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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSIL-768
ex
 USS LCI(L)-768 (1944 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - Romeo - Sierra
 NQRS
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp)

USS LSIL-768 was transferred to France, designated L9037 later transferred to Iran named Hengam
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 22 May 1944, at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 15 June 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-768, 28 June 1944, LTjg. W. K. Karow, USNR in command (may 1945)
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-768 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LCI Flotilla Nineteen, LCDR. S J. Kelley, USNR;
     LCI Group Fifty-Six, (flagship) LTjg. C. M. Reese, USNR;
     LCI Division One Hundred Eleven and participated in the following campaigns;

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 28 April to 30 June 1945     		Minesweeping operations-Pacific
    Kochi-Shikoku (Honshu area), 8 to 16 September 1945
    Nagoya (Honshu area), 28 September to 11 October 1945

  • Following World War II USS LCI(L)-768 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East, 2 September to 16 December 1945
  • Decommissioned and laid up in Reserve
  • Reclassified Landing Ship Infantry Large LSIL-768, 28 February 1949
  • Transferred under terms of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program to France for use in French Indo-China, December 1953, redesignated L9037
  • Returned to US Naval custody in 1956
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-768 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Transferred to Iran, date unknown, named Hengam
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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
    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
    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
    USS LCI(L)-768
    LCI(L)-768
    1015076802    		 132k USS LCI(L)-768 retracting from the beach between June and August 1944, at Coronado Island, CA. while assigned to the Training Command Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet.
    Frame from a short film called "The LCI (L) Description and Employment" National Archives I.D. 13007, Local ID 80-MN-4308A, Dept. of the Navy. Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Naval Observatory.    		 David Upton
    Hengam
    LCI(L)-768 40k Ex-USS LCI(L)-768 in Iranian service as Hengam under way, circa 1963, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    The history for USS LCI(L)-768 / LSIL-768 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Karow, W. K., USNR24 June 1944 - ?
    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 David Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 27 October 2023