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USS LCI(R)-337
ex
 USS LCI(L)-337 (1942 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Sierra - Quebec
 NJSQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (8)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal (2).
LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 22 September 1942, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 21 October 1942
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-337, 21 December 1942
  • Designation changed to Landing Ship Infantry (Rocket) LCI(R)-337, 10 July 1945
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-337 / USS LCI(R)-337 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, LCI Flotilla Seven Group 19 and participated in the:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Eastern New Guinea operations
    Lae occupation, 4 to 6 and 9 to 13 September 1943     		Luzon operation
    Mindoro landings, 12 to 18 December 1944
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 4 to 18 January 1945
    Bismarck Archipelago operation
    Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 26 to 27 December 1943     		Manila Bay - Bicol operations
    Zambales-Subic Bay, 29 to 31 January 1945
    Mariveles-Corregidor, 14 to 28 February 1945
    Hollandia operation, 21 to 25 April 1944 Consolidation and occupation of the Southern Philippines
    Mindanao Island landings, 10 and 16 March, and 17 to 23 April 1945
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 12 October to 29 November 1944
    Ormoc Bay landings, 7 to 8 December 1944     		Borneo operation
    Balikpapan operation, 26 June to 7 July 1945

  • USS LCI(L)-337 was redesignated Landing Ship Infantry (Rocket) LCI(R)-337, 10 July 1945
  • Following World War II USS LCI(R)-337 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following period:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    29 September to 14 December 194529 September to 14 December 1945

  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register in January 1946
  • Final Disposition, sold in November 1947, probably as part of the purchase by the Oklahoma-Philippines Co. in what was referred to as the "Berry sale"
  • USS LCI(L)-337 / USS LCI(R)-337 earned eight battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 216 t.(light), 234 t.(landing); 389 t.(loaded)
    Length 158' 5 1/2"
    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
    LCI(L) Complement 3 Officers, 21 Enlisted
    LCI(R) Complement 3 Officers, 31 Enlisted
    LCI(L) Troop Capacity 6 Officers, 182 Enlisted
    LCI(L) 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 kts; and 110 tons of fuel
    LCI(L) Armament four single 20mm guns one forward, one amidship, two aft, two .50 cal machine guns
    LCI(R) Armament one 40mm gun, four 20mm guns, two .50 cal machine guns, six 5" rocket launchers
    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)-341 763k From left to right:
    USS LCI(L)-340
    USS LCI(L)-338
    USS LCI(L)-340
    USS LCI(L)-71
    USS LCI(L)-337
    beached in the Philippine Islands after a day of invasion practice, date and location unknown.    		 Harry W. Ritzel CMOMM USS LCI(L)-341
    LCI(L)-337 137k USS LCI(R)-337 moored in New Guinea in August 1944. MoMM L. Simimox and PhM Leonard George on ramp.
    Photo by Arthur Levine, GM2/c.    		 Donated by Marc S. Levine
    in honor of his father Arthur Levine, GM2/c USS LCI(R)-337
    LCI(G)-64 142k USS LCI(R)-337 and USS LCI(G)-64 in dry dock at Subic Bay in August 1945 for repairs
    		 Frank M. LeTarte S1/c USNR USS LCI(G)-64
    CVE-73 Gambier Bay 144k

    Letter from Captain Walter V.R. Viewed, Commanding Officer, USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73), to the Commanding Officer and Crew of USS LCI(L)-337, thanking them for saving the lives of the survivors of the escort carrier, sunk by enemy gunfire on 25 October 1944.

    		 Marc Levine
    LCI(L)-337 125k USS LCI(R)-337, grounded at Okinawa as result of Typhoon Louise on 9 October 1945. Note the hole in her port side. In the background is APL-14 non-self propeller barracks craft.
    Photo by Arthur Levine, GM2/c    		 Donated by Marc S. Levine
    in honor of his father Arthur Levine, GM2 USS LCI(R)-337
    LCI-463/337 62k USS LCI(G)-463 and USS LCI(R)-337 high and dry at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, after Typhoon Louise blew thorough the port on 9 October 1945. .
    LCI-337 84k USS LCI(R)-337 beached and grounded in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, after Typhoon Louise ravaged that port in October 1945. Photographed in November 1945. Beyond USS LCI(R)-337 is USS Ocelot (IX-110), whose stern was severed by USS Nestor (ARB-6), visible above the stern of LCI(R)-337. Beyond Nestor is the wreck of YF-1079, ex LST-39, and beyond the bow of LCI(R)-337 is YF-993 high and dry.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # 105654, from the collection of Dr. Richard Raymond Gratton (1915-1990), donated by his daughter, Barbara Gratton Stillwater, 2008    		 Donated by Marc S. Levine
    in honor of his father Arthur Levine, GM2 USS LCI(R)-337
    Nestor 444k USS LCI(R)-337 (center) with the stern of USS LCI(G)-463 visible at right. In the background is USS Nestor (ARB-6) with USS APL-14 astern of her. All were ravaged and run aground by Typhoon Louis at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, in October 1945.
    US Navy photo    		 Donn Cuson
    Nestor 481k In the foreground is a section of YF-776, and far right USS LCI(R)-337. In the background, USS Ocelot (IX-110) and USS Nestor (ARB-6) with unidentified sunken tug alongside, all either destroyed or run aground by Typhoon Louis at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, in October 1945.
    US Navy photo    		 Donn Cuson
    The history for USS LCI(L)-337 / LCI(R)-337 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    Search and Rescue - The search for survivors after the Battle off Samar" - 25 October 1944
    Typhoon Damage Report - 16 September 1945 - Report of damage sustained as a result of beaching at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, while riding out a typhoon
    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/b>
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 10 February 2012