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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Painting by Rev. Joel Osborne

USS LCI(L)-324


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Oscar - Tango
 NJOT

USS LCI(L)-324 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 - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - Coast Guard Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (4)
Third Row - Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Individual Awards

Purple Heart (1 WIA, Robert Tolland, circa 8 to 11 September 1943)
LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 21 December 1942, Brown Ship Building Corp., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 22 January 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-324, 10 February 1943 with a Coast Guard crew, LT. Andrew Duncan Jr. USCGR in command
  • Succeeding Commanding Officers
    LTjg Charles W. Rinaca, Jr. USCGR
    LTjg Thomas L. Keene, USCG
    LTjg Robert M. Hoffman (August 1945 - 7 March 1946)
  • USS LCI(L)-324 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater, LCI Flotilla 4, Capt. M. E. Imlay, USCG in command, (Flotilla 10 at Normandy) and participated in the campaigns:
  • North African occupation;
    (a) Tunisian operations, 1 June to 9 July 1943
  • Sicilian occupation, 10 to 15 July 1943
  • Salerno landings, 9 to 21 September 1943
    USS LCI(L)-324 proceeded to England in late October 1943 for training in preparation for the
    invasion of Normandy.
  • Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
    USS LCI(L)-324 unloaded her troops on Utah Beach, 6 June 1944 and after D-Day transported troops between
    England and France, directed small boat operations in Utah Breach and escorted LCTs across the Channel.
  • USS LCI(L)-324 departed Dartmouth, England 5 October 1944, for Jacksonville, FL. for availability and overhaul at Gibbs Shipyard. USS LCI(L)-324 was assigned a new crew and subsequently reassigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, LCI Flotilla 35
  • Departed Jacksonville, 8 December 1944, via Charleston, S.C. for Little Creek, VA. for further overhaul and amphibious training at Solomon Island, MD.
  • Departed Norfolk, 31 December 1944, for San Diego via Key West and Canal Zone
  • Arriving at San Diego, 28 January 1945, USS LCI(L)-324 was attached to Commander, Training Command, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet for training and final availability at the Naval Repair Base, San Diego, CA.
  • Departed San Diego, 20 April 1945, for Guam via Peal Harbor, and Eniwetok, arriving, 29 May 1945
  • Ordered to Saipan, reporting 1 June 1945, for local patrol, air-sea rescue and Japanese fishing fleet escort work until 4 July 1945
  • Ordered to Eniwetok, reporting 8 July 1945, for ferry service between Eniwetok and surrounding atolls until 9 November 1945
  • Ordered to report to San Pedro, CA. for decommissioning, USS LCI(L)-324 departed Eniwetok via Kwajalein, Pearl Harbor and San Diego, arriving 19 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 7 March 1946, at San Pedro, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown)
  • Final Disposition, sold, 12 December 1946, fate unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-324 received four battle stars for WWII 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)-324 76k USS LCI(L)-324 underway, date and location unknown James W. Cook USS LCI(L)-324
    LCI(L)-324 92k USS LCI(L)-324 underway, date and location unknown Paul Mascatelli USS LCI(L)-324
    LCI(L)-324 116k USS LCI(L)-324 On the bridge is the CO LTjg Rinaca USCGR and at the railing are left S/1c Malaissen and at right Pharmacist Mate Ellis. Date and location of photo unknown. Paul Mascatelli USS LCI(L)-324
    LCI(L)-324 100k USS LCI(L)-324 in port , date and location unknown. BMC Wheeler. Paul Mascatelli USS LCI(L)-324
    LCI(L)-324 64k USS LCI(L)-324 underway, date and location unknown Bill Brinkley
    The history for USS LCI(L)-324 is from "The Coast Guard At War, Transports and Escorts, Volume II"
    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
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office - USS LCI(L)-324
    Sinking of USS LCI(L)-1 and Rescue by USS LCI)L)-324
    First person account of the sinking of USS LCI(L)-1 as told by Curtis (Boots) S. Boutilier F1/c USS LCI(L)-1
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 29 February 2008