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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-322


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Oscar - India
 NJOI
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 6 June1944) - 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)-322 was manned by the US Coast Guard
LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 4 December 1942, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 3 February 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-322, 15 February 1943, LT. Grant C. Kidston, USCG in command
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-322 was assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
  • While assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater USS LCI(L)-322 came under the command of:
    LCI Flotilla 4, Capt. M. E. Imlay, USCG; and
     LCI Flotilla 10, (Normandy) and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North African occupation, Tunisian operations, 1 June to 9 July 1943 Salerno landings, 9 to 21 September 1943
    LCI(L)-322 proceeded to Dartmouth, England, 5 October 1943,
    for training in preparation for the Invasion of Normandy.
    Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
    After unloading her troops at Utah Beach,6 June 1944,
    LCI(L)-322 then returned to England and crossed the
    channel several more times carrying troops to Normandy before departing England, 5 October 1944. for Charleston S.C. for repairs and overhaul

  • USS LCI(L)-322 departed San Diego, 28 April 1945, for the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, LTjg. W. L. Brown USCGR in command
  • At Saipan and Tinian USS LCI(L)-322 was assigned to:
    LCI Flotilla Thirty-Five, CDR. H. J. Wuensch USCG;
     LCI Group One Hundred-Four, LCDR. W. B. Harbeson USCG;
     LCI Division Two Hundred-Seven where she engaged in local patrol and escort duty and at Eniwetok for inter island ferry service until 25 October 1945. She departed Eniwetok for Guam, Saipan, Ulithi and Peleliu for troop transporting duty, departing Guam, 1 February 1946 for Long Beach, CA.
  • Decommissioned, 26 March 1946, at Long Beach, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 9 October 1947, for disposal
  • USS LCI(L)-322 earned four battle stars for World War II 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
    LCI(L)-85 71k USS LCI(L)-322, USS LCI(L)-85 and USS LCI(L)-229, moored at Bizerte, Tunisia, date unknown. Valerie Vierk for her father Herbert Nolda USS LCI(L)-85 and USS LCI(L)-92
    LCI(L)-332/93 71k USS LCI(L)-322 and USS LCI(L)-93 in an English Channel port, loading US combat troops for a trip to the Normandy invasion beach, date unknown.
    US National Archives image.    		 Bill Brinkley
    LCI(L)-332/93 174k USS LCI(L)-322 underway, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the US Coast Guard Historian's Office.    		 Mike Green
    LCI(L)-332/93 132k USS LCI(L)-322 firing into the Normandy beachhead, D-Day 6 June 1944.
    US Coast Guard photo.    		 Tommy Trampp
    The history for USS LCI(L)-322 is from "The Coast Guard At War, Transports and Escorts, Volume II"
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Kidston, Grant C., USCG15 February 1943 - 17 November 1944
    02LTjg. Brown, W. L., USCGR17 November 1944 - 26 march 1946
    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
    US Coast Guard Historian's Office - LCI(L)-322
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 17 October 2014