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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Patches contributed by Jerry Patterson ENCS USN Ret.

Harbor Utility Craft - YFU-98
ex
 Landing Craft Utility - LCU-1615


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Papa - Oscar
 NJPO
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon - Presidential Unit Citation - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (8 March to 14 May 1965 Assault Craft Div. 11&13, Vietnam) - National Defense Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal (12)
Third Row - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation - Vietnam Campaign Medal
LCU-1610 Class Landing Craft Tank (Modified Version of LCT Mark 5)
  • Laid down in 1957 at Gunderson Bros., Portland, OR.
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Delivered in 1957 and placed in service as LCU-1615, date unknown
  • During the Vietnam war LCU-1615 participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    1 July 1966 to 31 May 1967     		Tet/69 Counteroffensive
    23 February to 8 June 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968     		Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 June to 31 October 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 1 April 1968     		Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    1 November 1969 to 30 April 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    2 April to 30 June 1968     		Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    1 May to 30 June 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    1 July to 1 November 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    1 July 1970 to 30 June 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    2 November 1968 to 22 February 1969     		Consolidation I
    1 July to 30 September 1971

  • Reclassified Harbor Utility Craft YFU-98, date unknown
  • Placed out of service, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target in 1986
  • LCU-1615 earned at least twelve campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 200 tons (lt.) 375 t.(fl)
    Length 134' 9"
    Beam 29'
    Draft 6' 1"
    Speed 11 kts
    Radar, navigation LN-66 or SPS-53, one band
    Range1200 miles at 8 kts
    Cargo Capacity 170 tons
    Complement 14 Enlisted
    Armament
    As Built - two single .50 cal machine guns
    Vietnam War era - two twin 20mm gun mounts
    Current - two 12.7mm machine gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity 3220 Gals Diesel
    Propulsion
    two Detroit 12V-71 Diesel engines
    two shafts (Kort nozzles) 1,000 bhp, 680hp sustained
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LCU-1618
    1018161502    		 265k Heavy equipment is off-loaded from LCU-1615 at Danang, South Vietnam, 10 April 1965, after US Marine Corps Battalion Landing Team 2/3 assault troops had landed.
    US National Archives Identifier 26382269, Marine Corps photo # A183917, by Sgt. Patchalor.    		 David Upton
    LCT-562 3504k From left to right; LCU-1615, YFU-55 and YFU-4 at the Tien Sha Ramp, Da Nang, South Vietnam, 1969. Photo by ©David A. Loggie / 1968 YFU-4.
    LCT-1615 927k From left to right; LCU-1615, YFU-55 and YFU-4 at the Tien Sha Ramp, Da Nang, South Vietnam, 1969. Photo by ©David A. Loggie / 1968 YFU-4.
    There is no history record for LCU-1615 / YFU-98 available at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    Brownwater Navy in Vietnam Web Book
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Tank (LCT) Photo Index Back To The Yard and District Craft Type Index Back To The Harbor Utility Craft (YFU) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 16 April 2021