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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-494

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 10 March 1945, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 31 March 1945
  • Commissioned USS LSM-494, 8 May 1945, LT. Blanchard G. Sanders, USNR in command
  • Decommissioned, 2 November 1946, at Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Sold in 1958, to New London Freight Lines, New Orleans, LA.
  • Resold, date unknown, renamed MV Plum Island and placed in service between New London, CT. and Long Island, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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 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)
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    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
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    USS LSM-494
    LSM-494/495 53k USS LSM-494 and USS LSM-495 moored in the LSM nest at the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs, 26 June 1954. Note, that there are at least an additional 46 LSMs in the Reserve Fleet nest. Photo by Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN (Ret) USS LSM-9 and USS LSM-538
    Commercial Service
    LSM-494 69k ex-USS LSM-494 in commercial service as the ferry MV Plum Island coming into New London, circa 1980. The ferry ran between New London and Long Island. Ken Roberts to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-494 139k MV Plum Island docking at New London, circa mid-1970s. Charles "Bud" Dehnert
    LSM-494 60k MV Plum Island docking at New London, circa mid-1970s. Charles "Bud" Dehnert
    LSM-494 144k MV Plum Island docking at New London, circa mid-1970s. Charles "Bud" Dehnert
    LSM-494 158k MV Plum Island docking at New London, circa mid-1970s. Charles "Bud" Dehnert
    The DANFS history extract for LSM-494 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
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Ship Medium (LSM) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 3 December 2008