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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(G)-347
ex
 USS LCI(L)-347 (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Victor - Uniform
 NJVU
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Iwo Jima) - Navy Unit Commendation
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal
Personnel Awards

Purple Heart - 1 KIA Gunners Mate Eddington, Saipan)
LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 31 October 1942, at Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 3 December 1942
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-347, 28 January 1943, LT. W. Fred Sobsby USNR in command (May 1945)
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Guns) LCI(G)-347, 15 June 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-347 / LCI(G)-347 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Marshall Islands operations
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944     		Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of Southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 June to 28 July 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 24 March to 14 June 1945
    Tinian capture and occupation, 24 to 28 July 1944  

  • For the Okinawa Gunto operation USS LCI(G)-347 came under the command of:
    LCI(G) Flotilla Three, CDR. Micheal J. Malanaphy (14 May 1945 - CDR. R. Eikel USNR);
     LCI Group One, LCDR. J. F. McFadden USN (35);
     LCI Division Fourteen
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 January 1946
  • USS LCI(L)-347 / LCI(G)-347 earned five battle stars for WWII service in addition to the Navy Unit Commendation as a member of USS 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
  • Transferred in May 1948, to the Maritime Commission for disposal
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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 Contributed
    By
    LCI(L)-347 259k USS LCI(G)-347 under way at Peleliu, 16 September 1944. She was one of the early Gunboat conversions.
    US National Archives Record Group 19LCM LCI(G) 347 BurAer 257263    		 Rob Rielly
    LCI(L)-347 154k Letter from LTjg Fred Sobsby former Executive Officer USS LCI(G)-347, describes action at Saipan and Okinawa. 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)-347 152k Photo of LTjg. W. Fred Sobsby as Executive Officer USS LCI(G)-347 . He later commanded USS LCI(G)-347 and USS LCI(L)-601 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)-347 / LCI(G)-347 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    Commanding Officers
    02LT. Sobsby, W. Fred, USNRno dates
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Western Caroline Islands Attack Landing Order
    Beach White Peleliu - CTF 32 Operation Plan A501-44 Appendix 4 to Annex "D"
    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 David Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 30 June 2017