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Lost to enemy action, 17 February 1945

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LCI(L)-474 / LCI(G)-474

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive - Iwo Jima) - Presidential Unit Citation
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Individual Awards

Navy Cross (LTjg. Matthew J. Reichl, USNR, CO LCI(G)-474)
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down (date unknown) at New Jersey Shipbuilding Co., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, (date unknown)
  • Commissioned as USS LCI(L)-474, 5 October 1943
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-474, 15 June 1944
  • During World War II LCI(L)-474 / LCI(G)-474 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, LCI Flotilla 13 and LCI Flotilla 3(CDR M.J. Malanaphy) Group 8 (LCDR Nash) and participated in the:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Guam, 21 July to 15 August 1944     		Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945

  • Lost through enemy action at Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown);
  • LCI(G)-474 earned two battle stars for WWII service and the Presidential Unit Citation for operations at Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945
    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
    .
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    LCI(G)-474 87k LCI(G)-474 at anchor, date and location unknown. A view of the ships conning tower when she was part of the famous Black Cats of Flotilla Thirteen. Dennis Blocker II for his grandfather Cliff Lemke S1/c USS LCI(G)-449
    LCI(G)-474 100k LCI(G)-474 underway, date and location unknown. Note the emblem of the Black Cats of Flotilla Thirteen prominently displayed on the conning tower. Dennis Blocker II for his grandfather Cliff Lemke S1/c USS LCI(G)-449
    LCI(G)-441.LCI(G)-474 87k LCI(G)-474 and LCI)G)-438 pass Nevada (BB-36) on the way into the beach at Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945. Bill Brinkley
    LCI(G)-438 68k LCI(G)-474 (center distant) and LCI)G)-438 (center near) pass Nevada (BB-36) on the way into the beach at Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945. Robert Cieri
    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
    LCI(G)-474 163k Battle casualties aboard LCI(G)-474 at Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945. Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", September 2001 issue, courtesy of Bob Harker. Ardie Hunt
    LCI(G)-474 57k LCI(G)-474, capsizing off Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945. Capps (DD-550) is at right picking up survivors. She later completed the sinking of LCI(G)-474. Photo by Bob Harker, Engineering Officer, USS LCI (G)-474,
    submitted by Vaughn Hampton USS LCI(G)-450
    LCI(G)-474 39k LCI(G)-474, sinking off Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945, after receiving several hits from Japanese shore batteries while supporting UDT swimmers on a pre-invasion mission, Photo by Bob Harker, Engineering Officer, USS LCI (G)-474,
    submitted by Vaughn Hampton USS LCI(G)-450
    LCI(G)-474 78k Close up of LCI(G)-474, sinking off Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945. Bill Brinkley
    The history for LCI(L)-474 / LCI(G)-474 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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    Last Updated 20 April 2007