19 May 1944, at Western Pipe and Steel Company, San Pedro, CA.
  • Launched, 20 August 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-242, 12 October 1944, LTjg. Charles O. Gardner USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-242 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Five, CDR. W. H. Carpenter USN (26);
     LSM Group Fifteen, LCDR. A. H. Hall USNR;
     LSM Division Thirty and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 14 March 1945

  • Decommissioned, 28 December 1945, at Terminal Island Navy Yard, San Pedro, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 21 January 1946
  • USS LSM-242 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 10 March 1948, to Hugo Neu Corp., New York, N.Y.
    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 General Motors 16-278A (non-reversible with airflex 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-242 82k USS LSM-242 beached at Iwo Jima, D-Day, 19 February 1945 while unloading troops and equipment.
    Photos by Ronald J. Hughes EM3/c USS LSM-242.    		 Dale Hughes
    LSM-242 240k
    LSM-242 191k USS LSM-242 beached at Iwo Jima, while unloading, date unknown.
    Photos by Ronald J. Hughes EM3/c USS LSM-242.    		 Dale Hughes
    LSM-242 121k Aerial view of the Iwo Jima beachhead, circa February 1945. USS LSM-242 is the fourth ship from the bottom. Additional ships that can be identified include; USS LST-715, USS LST-790, USS LST-724, USS LST-224, USS LST-784 and USS LST-779. Other LSM's include LSM-140, USS LSM-47 and USS LSM-43. LCTs include LCT-892 and LCT-1029. The one lone LCI that is identifiable is USS LCI(L)-1077.
    USMC photo # 110582    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-242 97k USS LSM-242 and USS LST-809 with USS LCI(G)-346 secured to her port side, beached at Iwo Jima, circa 19 February 1945 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-242 88k USS LSM-242 beached at Iwo Jima, circa February 1945 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-242 37k Looking back from the bow ramp into the well deck of USS LSM-242, date unknown. Note the crew's laundry hanging across the well deck.
    Photos by Ronald J. Hughes EM3/c USS LSM-242.    		 Dale Hughes
    LSM-242 103k USS LSM-9, USS LSM-242 and an unidentified LSM, beached at Okinawa while unloading across the beach.
    Photos by Ronald J. Hughes EM3/c USS LSM-242.    		 Dale Hughes
    LSM-242 87k USS LSM-242 is in the background of this photo of ambulances lined up at Guam awaiting the arrival of USS Solace (AH-5) with casualties from Okinawa.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-K-5629, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history extract for USS LSM-242 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Gardner, Charles O., USNR12 October 1944 - 28 December 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
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    Last Updated 3 June 2022