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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSIL-966
ex
 Medrick (AMCU-31) (1952 - 1954)
 USS LCI(L)-966 (1944 - 1952)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Whiskey - Kilo
 NYWK
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippine Liberation Medal (2)
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 6 March 1944, at Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, TX.
  • Launched, 23 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-966, 19 April 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-966 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 5 to 29 November 1944
    Ormoc Bay landing, 7 to 8 December 1944     		Manila Bay-Bicol operations;
    Nasughu, 31 January 1945
    Mariveles - Corregidor, 14 to 28 February 1945
    Luzon operation
    Mindoro landings, 12 to 18 December 1944     		Western New Guinea operations;
    Morotai landing, 15 September 1944
    Consolidation and capture of the southern Philippines;
    Visayan Island landing, 28 February 1945
    Mindanao Island landings, 12 to 13 July 1945 and 26 July 1945     		 

  • Following World War II USS LCI(L)-966 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    8 September to 16 December 19458 September to 16 December 1945

  • Decommissioned in March 1946
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Spring, FL.
  • Reclassified Landing Ship Infantry (Large) LSIL-966, 28 February 1949
  • Named Medrick and reclassified a Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) AMCU-31, 7 March 1952
  • Conversion to a Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) canceled, 1 July 1954
  • Reverted to LSIL-966, July 1954
  • USS LCI(L)-966 earned five battle stars for World War II service
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date 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
    LCI(L)-966 152k USS LCI(L)-966 loading 77th Division troops at Dulag, Leyte, 6 December 1944. LeRoy A. Olson
    LCI(L)-966 96k USS LCI(L)-966 landing 77th Division troops at Ormoc Bay, Leyte, Philippines, 7 December 1944. After the landing the attack group came under 10 hours of continuous air attack on the way back to Leyte Gulf. Photo from the USS LCI National Association's 2007 calendar, courtesy of Don Connell CSM and Don Gillig Sr. Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-966 70k A view from the con of USS LCI(L)-966 as the Mariveles, Bataan, Luzon landing force comes under fire from the heavy guns of Corregidor Island, 15 February 1945. Photo from the USS LCI National Association's 2005 calendar, courtesy of Frank Slatinshek Group 43 Commander. Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-977 89k USS LCI(L)-977 (forefront) along with USS LCI(L)-976 (center), and USS LCI(L)-966 (far left), landing regimental combat assault troops of the Americal Division at Dumagueete, Negros Island, Philippines, 26 April 1945.
    US Navy photo.    		 USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
    LCI(L)-966 55k USS LCI(L)-966 in Chinese waters, date and location unknown. LeRoy A Olson
    The history for USS LCI(L)-966 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
    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 Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) - (AMCU) / Coastal Minehunter (MHC) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 13 September 2019