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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LCI(L)-963 / LSIL-963
AMCU-30 / MHC-30 Mallard

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 - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large) / AMCU-7 Class Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator): :
  • Laid down, 25 February 1944, at Consolidated Steel Corp, Shipbuilding Div., Orange, TX.
  • Launched, 20 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-963, 16 May 1944
  • During World War II LCI(L)-963 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:
  • Following World War II LCI(L)-963 performed occupation duty in the Far East from 8 September to 16 December 1945
  • Decommissioned in 1946
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Reclassified Landing Ship Infantry (Large) LSIL-962, 28 February 1949
  • Named Mallard and reclassified a Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) (AMCU-30), 7 March 1952 Converted to a Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) at Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S.C., 15 December 1953 to 15 June 1954
  • Mallard was never recommissioned
  • Reclassified a Coastal Minehunter (MHC-30), 1 February 1955
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 January 1960
  • Sold, 30 June 1960 to Randolph Mattson
  • Resold (date unknown) to Tropicana Products Co., La Ceiba, Honduras, named Abaco-Merchand
  • Fate unknown. fate unknown
  • Mallard as LCI(L)-963 earned four Battle stars for World War II service
    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
    Complement 4 Officers, 24 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations 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 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
    Armament five single 20mm guns two forward, one amidship, two aft, 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
    LSM-54/65/LCI-963 38k LSM-65, LSM-54 and LCI(L)-963 preparing to beach at Nasugbu, Luzon, P.I., 31 January 1945.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-K-3153 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history for LCI(L)-963 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
    Naval Minewarfare Association
    Association of Minemen
    Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) Photo Index Back To The Minewarfare Ship Type Index Back To The Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) - (AMCU) / Coastal Minehunter (MHC) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 4 February 2005