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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-89


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Hotel - Golf
 NDHG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom. left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive - 6 June 1944) - Coast Guard Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (4) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal

USS LCI(L)-89 was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 26 October 1942, at Consolidated Steel Corp., Shipbuilding Div., Orange, TX.
  • Launched, 30 December 1942
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-89, 3 February 1943, LT. Edison M. Fabian, USCGR in command
  • During World War II LCI(L)-89 was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater, LCI Flotilla 4 as Group 29 flagship (Flotilla 10 at Normandy) and participated in the following campaigns:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North African occupation
    Tunisian operation, 1 June to 9 July 1943     		Salerno landings, 9 to 21 September 1943
    Proceeding to England in November 1943, she underwent maneuvers off southern England, departing for Normandy June 5, 1944
    Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

  • From 7 June to 20 July 1944, USS LCI(L)-89 directed traffic off the coast off Normandy
  • From 21 July to 15 August 1944 she was engaged in ferrying troops from Weymouth, to the Normandy coast
  • From 15 August to 16 September 1944 she escorted landing craft from England to France
  • USS LCI(L)-89 departed Falmouth, England for Charleston, S.C, 5 October 1944, arriving 27 October 1944
  • From 27 November to 21 December 1944 underwent overhaul and crew training
  • Designated LCI Group 104, 21 December 1945 and proceeded to Little Creek, for amphibious training at Solomons Island until 1 January 1945
  • Departed Norfolk, 2 January 1945 for San Diego, via Key West and Canal Zone, arriving, 1 February 1945
  • Assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, USS LCI(L)-89 departed for San Diego, via Key West and Canal Zone, 2 January 1945, arriving 1 February 1945
  • USS LCI(L)-89 underwent amphibious training and ships' repair at the Naval Repair Base until 20 April 1945
  • Departed San Diego, 20 April 1945, for Saipan via Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok and Guam, arriving 1 June 945 for submarine escort duties
  • Departed Saipan for Eniwetok, 2 July 1945, for inter-island ferry duty until 25 November 1945
  • Departed Eniwetok via Pearl Harbor for San Diego, arriving 19 December 1945.
  • Decommissioned, 7 March 1946, at San Diego, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 3 November 1947, for disposal
  • USS LCI(L)-89 earned four 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 2 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)-89 175k USS LCI(L)-89 underway, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the US Coast Guard Historian's Office    		 Mike Green
    LCI(L)-89 110k USS LCI(L)-89 crew photo just prior to leaving for Normandy, early June 1944 Wayne Caldwell USS LCIL)-89 / USS LCI(L)-320
    LCI(L)-89 123k USS LCI(L)-89 and USS LCI(L)-492 wait in a British port to load troops for the Invasion of Normandy, circa May-June 1944.
    US Army photo # USA C-1113    		 Gerd Matthes
    LCI(L)-89/93 105k USS LCI(L)-89 and USS LCI(L)-93 waiting to load US Army soldiers to carry them to the Normandy beachhead, circa 5 June 1944 Bill Brinkley
    LCI(L)-89 76k USS LCI(L)-89 underway in the English Channel, circa June 1944 Bill Brinkley
    LCI(L)-89 550k USS LCI(L)-89 and flotilla officers, date and location unknown.
    Front row (l to r): John Gernet, Stuart McLaren (engineering officer of 89), (first name not remembered) Nelson (flotilla engineering officer) Standing (l to r): LT.. John Daughtery (commanding officer of 89), (first name not remembered) Scott. Absent from photo is the flotilla commander LCDR Hobson.    		 Tim McLaren for his father LTjg. Stuart McLaren, USCG LCI(L)-89
    LCI(L)-89 367k USS LCI(L)-89 underway probably in the Marianas, circa 1945. Tim McLaren for his father LTjg. Stuart McLaren, USCG LCI(L)-89
    LCI(L)-89 551k "Belle of the Beach" painted on the conning tower of USS LCI(L)-89 Tim McLaren for his father LTjg. Stuart McLaren, USCG LCI(L)-89
    LCI(L)-89 353k USS LCI(L)-89's stowaway puppy. As Stuart McLaren tells the story, the dog belonged to the base commander at San Diego and "in-voluntarily" stowed away when they headed to the South Pacific. "Blackout" was a morale booster for the 89 crew and was sometimes loaned to other ships in the flotilla. When the 89 approached the dock in San Diego when they returned, the dog jumped off and took off running. He obviously knew he was home. Tim McLaren for his father LTjg. Stuart McLaren, USCG LCI(L)-89
    The history for USS LCI(L)-89 is from "The Coast Guard At War, Transports and Escorts, Volume II"
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    No Information Available
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
    US Coast Guard Historian's Office - LCI(L)-89
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 8 January 2010