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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(G)-542
ex
 USS LCI(L)-542 (1944 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Charlie - November
 NWCN
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 18 December 1843, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, 21 January 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-542, 26 January 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-542 was initially assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following Campaign:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-542, 15 July 1945
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1946
  • Sold, 20 November 1946
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-542 received one battle star for World War II service
    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)-542 296k USS LCI(L)-542 high and dry on the beach at Normandy after the initial invasion of 6 June 1944.
    US National Archives photo.    		 Jerry Gilmartin MMCS(SW) Ret., PT658 Curator, LCI713 AFMM Secretary
    LCI(M)-951 61k From right to left:
    USS LCI(G)-462
    USS LCI(G)-454
    USS LCI(M)-756
    USS LCI(G)-542
    USS LCI(G)-464
    USS LCI(G)-528
    USS LCI(G)-472
    USS LCI(G)-565
    and USS LCI(M)-951 nested together while moored to a buoy at San Diego, CA., in the summer of 1946.
    Photo from the USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association 2004 Calendar, courtesy Max Wright, USS LCI(G) 80 and USS LCI(G)-462.    		 Ardie Hunt
    LCI(G)-542 61k USS LCI(G)-542 crew member Jerry Adams aboard ship in 1944.
    Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", September 2001 issue.    		 Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-542 800k USS LCI(G)-542 at anchor off Tolosa, Leyte, Philippine Islands in November 1945.
    US National Archives photo.    		 Jerry Gilmartin MMCS(SW) Ret., PT658 Curator, LCI713 AFMM Secretary
    The history for USS LCI(L)-542 / LCI(G)-542 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 28 May 2010