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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(G)-579
ex
 USS LCI(L)-579 (1944 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Bravo - Kilo
 NPBK
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippine Liberation Medal (2)
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 23 February 1944, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, 21 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-579, 27 March 1944
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-579, 15 July 1945
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-579 / LCI(G)-579 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Western New Guinea operations
    Cape Sansapor operation, 31 July and 1 August 1944
    Morotai landings, 15 September 1944     		Luzon operation
    Mindoro landings, 12 to 18 December 1944
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 19 to 29 November 1944
    Ormoc Bay landing, 7 and 8 December 1944     		Consolidation of the Southern Philippines
    Visayan Island landings, 18 March to 1 April 1945

  • Classification reverted to Landing Craft Infantry (Large) LCI(L)-579, 10 September 1945
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 13 December 1946
  • USS LCI(L)-579 / LCI(G)-579 earned four battle stars for World War II service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 15 July 1947
  • Sold in 1949 to Yellowknife Transportation Co. Ltd., Edmonton AB,, named MV Yellowknife Expeditor, reflagged Canada
  • Rebuilt in 1957 by Victoria Machinery Depot at Hay River NWT
  • Sold in 1965 to Booth Leasing of Canada Ltd., Toronto ON.
  • In 1966 she was again owned by Yellowknife Transportation Co. Ltd., Edmonton AB.
  • Sold in 1976 to Northern Transportation Co. Ltd., Edmonton AB.
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1976 in Northwest Territory.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 216 t.(light), 234 t.(landing); 389 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
    3 Officers
    21 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
    four single 20mm guns one forward, one amidship, two aft
    two .50cal machine guns
    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 General Motors Diesel engines, 4 per shaft, BHP 1,600
    twin variable pitch propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS LCI(G)-579
    LCI(G)-579 69k USS LCI(G) 579 Engine room main control panel. Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", June 2006 issue, courtesy of Bob McGhee, USS LCI 579 Ardie Hunt
    Merchant Service
    LCI(G)-579
    1015057902    		 37k Yellowknife Transportation Co. Ltd.'s MV Yellowknife Expeditor (ex-USS LCI(G) 579) moored to a jetty, date and location unknown.
    The Nauticapedia - NWT Archives/Henry Busse fonds/N-1979-052: 0648    		 John Spivey
    The history for LCI(L)-579 / LCI(G)-579 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 by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 6 January 2023