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LCI(L)-457 / LCI(G)-457

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Iwo Jima - 17 to 21 February 1945)
Second Row - Presidential Unit Citation - Navy Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Individual Awards

Navy Cross (LTjg. Jerome J. O'Dowd, USNR, CO LCI(G)-457)
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry:
  • Laid down (date unknown) at New Jersey Shipbuilding Co., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched (date unknown)
  • Commissioned LCI(L)-457, 8 September 1943
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-457, 15 June 1944
  • During World War II LCI(L)-457 / LCI(G)-457 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, LCI Flotilla 3 (CDR M.J. Malanaphy) Group 8 flagship (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     		Tinian capture and occupation
    24 July to 10 August 1944
    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

  • Following World War II LCI(G)-457 performed occupation duty in the Far East from 2 to 22 September 1945
  • Decommissioned (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, 16 October 1947
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • LCI(L)-457 / LCI(G)-457 earned four 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), 234 t.(landing); 389 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 Contributed
    By
    LCI(L)-457 71k LCI(G)-457 at anchor off Iwo Jima, date unknown.
    Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", February 2006, courtesy of Richard O. Churchill USS LCI(G)-457.    		 Ardie Hunt
    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
    The history for LCI(L)-457 / LCI(G)-457 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
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
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    This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 20 April 2007