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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LCI(L)-449 / LCI(G)-449

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Iwo Jima)
Second Row - Presidential Unit Citation - Navy Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Individual Awards

Medal of Honor (LTjg Rufus Herring, CO LCI(G)-449)

LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):

Laid down, (date unknown) at New Jersey Shipbuilding, Barber, N.J.

Launched, (date unknown)

Commissioned USS LCI(L)-449, 25 August 1943

Designation changed to Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-449, 16 June 1944

During World War II LCI(L)-449 / LCI(G)-449 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, LCI Flotilla 3 (CDR M.J. Malanaphy) Group 8 (LCDR Nash) 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, 17 to 19 February 1945
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 20 June to 16 July 1944 Capture and occupation of Guam, 17 to 21 July 1944	Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 17 to 19 February 1945
Capture and occupation of Tinian 10 July and 24 July to 1 August 1944	.

Decommissioned (date unknown)

Struck from the Naval Register, 1946

Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 3 May 1948, for disposal

Final Disposition, fate unknown

LCI(L)-449 / LCI(G)-449 received five battle stars for World War II service in addition to the Presidential Unit Citation for operations at Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945 and 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 246 t.(light), 264 t. (landing), 419 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 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

Size	Image Description	Source
131k	*LCI(G)-449* in drydock. This photo of *LCI(G)-449* was taken either at Pearl Harbor before she received her camouflage paint scheme or at Saipan to repair battle damage sustained at Iwo Jima.	Dennis Blocker II for his grandfather Cliff Lemke S1/c USS LCI(G)-449
225k	*LCI(G)-449* at sea, date unknown, with B-29 bombers overhead. Photo was captioned "On to Iwo Jima", source unknown.	Dennis Blocker II for his grandfather Cliff Lemke S1/c USS LCI(G)-449
110k	*LCI(G)-449* at sea. While covering the UDT operations at Iwo Jima she would suffer 21 killed and 20 wounded. Her skipper, Rufus Herring, would receive the Medal Of Honor.	Dennis Blocker II for his grandfather Cliff Lemke S1/c USS LCI(G)-449
65k	LCI(G)'s of *Flotilla 3 Group 8* form a column as they prepare to attack Iwo Jima in support of UDT operations, 17 February 1945. Closest to furthest; *LCI(G)-474* (sunk during the operation), *LCI(G)-438,* *LCI(G)-449, LCI(G)-441* and *LCI(G)-457*	Dennis Blocker II for his grandfather Cliff Lemke S1/c USS LCI(G)-449
52k	*LCI(G)-449* off the invasion beaches at Iwo Jima. This photo was taken twenty minutes before heading into Iwo Jima to support the UDT swimmers on 17 Feb, 1945. PH3/c Leo McGrath volunteered to be aboard to take photos of the pre invasion mission. Almost thirty minutes after taking this photo he was killed by enemy batteries hidden in the caves of Suribachi. He only took two photographs and this was one of them	Dennis Blocker II for his grandfather Cliff Lemke S1/c USS LCI(G)-449
110k	*LCI(G)-449* transferring her casualties off Iwo Jima while alongside Terror (CM-5), 17 February 1945.	Dennis Blocker II for his grandfather Cliff Lemke S1/c USS LCI(G)-449
80k	Some of the few *LCI(G)-449* crew (including Cliff Lemke S1/c kneeling first from left) who survived the Iwo Jima mission of 17 February 1945. Note the shrapnel holes in the conn and the tarp strapped over a hole on the conn.	Dennis Blocker II for his grandfather Cliff Lemke S1/c USS LCI(G)-449

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Crew Contact Information
Contact Dennis Blocker Address 19819 Greenhill, Helotes, TX. 78023 Phone (210) 695-1388 E-mail Dennis Blocker

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association

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Last Updated 29 February 2007