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USS LCI(R)-342
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USS LCI(L)-342 (1942 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Uniform - Charlie
NJUC
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (7) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)


LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 12 October 1942, at Brown Ship Building Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 7 November 1942
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-342, 30 December 1942;
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-342 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
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    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Eastern New Guinea operation
    Lae occupation, 4 to 6 September 1943
    Finschhafen occupation, 22 September 1943
    Saidor occupation, 2 to 3 January 1944
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 12 to 29 November 1944
    Bismarck Archipelago operation
    Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 26 and 27 December 1943
    Luzon operation
    Mindoro landings, 12 to 18 December 1944
    Lingayen Gulf landing, 4 to 18 January 1945
    Hollandia operation, 21 to 25 April 1944 Consolidation of the Southern Philippines
    Palawan Island landings, 28 February 1945
    Visayan Island landing, 26 to 28 March 1945
    Mindanao Island landings, 17 to 23 April 1945
    Western New Guinea operations
    Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area operation, 17 May 1944
    Biak Island operation, 27 to 28 May 1944, 29 May to 1 June 1944
    Noemtoor Island operation, 2 to 3 July 1944
     

  • USS LCI(L)-342 was redesignated Landing Craft Rockets USS LCI(R)-342, 10 July 1945
  • Following World War II USS LCI(R)-342 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal

    China Service Medal (extended)
    29 September to 10 October 194529 September to 10 October 1945

  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 April 1946
  • USS LCI(L)-342 earned seven battle stars for WWII service
  • Transferred, 10 March 1948, to the Maritime Commission for disposal
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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 bow mounted gun mount
    four 20mm guns
    two .50 cal machine guns
    six 5" rocket launchers
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 935 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

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    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LCI(L)-342 256k USS LCI(L)-342 underway in a convoy, date and location unknown. Photo taken from an unknown LCI. Photo from USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", August 2008 issue. A US Navy photo from the US National Archives, courtesy Dennis Blocker. Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-342 148k USS LCI(L)-342 embarking troops, date and location unknown. Bill Brinkley
    LCI(L)-342 36k USS LCI(L)-342 embarking troops, date and location unknown. Robert Morrissey
    LCI(L)-342 241k USS LCI(L)-342 and USS LCI(L)-340 beached while embarking troops of the 1st Bn, 163rd Rgt, 16 May 1944, bound for Tor River New Guinea. as part of the Western New Guinea campaign. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-70 857k USS LCI(L)-72, USS LCI(L)-340 and USS LCI(L)-342 beached at Aitape, New Guinea, circa 16 May 1944, while loading men of the 1st Battalion 163rd Infantry bound for Tor River New Guinea. as part of the Western New Guinea campaign. Dave Kerr
    LCI(L)-343 128k USS LCI(L)-342 and USS LCI(L)-344 dodge mortar fire during the invasion of Biak Island, 27 May 1944.
    Photo by Dick Hanley of Yank Magazine appeared in USS LCI National Association's newletter "The Elsie Item." August 2009 issue.
    Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-342 124k USS LCS(L)-342 anchored in a nest of LCIs, date and location unknown. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-342 79k USS LCS(L)-342 crew photo, date and location unknown. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian

    The history for USS LCI(L)-342 / LCI(R)-342 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    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
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last updated 6 June 2014