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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

LCU-653
ex
 LSU-653 (1949 - 1952)
 LCT(6)-653 (1944 - 1949)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 6 June 1944, Normandy) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Landing Craft Tank (Mark 6):
  • Laid down, 16 January 1944, at Bison Shipbuilding Corp, North Tonawanda, N.Y.
  • Launched, 1 February 1944
  • Delivered 4 February 1944
  • Placed in service, date unknown
  • During World War II LCT(6)-653 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign as a unit of Task Group 124.5:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Invasion of Normandy 6 to 25 June 1944

  • Redesignated Landing Ship Utility LSU-653 in 1949
  • Redesignated Landing Craft Utility LCU-653, 15 April 1952
  • Placed out of service, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • LCT(6)-653 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 143 to 160 t.(lt), 309 to 320 t.(fl)
    Length 119' 1" (ovl.)
    Beam 32' 8"
    Draft
    limiting 3' 9"
    maximum navigation 5'
    Speed 10 kts.
    Range 700 nautical miles at 7 kts.
    Complement
    1 officer
    12 enlisted
    Cargo Capacity 150 short tons
    Armament
    two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    four .50 cal. machine guns
    Armor
    wheelhouse 20lbs
    gun shields 10lbs
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 80 Bbls
    Propulsion
    three Grey Marine 6-71 Diesel engines
    two Diesel-drive 10Kw 120V. D.C. Ships' Service Generators
    three propellers, 675shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LCT-653 62k LCT(6)-653 loading troops and equipment in an English port prior to the Normandy invasion, circa early June 1944. Yu Chu
    Peleliu 81k LCU-653 passes USS Peleliu (LHA-5) during amphibious exercises with units of Assault Craft Unit One ACU-1, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1982    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    There is no history available for LCT(6)-653 / LSU-653 / LCU-653 at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The World War II LCT Flotillas
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Tank (LCT) 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 June 2019