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USS LC(FF)-486
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USS LCI(L)-486 (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - Sierra - Lima
NQSL
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 - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)


LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 12 September 1943, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, 19 October 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-486, 25 October 1943, LTjg. Glenn H. Johnson USNR in command (May 1945)
  • USS LCI(L)-486 was redesignated Landing Craft (Flotilla Flagship) USS LC(FF)-486, 31 December 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-486 / LC(FF)-486 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LC(FF) Flotilla Twenty-Three, LCDR. R. H. Brazeal;
    LC(FF) Group Sixty-Eight, LT. O. G. Howell;
    LC(FF) Division One Hundred Thirty-Five
  • Following World War II USS LC(FF)-486 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 4 October to 22 December 1945
  • Grounded by Typhoon Louise at Okinawa, 9 October 1945
    While the ship was damaged during the Typhoon, no crew members were lost. However, crew member, Don Bonar, recalls "that when the storm was over they would send someone to get the mail periodically. One time they went to get the mail and a storm came up quickly and the sailor who left never returned. It was believed that he drowned. He also met a man recently who was in the same area at the same time as he was. The other man said that after the storm his job was to help clear the harbor of debris and a mass of floating bodies from the storm."
  • Decommissioned, date unknown, at Buckner Bay, Okinawa
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 21 January 1946
  • Transferred to the State Department, May 1947, for disposal
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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
    Complement
    4 Officers
    24 Enlisted
    Troop Capacity
    6 Officers
    182 Enlisted
    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
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 130 tons
    lube oil 200 gal
    Propulsion
    two sets of four General Motors Diesel engines, four per shaft, BHP 1,600
    twin variable pitch propellers

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    Size Image Description Source
    LCI(L)-486 42k USS LCI(L)-486 beached with two LSMs, date and location unknown. Ted Gstalder to honor his father Jack (John) Gstalder QM2/c USS LCI(L)-486
    LCI(L)-486 48k
    LCI(L)-486 142k USS LC(FF)-486 grounded on a reef during Typhoon Louise at Buckner Bay, Okinawa on 9 October 1945 Rick Bonar for his father Don Bonar EM2/c USS LC(FF)-486
    LCI(L)-486 114k
    LCI(L)-486 131k USS LC(FF)-486 crew photo, date and location unknown. Rick Bonar for his father Don Bonar EM2/c USS LC(FF)-486.
    LCI(L)-486 92k USS LC(FF)-486 Black Gang, February 1946. Rick Bonar for his father Don Bonar EM2/c USS LC(FF)-486.
    LCI(L)-486 89k Four USS LC(FF)-486 crew members in front of the ship's conning tower displaying the ships logo, date and location unknown. From left to right; unknown Seaman, Edwards, Fireman, Jack Gstalder QM2/c and Barton, Signalman SM/2c. Ted Gstalder to honor his father Jack (John) Gstalder QM2/c USS LC(FF)-486. Names provided by Allen M. Johnson USS LC(FF)-486
    LCI(L)-486 141k Three USS LC(FF)-486 crew members in front of the ship's conning tower, date and location unknown. From Left to right Don Bonar EM2/c, Walt Reeser MMoM1/c, Jack Gstalder QM2/c. Rick Bonar for his father Don Bonar EM2/c USS LC(FF)-486.
    LCI(L)-486 43k Three USS LC(FF)-486 crew members, date and location unknown. Don Perry for his father Lloyd Cole Perry USS LC(FF)-486.
    LCI(L)-486 85k Eight USS LC(FF)-486 crew members, date and location unknown. Front row from left to right; Decker, Don Bonar EM/2c, Robert Bosco S2/c. Back row let to right; J. J. Pollack CPO, Gilbert, Jack Gstalter QM/2c, Reeser MM/2c, and unknown. Rick Bonar for his father Don Bonar EM2/c USS LC(FF)-486.
    LCI(L)-486 108k Seven USS LC(FF)-486 crew members, date and location unknown. Front row from left to right; Tate, Russo PHM, Charles Populo SM2/c. Back row left to right; Case, Jack Gstalder QM/2c, unknown, unknown. Rick Bonar for his father Don Bonar EM2/c USS LC(FF)-486.
    LCI(L)-486 107k USS LC(FF)-486 LTjg. Allen M. Johnson at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, circa October-November 1945 Rick Bonar for his father Don Bonar EM2/c USS LC(FF)-486.
    LCI(L)-486 76k USS LC(FF)-486 Chief Petty Officer J. J. Polack at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, circa October-November 1945 Rick Bonar for his father Don Bonar EM2/c USS LC(FF)-486.
    LCI(L)-486 86k USS LC(FF)-486 Seaman Second Class Robert Bosco at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, circa October-November 1945 Rick Bonar for his father Don Bonar EM2/c USS LC(FF)-486.
    LCI(L)-486 72k USS LC(FF)-486 Charles Populo SM2/c at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, circa October-November 1945 Rick Bonar for his father Don Bonar EM2/c USS LC(FF)-486.

    The history for USS LCI(L)-486 / LC(FF)-486 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Johnson, Glenn H. USNR26 October 1943 - ?

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Crew and Staff List
    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
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    Last Updated 20 October 2017