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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(M)-353
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USS LCI(G)-353 (1944 - 1945)
USS LCI(L)-353 (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Xray - Papa
NHXP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)


LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 30 March 1943, at George Lawley & Sons Shipbuilding Corp., Neponset, MA.
  • Launched, 30 April 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-353, 26 May 1943
  • Redesignated Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-353, 31 December 1944
  • Redesignated Landing Craft Infantry (Mortar) LCI(M)-353, 30 April 1945
  • During World War II USS LCI(G)-353 / LCI(M)-353 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March to 14 June 1945
  • Following World War II USS LCI(M)-353 performed occupation duty in the Far East from 19 November 1945 to 10 April 1946
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, sold 22 November 1946, fate unknown
  • USS LCI(G)-353 / LCI(M)-353 earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 246 t.(light), 264 t. (landing), 419 t.(loaded)
    Length 158' 5 1/2"
    Beam 23' 3"
    Draft Light 3'1½" mean, Landing, 2' 8" forward, 4' 10"aft, Loaded, 5' 4" forward 5' 11" aft
    Speed 16 kts (max.), 14 kts maximum continuous
    LCI(L) Complement 4 Officers, 24 Enlisted
    LCI(G) Complement 5 Officers, 65 Enlisted
    LCI(M) Complement 4 Officers, 49 Enlisted
    LCI(L) Troop Capacity 6 Officers, 182 Enlisted
    LCI(L) 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 kts; and 110 tons of fuel
    LCI(L) Armament five single 20mm guns, one bow mounted, one each port and starboard forward of wheelhouse, one each port and starboard aft of wheelhouse, on some LCIs two .50 cal machine guns were added
    LCI(G) Armament two 40mm guns, four 20mm guns, six .50 cal machine guns, 10 MK7 rocket launchers
    LCI(M) Armament one single 40mm gun, forward, four 20mm guns, three 4.2mm chemical mortars mounted in three 4ft x 4ft wooden walled 2" x 6" high sand boxes on the well deck with the three tripod mortar tubes in position to fire forward over the bow, No. 2 Troop Compartment (under well deck) converted to a magazine
    Fuel Capacity 130 tons, lube oil 200 gal.
    Propulsion two sets of 4 GM diesels, 4 per shaft, BHP 1,600, twin variable pitch propellers

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    LCI(L)-355 359k USS LCI(G)-353 (left) and USS LCI(G)-355 (center) maneuvering during amphibious exercises at Maui prior to the Iwo Jima operation. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-674/353 24k USS LCI(M)-353 and USS LCI(M)-674 moored pierside at Taura, Japan. December 1945. Pete Bolinger USS LCI(M)-674 August 1945 to 15 August 1946 and USS LSM-111 November 1944 to Spring 1945

    The history for USS LCI(L)-353 / LCI(G)-353 / LCI(M)-353 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association

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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 28 August 2009