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-126


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Juliet - Romeo
NVJR
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 19 February 1945) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)


LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 29 January 1944, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 15 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-126, 28 April 1944, LT. George E. Stricker USNR in command
  • During WWII USS LSM-126 was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Five, CDR. W. H. Carpenter USN (26);
    LSM Group Fifteen, LCDR. A. H. Hall USNR;
    LSM Division Twenty-Nine and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February 1945

  • Following World War II USS LSM-126 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    4 to 23 September
    8 October to 2 November 1945

  • Decommissioned, 17 June 1946, at New Orleans, LA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LSM-126 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in October 1946, to A.G. Schoonmaker Inc., New York City, N.Y.
    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-127
    101412705
    186k Shipyard Newspaper "Produce to Win" article celebrating the keel laying of, LSM-126 and LSM-127 on 29 January 1944, the first LSMs to be built at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
    US Navy Photo
    Robert Hall
    LSM-126 151k LSM-126 and LSM-127 ready for launching at Navy Yard Charleston, Charleston, S.C., 15 March 1944. Robert Hall USS Tidewater (AD-31)
    LSM-126 55k USS LSM-126 (1 of a series of 6) underway in the harbor at Charleston S.C., circa April 1944. Note this photo and the next five appear to be LSM-126 undergoing acceptance trials at Charleston.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-126 42k USS LSM-126 (2 of a series of 6) running up on the beach at Charleston S.C., circa April 1944.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-126 53k USS LSM-126 (3 of a series of 6) opening her bow doors at Charleston S.C., circa April 1944.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-126 55k USS LSM-126 (4 of a series of 6) dropping her bow ramp at Charleston S.C., circa April 1944.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-126 64k USS LSM-126 (5 of a series of 6) with her bow ramp down on the beach at Charleston S.C., circa April 1944.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-126 76k USS LSM-126 (6 of a series of 6) looking over the bow ramp on the beach at Charleston S.C., circa April 1944.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-256 115k Aerial view of Little Creek Amphibious Base, 1 August 1944. Ships that can be identified are USS LSM-256, USS LSM-201,USS LSM-2, USS LSM-127, USS LSM-203, USS LSM-16, USS LSM-126, USS LSM-134 and USS LSM-144. The two LSTs are unidentified.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-145/206 128k USS LSM-145, USS LSM-206 and USS LSM-126 dash for the beach at Iwo Jima on H-Hour, 19 February 1945. The LSMs were landing the 5th Marine Amphibious Corps. Note Mount Suribachi in the background.
    USMC photo
    Tommy Trampp
    LSM-126 58k USS LSM-126 docked in USS AFD-3, off Samar, Leyte Gulf, P.I., circa 13 August 1945. Hugh L. Hudson, Jr., RM/2c, USS LSM-467, from the Collection of Howard Zeller, USS LSM-126
    LSM-126 761k USS LSM-126 underway, probably off Okinawa, date unknown. Photo by William Bohmert USS LSM-185

    The history extract for USS LSM-126 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Stricker, George Edward, USNR28 April 1944 - September 1945
    02LT. Cantrelle, Edwin W., USNRSeptember 1945 - 17 June 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    USS LSM-LSMR Association
    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 10 April 2020