Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LSM-344

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down (date unknown) at Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IL.
  • Launched (date unknown)
  • Commissioned USS LSM-344, 24 February 1945, LT. John L. Gurney, USNR in command
  • During World War II LSM-344 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II LSM-344 performed occupation duty in the Far East
  • Decommissioned, 9 May 1947, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • Final Disposition, sold, 10 November 1947, to Sohio Pipe Line Co., Cleveland, OH., fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
    Length 203' 6" oa
    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 Capacity 2 officers, 46 enlisted
    Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station
    Propulsion two General Motors (non-reversible with airflex 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-344 68k LSM-344 underway, date and place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-344 71k LSM-344 underway, date and place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-344 77k LSM-344 underway, date and place unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-344/476/80 49k LSM-344 enroute to Sasebo, Kyushu, Japan. Note: LST-726, LST-800, LST-811, LST-830, LST-888, LST-918, LST-950, and LST-1048 convoyed from Saipan to Sasebo with LSM-76, LSM-80, LSM-111, LSM-112, LSM-283, LSM-343, LSM-344, LSM-386 LSM-387, LSM-440, LSM-467,and LSM-474, 14-21 September 1945. These LSM's, along with LSM-321 and LSM-322, grouped at Hilo, Hawaii on 27 August. LSM-321 and LSM-322 left the group, and LSM-478 and LSM-499 joined the group at Saipan. Escorts were Joyce (DE-317), PC-1231, PC-1260, and LCI(FF)-628. Hugh L. Hudson, Jr., RM/2c, LSM-467, LSM-49, Collection, photo number 055
    LCI(L)-606/LSM-344 107k LSM-344 and possibly LSM-476 left background, leaving Sasebo Japan. LCI-606 at anchor in center of photo. An unidentified Destroyer and Tender can be seen in the right background, 24 September 1945 Richard W. Friedrich, F/1c, LSM-467, Collection, slide #23
    LSM-344/476/80 54k Left to right, LSM-344, LSM-476, and LSM-80 in Sasebo Harbor, Kyushu, Japan, 22-24 September 1945. Hugh L. Hudson, Jr., RM/2c, LSM-467, LSM-49, Collection, photo number 080
    LSM-344/LST-1074/1082 51k Left to right, LSM-344, LST-1074, and LST-1082 in Sasebo Harbor, Kyushu, Japan. Japanese Seaplane Base is at left center of photo. Richard W. Fiedrich F/1c, LSM-467, Collection, slide #19
    LSM-344 145k LSM-344 off-loading Marines and equipment at Sasebo, Japan, 22 September 1945. Crew members on top deck are Ensign Eppstein, Carl Kerney, Joe Casey, Lindy Bell Bill Gripe MM2/c,
    Photo Courtesy Jim Tusing LSM-372,
    Editor "Alligator Alley" The Newsletter
    of the USS LSM - LSMR Association
    LSM-344 147k LSM-344 high and dry at Okinawa, October 1945, after the typhoon, repair and inspection party at work. Bill Gripe, MoMM2/c,
    Photo Courtesy Jim Tusing LSM-372,
    Editor "Alligator Alley" The Newsletter
    of the USS LSM - LSMR Association
    LSM-344 49k LSM-344 underway entering San Francisco Bay. Note: the "Homeward Bound" pennant, 1945-46.
    US Navy photo # NH 83266 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy D.M. McPherson, 1975.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The DANFS history extract for LSM-344 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
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Ship Medium (LSM) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 11 June 2004