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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Lost to enemy action, 22 January 1944

USS LCI(L)-20

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 22 January 1944)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal

LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):

Laid down in September 1942 at New York Shipbuilding, Camden, N.J.

Launched in October 1942

Commissioned USS LCI(L)-20, 11 December 1942

During World War II USS LCI(L)-20 was assigned to the Europe-Africa Middle Theater LCI Flotilla 1 and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
Sicilian occupation 9 to 15 July 1943	West coast of Italy operations Anzio-Nettuno advanced landing 22 January 1944
Salerno landings 9 to 21 September 1943

Final Disposition, lost to enemy aircraft action off Anzio beach, 22 January 1944

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

USS LCI(L)-20 earned three battle stars for WWII service

Specifications:
Displacement 236 t.(light), 264 t.(landing), 419 t.(loaded)
Length 158' 5½"
Beam 23' 3"

Draft

Light, 3'1½" mean

Landing, 2' 8" forward, 4' 10" aft

Loaded, 5' 4" forward, 5' 11" aft

Speed

16 kts (max.)

14 kts maximum continuous

Complement

4 officers

24 enlisted

Troop Capacity

6 officers

182 enlisted

Cargo Capacity 75 tons

Armor 2" plastic splinter protection on gun turrets, conning tower and pilot house

Endurance 4,000 miles at 12 kts, loaded, 500 miles at 15 knots; and 110 tons of fuel

Armament

five single 20mm guns, one bow mounted, one each port and starboard forward of wheelhouse, one each port and starboard aft of wheelhouse

on some LCIs two .50 cal machine guns were added

Fuel Capacity

Diesel 860 Bbls

lube oil 200 gal

Propulsion

two sets of 4 General Motors 6051 series 71 Diesel engines, 4 per shaft

single General Motors Main reduction gears

two Diesel-drive 30Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

twin variable pitch propellers, 2,320shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
	62k	USS LCI(L)-20 off-loading troops, date and location unknown.	USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
	98k	USS LCI(L)-20 in the background while troops paddle LCR(L) Landing Craft, rubber (Large) rafts.	Jill Wall
	69k	USS LCI(L)-20 in the background of photo depicting troops paddling LCR(L) Landing Craft, rubber (Large) rafts US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1944 issue	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
	120k	USS LCI(L)-20 after being struck by a German bomb off the beaches at Anzio, 22 January 1944.	Tom Hunter, photo by his father Bruce Hunter RM1/c USS LCI(L)-193
	115k	HMS LCI(L)-274, USS LCI(L)-20 and USS LCI(L)-39 beached while landing assault troops at Anzio, 22 January 1944. USS LCI(L)-20 suffered a direct hit by a German bomb aft of midships and was abandoned. Photo courtesy Gordon Smith QM1/c USS LCI(L)-43 to the USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association.	Ardie Hunt
1015002006	25k	USS LCI(L)-20 still able to disembark her troops on the Anzio beachhead after suffering a direct hit by a German bomb aft of midships, 22 January 1944.	William L. Williams for his uncle William H. Williams BMC, USN LCI(L)-20

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 26 May 2023