Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Lost to enemy air attack at Lae, New Guinea, 4 September 1943

USS LCI(L)-339

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Personnel Awards

Navy Cross - LTjg. Fay B. Begor MC-V(G), USNR
Purple Hearts (9) Dickerson, C.D. Cox, Travioli, J.R. COX, Casanova, T.T. S1/c, Smith, K.W. RM2/c, Shule, E. N. BM3/c, Miskovich, G. F. SM2/c, Foreman, R. D. EM2/c, Moen, H.T. ENS, Begor, F.B. LTjg

LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):

Laid down circa September 1942 at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.

Launched circa September-October 1942

Commissioned USS LCI(L)-339, 30 December 1942

During World War II USS LCI(L)-339 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Eastern New Guinea operation Lae occupation, 4 September 1943

Lost through enemy action, 4 September 1943 during the Eastern New Guinea operation at Lae

"LCI 339 had dropped anchor about 150 yards from the beach and came in for the unwelcome attention of three VAL bombers and three ZERO fighters approaching on the starboard side. LTJG James Tidball, USNR, her Commanding Officer, ordered open fire, but the fighters began strafing almost continuously, riddling her with holes from stem to stern and causing considerable damage amongst the troops. Dr. Begor was treating the wounded until the bombers released their bombs at about 1,500 feet, bracketing the ship with near misses to port and starboard, but scoring a direct hit just forward of the pilot house, blasting a large hole in the deck. The 339, nonetheless, gained the beach to carry out her mission, though in a sinking condition."
Source DANFS.

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

USS LCI(L)-339 earned one battle star 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
1015033807	216k	"USS LCI 339 and USS LCI(L)-338 load troops, date and location unknown.	Tom Callahan
	37k	Officers of USS LCI(L)-339, on the left is ENS. Harlan Moen, Executive Officer; in the center is thought to be LTjg. James Tidball, Commanding Officer; and on the right is LTjg.(MC) Fay Begor, M.D., the group medical officer. Photo courtesy of John Vickerman for his uncle, Harlan Moen. Photo is from the USS Landing Craft Infantry National Associations newsletter "The Elsie Item", October 2007 issue.	Ardie Hunt
	76k	USS LCI(L)-339 crew members relaxing, date and location unknown. Photo courtesy John Vickerman for his uncle, Harlan Moen. Photo is from the USS Landing Craft Infantry National Associations newsletter "The Elsie Item", October 2007 issue.	Ardie Hunt
1015033907	208k	"Looking over the bow of USS LCI 339 while beached, date and location unknown	Tom Callahan
1015033906	155k	"USS LCI 339 beached at Lae, New Guinea, 4 September 1943.	Tom Callahan
	378k	The fatally damaged USS LCI(L)-339 after being strafed by Japanese Zeros and bombed by Betty and Val bombers on 4 September 1943 during the Lae, New Guinea landings. *LCI(L)-339* was bracketed by 200 lb bombs, one on the starboard side, one on the port side, and a direct hit forward of the pilot house. Photo from USS Landing Craft Infantry National Associations newsletter, "Elsie Item", September 2017 issue/	Ardie Hunt
1015033905	606k	"USS LCI 339 beached at Lae, New Guinea after being attacked by Japanese aircraft, 4 September 1943. A dead Australian soldier, a passenger aboard USS LCI(L)-339, lies on the beach where he was carried from the ship. The explosion of the bomb which set *LCI(L)-339* ablaze, kill him instantly. Life magazine photo	Tom Callahan
1015033908	319k	"USS LCI 339 was hauled off the beach, 10 September and subsequently sunk several days later.	Tom Callahan

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS LCI(L)-339 War Diary, 16 July to 10 October 1943
USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association

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

Last Updated 10 July 2020