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

Harbor Utility Craft - YFU-92
ex
 Landing Craft Utility - LCU-1620 (1959 - 1970)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Mike - Echo - Victor
 NMEV
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Dominican Republic (18APR65 - 21SEP66)
LCU-1610 Landing Craft Utility (Experimental):
  • Laid down, date unknown, at Southern Ship Building Co., Slidell LA.
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Delivered and placed in service in 1959
  • Converted to a Fire Support Training Vessel for COMTRAPAC in 1966, at San Clemente Island, CA.
  • Reconverted to Landing Craft Utility in 1968
  • Reclassified Harbor Utility Craft YFU-92 and transferred to Point Hueneme in 1970
  • Placed out of service, struck from the Naval Register and sold in 1972
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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 Source
    LCU-1620 37k LCU-1620 undergoing trials at San Diego, (date unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, December 1961 issue.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    LCU-1620
    1018162002    		 302k LCU-1620 underway 14 January 1963, location unknown. Fitted with vertical axis (cycloidal) pitch 500 horsepower propellers she is steered by shifting the direction of the thrust of both propellers simultaneously. In tests LCU-1620 stopped completely in three quarters of her length from a full speed of more than 11 knots. She turned a complete circle in still water in less than 10 seconds fully loaded. She retracted, turned around and came out over a sandbar bow on.
    US Naval Photographic Center Photo # USN 71122    		 David Wright
    LCU-1620 165k LCU-1620 is fitted with two vertical propellers and can stop in three-quarters of her length, from full speed or more than 11 knots, and can turn a complete circle in still water in less than 10 seconds.
    US Navy photos circa July 1963.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Tommy Trampp
    LCU-1620 74k
    There is no history for LCU-1620 / YFU-92 available at Navsource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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 1 April 2022