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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-431

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 - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

USS LSM-431 was transferred to the Republic of China and redesignated ROCS Mei Tseng

LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:

Laid down, 14 December 1944, at Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, DE.

Launched, 2 February 1945

Commissioned USS LSM-431, 25 February 1945, LT. Caleb Ringle Jr. USNR in command

During World War II USS LSM-431 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LSM Flotilla Fourteen, LCDR. W. R. McCaleb;
LSM Group Forty-One;
LSM Division Eighty-Two

Following World War II USS LSM-431 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
11 to 27 September 1945	28 September 1945 to 25 June 1946

Decommissioned, 14 September 1946, and transferred the same day to the Republic of China, named ROCS Mei Tseng

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

Escaped to Taiwan, upon the fall of the Republic of China in October 1949

Redesignated LSM-344, date unknown

Decommissioned by the Taiwanese Navy, 30 June 1972

Final Disposition, scrapped in 1973

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 General Motors (model GM 16-278A, 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-431
	67k	*LSM-431* launch at Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, DE., 2 February 1945.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	58k	USS LSM-431, USS LSM-222, USS LSM-164 and *LCT-849* at Tientsin, China in September 1945 after bringing Marines from Okinawa for the surrender of North China.	Henry S. Kehrli FC3/c & RdM2/c USS LSM-431
	74k	USS LSM-431 and USS LSM-391 moored pierside at Taku, China, March 1946.	Henry S. Kehrli FC3/c & RdM2/c USS LSM-431
ROCS Mei Tseng (LSM-344)
	29k	Ex-USS LSM-431 underway while in the Republic of China naval service as *ROCS Hei Tseng* (LSM-344)**, date and location unknown. Official Republic of China Navy photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships, 1954-55"	Robert Hurst

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Ringle Jr., Caleb, USNR	25 February 1945 - ?

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
USS LSM-LSMR Association

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 22 September 2017