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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LCI(L)-397 / LCI(G)-397

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp)
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down at George Lawley & Sons Shipbuilding Corp., Neponset, MA., (date unknown)
  • Launched, (date unknown)
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-397, 21 December 1943
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-397, 15 June 1944
  • During World War II LCI(L)-397 / LCI(G)-397 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the;
  • Following World War II LCI(G)-397 performed occupation duty in the Far East, 2 September to 2 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 20 August 1947
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • LCI(G)-397 received one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 246 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
    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 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)-397 74k LCI(G)-397 at anchor, date and place unknown. Todd M. Fritchie in honor of his father Ens. Albert Fritchie, Jr. USNR USS LCI(G)-397
    LCI(G)-397 77k LCI(G)-397 at anchor off Okinawa, date unknown. Todd M. Fritchie in honor of his father Ens. Albert Fritchie, Jr. USNR USS LCI(G)-397
    LCI(G)-397 90k LCI(G)-397 underway, 1945. Todd M. Fritchie in honor of his father Ens. Albert Fritchie, Jr. USNR USS LCI(G)-397
    LCI(G)-397 89k LCI(G)-397 crew photo, date and place unknown. Ens Fritchie is at the top of the ladder. Todd M. Fritchie in honor of his father Ens. Albert Fritchie, Jr. USNR USS LCI(G)-397
    The history for LCI(L)-397 / LCI(G)-397 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 by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 2 September 2005