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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LCI(L)-83


USS LCI(L)-83 was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Coast Guard Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (3)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
- World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Individual Awards

Silver Star (LTjg George F. Hutchinson, CO, LCI 83) - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
LCI(L)-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down at Consolidated Steel Corp, Orange, TX., (date unknown)
  • Launched (date unknown)
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-83, 23 January 1943, with a Coast Guard crew, LT. George F. Hutchinson, Jr. USCGR in command
  • Succeeding Commanding Officers
    Ltjg Lester Brauser USCG (4 December 1944 - 2 February 1946)
    Ens. George W. Miller, USCG (2 February 1946 - 9 March 1946)
    LTjg Warren D. Ayres USCGR (9 March 1946 - 9 April 1946)
  • During World War II LCI(L)-83 was first assigned to the European Theater, Coast Guard Flotilla 4 (Flotilla 10 at Normandy) and participated in the:
  • Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943
  • Salerno landings, 9 to 21 September 1943
  • Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
    Damaged after striking a mine off the Normandy beaches on 17 June 1944. LCI(L)-83
    departed the United Kingdom 5 October 1944, arriving at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C. were
    she remained there until 1 December 1944
  • LCI(L)-83 departed for Okinawa via Key West, Canal Zone, San Diego and Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, Guam and Ulithi, arriving 28 May 1945. Here she participated in the;
  • Okinawa Gunto operation;
    (a) Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 28 May to early September 1945 - LCI(L)-83 was assigned
    to smoke screen duty for major war vessels bombarding the Naha area
  • Following World War II LCI(L)-83 performed occupation duty in the Far East until 26 November 1945 which included
  • Minesweeping operations - Pacific: (Mine Destruction Unit)
    (a) Tsushima Straits (Kyushu-Korea area), 25 October to 1 November. 1945
    On 11 September 1945, LCI(L)-83 reached Wakayama as part of the Mine Destruction Unit in
    Kii Suido. On 25 October 1945, she joined a Task Group engaged in destroying mines in the Korean
    Straits between Korea and Sentinel Island. A broken propeller shaft brought her back to Sasebo on 1
    November 1945, where she remained until the 25th undergoing repairs
  • Decommissioned, 9 April 1946, at Galveston, TX.
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, 20 August 1947
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • LCI(L)-83 earned five battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 216 t.(light), 234 t.(landing), 389 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 3 officer, 21 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 four single 20mm guns one forward, one amidship, two aft, later added two .50 cal machine guns
    Fuel Capacity 130 tons, lube oil 200 gal.
    Propulsion two sets of 4 GM diesels, 4 per shaft, BHP 1,600, twin variable pitch propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    LCI(L)-83 86k Crew members of LCI(L)-83 pose with a famous member of Flotilla 10, former world-champion boxer Jack Dempsey, who, during WWII served as a Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard. This photo was taken at the base harbor, Dartmouth, England, just prior to the D-Day Landings of 6 June 1944. Photo courtesy of Leroy Bowen, RM, LCI(L) 83. Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", January 2007 issue. Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-83 83k LCI(L)-83 landing more men while troops of the 3rd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division assemble on a narrow strip of "Omaha" beach before moving inland near Collville-sur-Mer on "D-Day", 6 June 1944. On 17 June 1944 LCI(L)-83 struck a mine upon landing and lay disabled on the beach, until her hull was patched and she was able to get underway.
    US Army Signal Corps photo # SC 189935 by Taylor. Photo is from the US Army Signal Corps. collection at the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center and Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    The history for LCI(L)-83 is from "The Coast Guard At War, Transports and Escorts, Volume II"
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    US Coast Guard Unit Commendation Flotilla 10 - Group 29 - Division 27
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
    USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 9 March 2007