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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-26


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Bravo - Yankee
 NVBY
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 30 April 1944, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 21 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-26, 27 June 1944, LT. Jack O. Karlberg, USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-26 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Three, CDR. W. F. Morrison USN (35);
    LSM Group Seven, LCDR. C. A. Lamborn USNR;
    LSM Division Fourteen and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 17 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS LSM-26 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 17 October 1945 to 28 February 1947
  • Decommissioned, 28 February 1947, at Sasebo, Japan
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LSM-26 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, stripped and scuttled, 24 March 1947
    Specifications:
    Displacement 520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
    Length 203' 6" (ovl)
    Beam 34' 6"
    Draft
    light, 3' 6" forward, 7' 8" aft
    fully loaded, 6' 4" forward, 8' 3" aft
    Speed 13.2 kts. (max.), (928 tons displacement)
    Complement
    5 officers
    54 enlisted
    Armament
    one twin bow mounted 40mm gun
    four single 20mm gun mounts
    Vehicle/Boat Capacity 5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVT's, or 9 DUKW's
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,225 Bbls
    Troop Accommodations
    2 officers
    46 enlisted
    Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station
    Endurance 4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement)
    Propulsion
    two Fairbanks Morse (model 38D81/8X10, reversible with hydraulic clutch) Diesel engines, direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
     one Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
    twin propellers, 2,800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LSM-56/26 34k USS LSM-26 and USS LSM-56 beached at Okinawa in April 1945. Bill Brinkley and the USS LSM/LSMR Association
    LSM-26 49k USS LSM-87, USS LSM-135 and USS LSM-26 beached at Ie Shima, early May 1945. Charles Bawman to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-22 69k USS LSM-26 and USS LSM-22 beached at Talomo, Mindanao, P.I., May 1945. Gorden Bores, to the LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-7 96k USS LSM-7 and USS LSM-26 moored, date and location unknown. Jack Brooks to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-26 49k USS LSM-26 in Leyte Gulf, P.I., July 1945. Victor Kierman to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-50 51k USS LSM-26's stern is just visible at the far right in this photo of LSM-50 and LSM-259 and an unidentified LSM beached probably in the Philippines, date and place unknown. Note the local population going about their business on the beach oblivious to the US Navy's presence. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-26 179k USS LSM-26 and USS LSM-294 beached, date and location unknown William Palmer for his father Nicholas Palmer USS LSM-443
    The history extract for LSM-26 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Karlberg, Jack O., USNR27 June 1944 - July 1944
    02LT. Steinharter, Robert Bernard, USNRJuly 1944 - February 1945
    03ENS. Stevens, Clifford, USNFebruary 1945 - August 1945
    04LTjg. McMillen Jr., Clark A., USNRAugust 1945 - March 1946
    05LTjg. Cooke, John F., USNRMarch 1946 - May 1946
    06ENS. Vedder, Fred J., USNRMay 1946 - June 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    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 Ship Medium (LSM) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 27 April 2018