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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LSM-318

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Ormoc Bay, 7 Dec. 1944) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Individual Awards

Purple Hearts (7 December 1944, Ormoc Bay, (4-KIA, Chester R. Smith SM3/c, Joe R. Baeta MoMM2/c, Robert R Harms, F1/c, Lloyd C, Russell SC1/c)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down (date unknown) at Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IL.
  • Launched (date unknown)
  • Commissioned USS LSM-318, 3 August 1944, LT. Perry W. Rairden, Jr., USN in command
  • During World War II LSM-318 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:
  • While departing from Ormoc, 7 December 1944, LSM-318 was hit by a Japanese Kamikaze suicide plane, set afire and sunk
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • LSM-318 earned one battle star for World War II service
    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 single 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
    Troop Accommodations 2 officers, 46 enlisted
    Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station
    Propulsion two Fairbanks Morse (model 38D81/8X10, reversible with hydraulic clutch) diesels. Direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm, twin screws
    Endurance 4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement)
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LSM-318 59k LSM-318 on fire and sinking at Ormoc Bay, Philippine Islands, 7 December 1944, after being struck by a Japanese Kamikaze Plane. James Cimpl to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The DANFS history extract for LSM-318 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
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 4 June 2004