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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 1943, 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
  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS LCI(G)-542 came under the command of:
    LCI Flotilla Thirty-Seven, LCDR. J. P. Moore, USN;
    LCI Group One Hundred Eleven, LT. J. W. Winson, Jr., USN;
     LCI Division Two Hundred Twenty-Two
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1946
  • USS LCI(L)-542 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Sold, 20 November 1946
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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 single 40mm guns
    four single 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 346k Newly commissioned USS LCI(G)-542 underway, circa February 1944, probably off the Atlantic coast. Mark C. Lea in honor of his grandfather LTjg. Keith F. Lea Commanding Officer LCI(G)-542
    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(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 and
    Mark C. Lea in honor of his grandfather LTjg. Keith F. Lea CO LCI(G)-542
    LCI(L)-542 131k USS LCI(G)-542 1945 Christmas Card. Mark C. Lea in honor of his grandfather LTjg. Keith F. Lea CO LCI(G)-542
    LCI(L)-542 467k USS LCI(G)-542Commanding Officer LTjg. Keith F. Lea with ship's mascot "Gizmo". "Gizmo" was on board LCI(G-542 before LTjg Lea came aboard. The owner of the monkey left on points and LTjg Leas purchased Gizmo to keep him aboard. Photo taken circa 1946 in the Philippines. Mark C. Lea in honor of his grandfather Keith F. Lea CO LCI(G)-542
    LCI(L)-542 146k USS LCI(G)-542 mascot "Gizmo" on the ship's searchlight, circa 1946, Philippines. Mark C. Lea in honor of his grandfather Keith F. Lea CO LCI(G)-542
    LCI(L)-542 124k USS LCI(G)-542 arriving at San Diego in June of 1946. The trip from Leyte took 57 days, as all the ships in the group, had engine trouble, and each took turns towing the other. LCI(G)-542 was badly damaged in a typhoon which also probably added to the slow journey. Mark C. Lea in honor of his grandfather Keith F. Lea CO LCI(G)-542
    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.    		 Black and White image - Ardie Hunt
    Colored image - Mark C. Lea in honor of his grandfather Keith F. Lea CO LCI(G)-542
    LCI(M)-951 244k
    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
    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 24 October 2014