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USS LCI(G)-578
ex
 USS LCI(L)-578 (1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Bravo - Hotel
 NPBH
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (Ormoc Bay) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 22 February 1944, at New Jersey Ship Building Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, 18 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-578, 25 March 1944
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-578, 15 June 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(G)-578 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Western New Guinea operations
    Cape Sansapor operation, 31 July and 1 August 1944
    Morotai landings, 15 September 1944     		Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 19 to 29 November 1944
    Ormoc Bay landing 12 to 18 December 1944

  • Reverted to LCI(L)-578, 10 September 1945
  • Decommissioned, 22 March 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LCI(G)-578 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 13 November 1947
  • Registered in 1952 as a freight barge at Juneau, Alaska
  • Relocated to Wrangell, date unknown
  • Relocated to Sitka, date unknown
  • Out of documentation in 1984
  • 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
    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 gun mounts, 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 AA gun mounts
    four 20mm AA gun mounts
    six .50cal machine guns
    ten MK7 rocket launchers
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 860 Bbls
    lube oil 200 gal
    Propulsion
    two sets of 4 General Motors 6051 series 71 Diesel engines, 4 per shaft
    single General Motors Main reduction gears
    two Diesel-drive 30Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    twin variable pitch propellers, 2,320shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    LCI(L)-578 30k US Army troops disembark from USS LCI(G)-578 into deep water during the landing at Morotai, 15 September 1944.
    Photo courtesy of Jack Bland. Image is available from the Collection Database of the Australian War Memorial under the ID Number: 017591    		 Robert Hurst
    LCI(L)-613 68k USS LCI(L)-613, USS LCI(G)-578 and USS LCI(L)-686 of LCI Flotilla 15 landing troops of the 77th Division at Ormoc Bay, Leyte, P.I., 7 December 1944. As the convoy was reforming to return to Leyte Gulf, information was received that the Japanese were landing reinforcements 18 miles north of Ormoc. US planes attacked the Japanese convoy and Japanese planes attacked the Ormoc Attack Group. For the next 10 hours the Group came under continuous air attack. USS Mahon (DD-364) and USS Ward (APD-16) were lost to Kamikazes and USS Liddle (APD-60) and USS Lamson (DD-367) were severely damaged, and . USS LSM-318 was abandoned. Fifty-five planes were shot down over the convoy. US National LCI Association
    LCI(L)-578
    1015057802    		 38k USS LCI(G)-578 tied up alongside Booneville Dam, circa 1945.
    Bonneville Dam History (1932-1945) YouTube    		 Perry Van Schoiack
    The history for LCI(L)-578 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
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 10 November 2023