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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LC(FF)-618
ex
 USS LCI(L)-618 (1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - India - Kilo
 NPIK
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal (1)
LCI(L)-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 24 April 1944, at New Jersey Ship Building Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, 19 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-618, 27 May 1944
  • USS LCI(L)-618 was redesignated Landing Craft (Flotilla Flagship) LC(FF)-618 in 1944
  • During World War II USS LC(FF)-618 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, LCI Flotilla 22, and served primarily as flotilla flagship, CDR Marion M. Byrd, USN, in command; LC(FF)-618 participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 4 to 18 January 1944     		Consolidation and capture of the southern Philippines
    Mindanao Island landings, 17 to 23 April 1945
  • Following World War II, USS LC(FF-618) performed occupation duty in the Far East including China Service, from 12 September to 9 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, 14 May 1946, at Charleston, S.C.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, 15 January 1948
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LC(FF)-618 earned two battle stars for World War II service.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 236 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
    Complement 4 officers, 24 enlisted
    Troop Capacity 6 Officers, 182 Enlisted;
    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 knots; 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
    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)-618 213k USS LC(FF)-618 moored pierside at Tientsen, China, preparing to take on a load of civilians for transportation elsewhere, 29 September 1945.
    Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter, "The Elsie Item", November 2009 issue.    		 Ardie Hunt
    The history for USS LCI(L)-618 / LC(FF)-618 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    Extracts from the Log of USS LCI(L) 618
    View the history of LCI Flotilla 22
    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 and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 12 March 2010