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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(G)-726
ex
 USS LCI(L)-726 (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Foxtrot - November
 NFFN
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (15 June 1944, Saipan)
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal (1)
Individual Awards

Purple Heart (2 KIA, 7 WIA, 15 June 1944, Saipan)
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 5 November 1943, at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 17 December 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-726, 31 December 1943
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-726, 15 June 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(G)-726 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater LCI(G) Flotilla 3 and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan 15 June to 28 July 1944     		Consolidation and capture of Southern Philippines
    Visayan Island landings, 15 June to 28 July 1944
    Tinian capture and occupation
    24 to 28 July 1944     		Western Caroline Islands operation;
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944

  • Following World War II LCI(G)-726 performed occupation duty in the Far East from 2 September to 1 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown)
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 3 May 1948
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LCI(G)-726 received four battle stars in addition to the Navy Unit Commendation as a member of LCI(G) Flotilla 3 (31 January to 28 July 1944) for Occupation of Kwajalein and Eniwetok Atolls in the Marshall Islands and Capture and occupation of Saipan, Guam and Tinian in the Marianas
    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 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 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 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)-726 93k USS LCI(G)-726 underway enroute to Okinawa from Pearl Harbor in late-February 1945. Photo taken from USS LCI(R)-785. The family of Leonard Lyn Greisz, EM2/c, USS LCI( R)-785.
    LCI(L)-725 69k USS LCI(G)-726 and USS LCI(G)-725 provide fire support for landing craft forming up for assault waves on Saipan, 15 June 1944. Two crew members of USS LCI(G)-726 were killed and several wounded by enemy fire in this action. Photo courtesy Tom Moody RM3/c LCI(G)-726
    LCI(L)-726 226k USS LCI(G)-726 using a sail to return to the States faster. Photo from the LCI National Association's Newsletter "The Elsie Item", June 1996 issue. Ardie Hunt
    The history for USS LCI(L)-726 / LCI(G)-726 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
    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
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 19 September 2008