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USS LCI(G)-561
ex
 USS LCI(L)-561 (1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Xray - Echo
 NFXE
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (Okinawa) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
Individual Awards

Navy Cross (Gordon Welch, and Lewis Wable - at Leyte, 20 October 1944)
Bronze Star (Ltjg Keith Douglas Mann, CO - at Leyte, 20 October 1944)
Purple Hearts (ten - Leyte and Ie Shima, off Okinawa - Vaughan Springer, Earl Lantz, Ken Keller, Robert Doan, Peter Plemons, Lewis Wabel, Stan Chmielewski, Sidney Devane, Larry Kenner, Harlon Engle)
Letters of Commendation (seven, Connie Mulherin, Howard Allgood, Jack MacGillis, Dick Cole, Tom Garavaglia, Lewis Combest, Tom Massa)
LCI(L)-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, date unknown, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-561, 26 February 1944
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Guns) LCI(G)-561, 15 June 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(G)-561 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater LCI(G) Flotilla 6, Group 16, and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 20 October 1944     		Manila Bay-Bicol operation
    Nasugbu, 31 January to 2 February 1945
    Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 7 January 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Kerama Rhetto, 25 March to 1 April 1945
    Assault and Occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 24 June 1945

  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, 8 March 1948
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LCI(G)-561 earned four battle stars for World War II service
    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 three 40mm guns (one bow mount, two forward gun deck), four 20mm guns (two well deck, two aft gun deck), four .50cal machine guns (two aft of conn, two fantail), 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)-561 87k USS LCI(L)-561 underway off Norfolk, 23 April 1943.
    US Navy # 7460 (44).    		 Connie Mulherin USS LCI(L)-561
    LCI(L)-561 201k USS LCI(G)-561 underway in the Pacific , circa 1944-45. View of well deck, bow 40mm and two 20mm guns and the empty port and starboard rocket launchers. Photo was taken from the top of the ships main mast Photo by Connie Mulherin USS LCI(G)-561
    LCI(L)-561 89k USS LCI(G)-561 off Okinawa, April 1945. Close-up of 40mm bow gun and the two forward 20mm guns. Visible off LCI(G)-561's bow are USS SC-1349 as well as USS LCI(G)-452. Note the port and starboard rocket launchers are loaded in this photo. Photo by Ens. Mel Zolkover USS LCI(G)-561
    LCI(L)-561 148k USS LCI(G)-561 off Okinawa, April 1945. looking forward from the conning tower toward 40mm bow gun and the two forward 20mm guns. Crew members on the guns include Connie Mulherin seated in bow gun, others on the gun include, A. Mihalik and D. Cole. On the 20 mm guns, Ken Keller, Ray Roseberry, Em Beible, Stan Chmielewski, Ernie Harris, talker in foreground is Ed Donahue. Note the port and starboard rocket launchers are loaded. Photo by Ens. Mel Zolkover USS LCI(G)-561
    LCI(L)-566 79k USS LCI(G)-561's bow 40mm gun crew: Seated left; Trainer, Tom Massa; Seated right, Pointer, Connie Mulherin; Standing, 1st Loader, Andy Mihalik; Rear, left to right, George Keffer, George Ferris, Dick Cole, Jim Manning.
    Photo from USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association 2002 calendar, courtesy Connie Mulherin, USS LCI(G) 561    		 Ardie Hunt
    The history for USS LCI(L)-561 / LCI(G)-561 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
    LCI Flotilla 6
    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 and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 25 September 2009