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

USS LCI(G)-345
ex
USS LCI(L)-345 (1943 - 1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Victor - Charlie
NJVC

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Guam-18 July 1944 and Okinawa-19 February 1945) - Navy Unit Commendation
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal
Personnel Awards

Purple Heart (3-WIA, 18 July 1944 at Guam)

LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):

Laid down, 31 October 1942, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.

Launched, 2 December 1942

Commissioned USS LCI(L)-345, 22 January 1943, LTjg. H. M. Smith USNR (May 1945)

Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Guns) LCI(G)-345, 15 June 1944

During World War II LCI(L)-345 / LCI(G)-345 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LCI Flotilla Three, CDR R. Eikel Jr.;
LCI Group Nine, LCDR. C.J. Starkus;
LCI Division Eighteen and participated in the:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Marshall Islands operation; Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944	Iwo Jima operation; Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 16 March 1945
Marianas operation; Capture and occupation of Saipan, 20 June to 16 July 1944 Capture and occupation of Guam, 17 to 21 July 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation; Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 21 to 30 June 1945
Tinian capture and occupation 24 to 28 July 1944

Decommissioned, 11 February 1946, at Staten Island, N.Y.

Struck from the Naval Register, 26 February 1946

Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, date unknown

Sold and delivered 9 January 1948 to Mill Basin Ship Repair Co, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.

USS LCI(L)-345 / LCI(G)-345 received five battle stars for World War II service in addition to the Navy Unit Commendation as a member of LCI(G) Flotilla 3 (31 January to 28 July 1944) for Occupation of Kwajalein and Eniwetok Atolls in the Marshall Islands and Capture and occupation of Saipan, Guam and Tinian in the Marianas

Final Disposition, fate unknown

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

LCI(L) Complement

4 Officers

24 Enlisted

LCI(G) Complement

5 Officers

65 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

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

LCI(G) Armament

two 40mm AA gun mounts

four 20mm AA gun mounts

six .50cal machine guns

ten MK7 rocket launchers

Fuel Capacity

Diesel 800 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
	103k	USS LCI(G)-345 off Guam, Mariana Islands, 18 July 1944, alongside *USS Honolulu* (CL-48)** to transfer W.J. Williams S1/c (on stretcher), H.I. Smith GM3/c and R.L. Jones CO for treatment of shrapnel wounds suffered as part of Flotilla 3, Group 8, ships giving fire support for UDTs preparing Guam beaches for invasion four days before D-Day. US Navy photo from the USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association 2005 Calendar, courtesy Jim Wollard	Ardie Hunt
	100k	USS LCI(G)-345 off Guam, Mariana Islands, 18 July 1944, pulls away from alongside *USS Honolulu* (CL-48)** after transferring W.J. Williams S1/c, H.I. Smith GM3/c and R.L. Jones CO for treatment of shrapnel wounds suffered as part of Flotilla 3, Group 8, ships giving fire support for UDTs preparing Guam beaches for invasion four days before D-Day. US National Archives photo from the USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association 2007 Calendar, courtesy Bill Ringle	Ardie Hunt
	79k	USS LCI(G)-345 and USS LCI(G)-346 entering USS ABSD-1 at Guam after the Iwo Jima landings, circa May 1945. *LCI(G)-346* sustained several hits and lost her mast.	USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association Courtesy Leonard Martin USS LCI(G)-346
1015034504	503k	USS LCI(G)-345 USS LCI(G)-346 USS LCI(G)-449 USS LCI(G)-437 USS LCI(G)-348 USS LC(FF)-423 alongside *USS Seaward* (IX-209) and LCT(6)-1314** at anchor in the far distant background at Naval Station Guam in July 1945. TimeLife_image 115952714 by J. R. Eyerman. Life Magazine. For personal non-commercial use only.	David Upton

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

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 5 November 2021

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(G)-345ex USS LCI(L)-345 (1943 - 1944)

USS LCI(G)-345
ex
USS LCI(L)-345 (1943 - 1944)