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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(G)-456
ex
 USS LCI(L)-456 (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Whiskey - November
 NQKA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon - Navy Unit Commendation
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 13 July 1943, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, 27 August 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-456, 7 September 1943
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-456, 15 June 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-456 / LCI(G)-456 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944     		Capture and occupation of Tinian, 24 to 28 July 1944
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 June to 28 July 1944     		Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of Southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944

  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 1 September 1947
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-456 / LCI(G)-456 received four 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 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(L)-456
    NARA 257558    		 207k USS LCI(G)-456 crew members loading rockets during the invasion of Peleliu, September 1944.
    US National Archives photo #'s 257558 and 257559, US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Jerry Gilmartin AFMM secretary LCI713 restoration crew.
    LCI(L)-456
    NARA 257559    		 235k
    LCI(L)-456 137k USS LCI(G)-456 in the conn during the invasion of Peleliu in September 1944.
    A US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Jerry Gilmartin AFMM secretary LCI713 restoration crew.
    LCI(L)-456 225k USS LCI(G)-456 view from the conn during the invasion of Peleliu in September 1944. Note the US Marine liaison officer observing the battle from the ship's conn.
    A US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Jerry Gilmartin AFMM secretary LCI713 restoration crew.
    LCI(L)-456 59k USS LCI(G)-456 at anchor. This photo of USS LCI(G)-456 was taken when she was doing picket duty, mostly at night, at Peleliu after the invasion. The heavy screen constructed by the crew was lowered when the ship anchored by the bow to protect them from mines that the Japanese floated down stream toward them. Luckily, the contraption was never tested, nor did the Navy Department send out their engineers to copy it.
    Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", February 2006, courtesy of Ed Clark USS LCI 456.    		 Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-456 74k USS LCI(G)-456 prepares to fire 4.5" rockets from her Mk 7 launcher at Peleliu, 19 september 1944. The heavy cruiser USS Portland (CA-33) is in the background. Note the pipe guard to prevent the bow 40 mm gun from firing into the ship; it had no director system to do so.
    US Navy photo from "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman.    		 Robert Hurst
    The history for USS LCI(L)-456 / LCI(G)-456 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 8 January 2010