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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-38


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Charlie - Whiskey
 NVCW
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 (5) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
Individual Awards

Silver Star -LT. Harry S Hooper, Leyte Gulf
Purple Heart LT. Harry S Hooper at Zamboanga
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 21 May 1944, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched 14 June, 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-38, 20 July 1944, LT. Harry S. Hooper USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-38 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Ormoc Bay landings, 11 to 13 December 1944    		 Consolidation of the southern Philippines
    Sulu Archipelago landings, 2 to 4 April 1945 and 9 to 11 April 1945
    Manila Bay-Bicol operations
    Mariveles-Corregidor, 14 to 28 February 1945    		 Borneo operations
    Balikpapan operations, 26 June to 6 July 1945
    Luzon operation
    Mindanao Island landings, 10 March 1945    		  

    USS LSM-38 participated in the rescue of survivors of USS Reid (DD-369) in the Battle of the Leyte Gulf. Reid was sunk in less than two minutes after Kamikaze attacks. The survivors were being strafed in the water by Japanese aircraft. LSM-38 (along with other LSM's) were directed to pick up the survivors of the USS Reid during the strafing. The then (LT Harry S. Hooper) was awarded the Silver Star for heroism in the rescue of survivors during the intense Japanese attack.
    USS LSM-38 was also the first landing ship to beach on Corregidor fulfilling General Douglas Mc Arthur's promise of "I shall return".
    LT Hooper was wounded by Japanese mortar fire at Zamboanga sustaining a broken back and legs for which he was in a body cast for several weeks, before being shipped home to San Diego, CA. He spent the remainder of the War recovering from those wounds.
  • Following World War II USS LSM-38 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 7 October to 16 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 1 October 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LSM-38 earned five battle stars for World War II service
  • Sold, 18 May 1948, to Jefferson Boat & Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN, for conversion to a barge
  • Final Disposition, 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-52 70k USS LSM-38 and USS LSM-52 beached at Corregidor Island, Philippines, 17 February 1945. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-38 46k USS LSM-38 beached, date and location unknown. Eugene Campbell to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-267 95k USS LSM-267, USS LSM-42 and USS LSM-38 beached at Morotai, Dutch East Indies, 16 June 1945 Robert Benner to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-38 37k USS LSM-38 beached at Morotai, 21 June 1945. Members of the Australian 2/6 Field Regiment building a ramp of sandbags between LSM-38 and the shore at Red Beach. Units of the Australian 7 Division assembled at embarkation areas on Morotai for embarking on transports and landing craft for "OBOE II", the landing at Brunei Bay, Borneo, in June 1945. Australian War Memorial
    LSM-375 128k USS LSM-38 and USS LSM-375 beached, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history extract for USS LSM-38 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Hooper, Harry S., USNR20 July 1944 - 21 March 1945
    02LT. Seitz, Harry A., USNR21 March 1945 - December 1945
    03LTjg. Taylor, George S., USNRMarch 1945 - March 1946
    04ENS. Gleason, John F. R., USNRMarch 1946 - August 1946
    05ENS. Barnes, Robert John, USN (USNA 1946)August 1946 - 1 October 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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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