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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LCI(L)-345 / LCI(G)-345


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 - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal

Personnel Awards

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

LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, (date unknown) at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 3 December 1942
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-345, 22 January 1943
  • 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 Theaters LCI Flotilla Three, Group Eight and participated in the:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    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
    4 July and 24 to 28 July 1944
    .

  • Decommissioned, 11 February 1946, at Staten Island, N.Y.
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • 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.
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • 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
    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(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 four single 20mm guns one forward, one amidship, two aft, two .50cal machine guns
    LCI(G) Armament two 40mm guns, four 20mm guns, six .50cal machine guns, ten MK7 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(G)-345 103k LCI(G)-345 off Guam, Mariana Islands, 18 July 1944, alongside 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
    LCI(G)-345 100k LCI(G)-345 off Guam, Mariana Islands, 18 July 1944, pulls away from alongside 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
    LCI(G)-345/346 79k LCI(G)-345 and LCI(G)-346 entering 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

    The history for LCI(L)-345 / LCI(G)-345 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
    Fleet Reserve Association

    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
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 15 December 2006