Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.


NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-31


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Charlie - India
NVCI
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 (2)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)


LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 14 May 1944, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 6 June 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-31, 7 July 1944, LT. Cartyle J. Ehri USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-31 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
  • At Okinawa LSM Flotilla Three, CDR. W. F. Morrison USN (35);
    LSM Group Nine, LCDR. J. A. Moss USN (26);
    LSM Division Seventeen and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landing, 9 January 1945
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 26 April 1945

  • Following World War II USS LSM-31 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 11 to 25 September 1945
  • Decommissioned, 6 May 1946, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LSM-31 earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold, 16 January 1948, to Gunter & Zimmerman, Stockton, CA., fate unknown
    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-31 45k USS LSM-31 alongside USS Mississippi (BB-41) in the Philippines, circa 1944-45. Photo taken from USS LCI(L)-982. Photo courtesy Ken Adair Sr. Robert Morrissey
    LSM-31 59k USS LSM-31 under way, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-136/57/31 146k USS LSM-136, USS LSM-57 and USS LSM-31 probably approaching the beach at Okinawa, circa 1 April to 17 June 1945 Hyperwar US Navy in World War II
    LSM-31 128k USS LSM-31 crew photo, Yokosuka, Japan, late August 1945.
    Front Row kneeling, left to right; William Sanford (contributor), Walton, unk, Inglekey, Boss (cook), unk, Liptock
    Second Row standing left to right; Abbott (cook), Wheelan, "Outlaw", Epperson (Corpsman), Evans (Signalman), Collins (Quartermaster), Fleisehman (Yeoman). unk
    Back Row standing left to right; unk, unk, Garrity, with ball cap, (Storekeeper), unk, unk.
    Rick Goodwin for his father-in-laws BMCM William “Sandy” Sanford USN Ret. LSM-31
    LSM-31 67k USS LSM-31, USS LSM-187, USS LSM-186 and USS LSM-222 in a nest moored to a buoy, date and location unknown. Photo by ©Atlantic Fleet Sales Co., Norfolk, VA. USS LSM / LSMR Association

    The history extract for USS LSM-31 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Ehri, Cartyle J., USNR7 July 1944 - December 1945
    02LTjg. Ulrich, Frederick Paul, USNRDecember 1945 - 6 May 1946

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Commissioning Day Deck Log entries and Commissioning Crew Draft
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Back To the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Ship Medium (LSM) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last updated 1 March 2019