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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LSM-478


USS LSM-478 was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed Mei Kun (LSM-2352)
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 Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston TX.
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Commissioned USS LSM-478, 7 April 1945 , LT. N. R. Briscoe, USNR in command
  • Decommissioned, 28 May 1946, at Astoria, OR.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria
  • Reactivated and transferred, 1 April 1954, to France
  • Returned to US Naval custody and transferred in November 1956, to the Republic of China, renamed Mei Kun (LSM-252)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, disposed of by the Republic of China Navy in 1973, 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 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
    USS LSM-478
    LSM-478 66k LSM-478 en route to Saipan, at the entrance of Apra Harbor, Guam Richard W. Friedrich, F/1c, LSM-467, Collection, slide number 001
    LSM-474 170k LSM-474 unloading 5th Marine Division Tanks at Sasebo, Kyushu, Japan in September 1945. LSM-478 is in the background. Bill Heist, LSM-474, slide-003
    ROCS Mei Kun (LSM-252)
    LSM-478 44k Ex-LSM-478 in the Republic of China service as ROCS Mei Kun (LSM-252) underway, circa 1962, location unknown.
    Official Republic of China Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    The DANFS history extract for LSM-478 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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 2 February 2007