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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Landing Craft Utility
LCU-1617

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Oscar - November - Sierra
 NONS
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) 17 April 1969) - National Defense Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal (12)
Bottom Row - Southeast Asia Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Individual Awards

Dana B. Jensen EN3 - KIA, 17 April 1969
LCU-1610 Landing Craft Utility
  • Laid down, date unknown, at Gunderson Bros. Portland, OR.
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Delivered and placed in service in 1959
  • During the Vietnam War LCU-1617 was attached to the Lighterage Branch, Operations division, Naval Support Activity, DaNang, Republic of Vietnam and 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

  • Active in service in the Pacific area
  • LCU-1617 earned twelve campaign stars for service during the Vietnam War
  • Current Disposition, active in service assigned to Assault Craft Unit One (ACU-1), NAB Coronado, CA.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 200 t.(lt), 375 t.(fl)
    Length 134' 9"
    Beam 29'
    Draft 6' 1"
    Speed 11 kts.
    Complement 12 to 14 Enlisted
    Armament two .50 cal machine guns
    Propulsion four Detroit Diesel engines 1,000 bhp, (250 bhp each engine), two shafts
    Fuel Capacity 3220 gals
    Range 1,200 nm at eight knots
    US Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Bart A. Bauer.
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LCU-1617 271k LCU-1617 underway from Chu Lai to Danang, South Vietnam in 1966. Gerald Patterson ENCS USN Ret. LCU-1624
    LCU-1617 117k LCU-1617 taking on a load of fuel from USS Genesee (AOG-8) off Tan Mai, South Vietnam in 1966. LCU-1617 was fitted with a 10,000 gallon bladder in order to take on fuel from a tanker and transfer it ashore. Gerald Patterson ENCS USN Ret. LCU-1624
    LCU-1617 155k
    LCU-1617 151k
    LCU-1617 119k
    LCU-1617 141k LCU-1617 takes on a load of supplies to deliver to Cua Viet., South Vietnam, circa 1968.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, September 1968    		 Joe Radigan
    LCU-1617 72k LCU-1617 underway on the Perfume River in I Corp, South Vietnam, circa 1969. Joe Criscione
    LCU-1617 11k LCU-1617 underway on the Perfume River in I Corp, South Vietnam, date circa 1969. Joe Criscione
    LCU-1617 38k LCU-1617 underway on the Cua Viet River, South Vietnam, 1969 Photo by Joe Criscione
    LCU-1617 503k Loading a humvee onto LCU-1617, location unknown, circa 1997.
    US Navy photo by PH1 Charles P. Cavanaugh, FIC PAC.    		 .
    LCU-1617 52k LCU-1617 underway during amphibious exercises, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 .
    LCU-1617 672k LCU-1617 enters the well deck of amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) during onload-offload operations off the coast of Southern California. The LCU brought aboard 80 pallets of ammunition to assist in preparing Bonhomme Richard for a scheduled deployment.
    US Navy photo # 061127-N-8197M-017 Pacific Ocean (Nov. 27, 2006) by MC2 Dustin Mapson.    		 Navy Newsstand
    LCU-1617 312k LCU-1617 moored pierside at the Assault Craft Unit One pier at San Diego, CA., date unknown. Gerald Patterson ENCS USN Ret. LCU-1624
    LCT-1630 145k LCU-1630 (left) and LCU-1617 (right) lower their ramps on the beach at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado during a training exercise, 2 October 2008. LCUs from Beach Masters Unit (BMU) 1 and Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 1 participated in the exercise.
    US Navy photo # 081002-N-2832L-085 CORONADO (2 Oct 2008) by MC3 Mike Leporati.    		 Robert Hurst
    LCU-1617 132k LCU-1617 prepares to embark on the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD-18). The unit is embarked aboard New Orleans in support of operation Partnership of the Americas/Southern Exchange, combined amphibious exercise designed to enhance cooperative partnerships with maritime forces from Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, and Colombia, 3 July 2010.
    US Marine Corps photo # 100703-M-9093S-196 Pacific Ocean (July 3 2010), by Cpl Brian J. Slaght.    		 Robert Hurst
    There is no DANFS history record for LCU-1617 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 Forces Association
    Brown Water Navy Pages
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 20 December 2019