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NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

LCI(L) / LSI(L)-1098
Sparrow (AMCU 42)


LCI(L)-641 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large) / AMCU-7 Class Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator): Laid down, 4 October 1944 by the Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City, MI; Launched, 17 October 1944; Commissioned USS LCI(L)-1098, 23 October 1944; Decommissioned, 5 June 1946 at Green Cove Springs, FL; Reclassified a Landing Ship Infantry (Large) LSI(L)-1098, 28 February 1949; Named Sparrow and reclassified a Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) AMCU-41, 7 March 1952; Recommissioned USS Sparrow (AMCU 41), 23 October 1953; Reclassified a Coastal Minehunter MHC-41, 7 February 1955; Placed in commission, in reserve, 12 April 1955; Decommissioned, (date unknown); Struck from the Naval Register, 1 January 1960. Fate unknown.

LCI(L) Specifications: Displacement 216 t. (light), 234 t. (landing), 398 t. (loaded); Length 158'; Beam 23' 3"; Draft 3' (mean), 2' 8" forward, 4' 10" aft (landing); Speed 14 kts. (continuous), 16 kts. (max); Complement 23, 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 four single 20mm guns one forward, one amidship, two aft, later added two .50 cal. machine guns; Fuel Capacity, 130 tons, lube oil 200 gal.; Propulsion, two sets of four General Motors diesels, four per shaft, 1,600 bhp, twin variable pitch propellers.
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LCIL-1098 70k LCIL-1098. Radar blanked out by wartime censor's. Earl F. Swain
LCI Group 14
Flotilla 5 Staff

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships History: LCI(L)-1098 was laid down on 4 October 1944 by the Defoe Shipbuilding Co. at Bay City, Mich.; launched on 17 October 1944; and commissioned on 23 October 1944.

From Bay City, LCI(L)-1098 moved to Chicago, Ill.; then, on 2 November, she sailed down the Illinois Waterway into the Mississippi. She arrived in New Orleans, La., on 12 November and shifted to Galveston, Tex., two days later. LCI(L)1098 conducted shakedown training at Galveston until 6 December, when she got underway for the Canal Zone. She entered the canal on 13 December and departed Balboa, C.Z., two days later. She reached San Diego on 27 December and spent the first two months of 1945 in training and availability on the west coast.

On 11 March 1945, the landing craft headed west for duty in the western Pacific. She stopped at Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok Atoll before arriving at Guam on 8 April. She was assigned harbor patrol and escort duties in the Marianas on 25 April and remained so engaged until 16 December, when she sailed back toward the United States. LCI(L)-1098 stopped at Pearl Harbor from 28 December 1945 until 3 January 1946. She made San Diego on the 15th and remained there for almost a month. On 12 March, she departed San Diego, sailed via the Panama Canal for New Orleans, and arrived there on 2 April. On 5 June 1946 LCI(L)-1098 was placed out of commission, in reserve, and berthed at Green Cove Springs, Fla.

LCI(L)-1098 remained in reserve until October 1953. During this period, she changed designations twice. On 28 February 1949, she was redesignated a large infantry landing ship, LSI(L)-1098. LSI(L)1098 became a coastal minesweeper and was named Sparrow (AMCU-42) on 7 March 1952; then she moved to Charleston, S.C., for the actual conversion. Sparrow was commissioned at Charleston on 23 October 1953 and, a month and a day later, she reported to the Commandant, 3d Naval District, for duty. Over the next 18 months, Sparrow operated along the east coast of the United States, from Key West, Fla., to New London, Conn. On 7 February 1955, Sparrow was redesignated a coastal minehunter, MHC-42, and on 12 April, she was placed in commission, in reserve, at Charleston, S.C. In July 1958, Sparrow moved to Mayport, Fla.; and, on 1 January 1960, her name was struck from the Navy list.

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Naval Minewarfare Association
Association of Minemen

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