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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-217


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Bravo - Zulu
 NVBZ
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) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 19 May 1944, at Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, DE.
  • Launched, 5 July 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-217, 4 August 1944, LT. Eugene J. Heisley USNR in command
  • During WWII USS LSM-217 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 4 to 12 January 1945

  • Following World War II USS LSM-217 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 28 September to 2 October 1945
  • Decommissioned, 2 May 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1946
  • USS LSM-217 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold, 22 October 1947, to Avondale Marine Ways, Inc., Westwego, LA., 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-217 56k Launching of LSM-217 at Dravo Shipbuilding Co, Wilmington DE., 5 July 1944 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LCM-217
    101421706    		 224k DRAVO badge commemorating the trial run of LSM-217, circa July 1944. Jonathan A Hinze for his father LTjg. Vernon A Hinze, USNR LSM-217
    LSM-217 212k LSM-216 and LSM-217 crew members on the ramp of USS LSM-217 while beached, probably in the Philippines, date unknown. Marcus Brandel
    LSM-217 184k
    LCM-217 49k USS LSM-217 in convoy from Manila to Japan about 26 September 1945. Ralph E. Robinson USS LSM-34
    Culebra Island 78k USS LSM-217 alongside USS Culebra Island (ARG-7). The outboard LSM is unidentified, date and place unknown. Photo by Vincent Cottrell Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    LCM-217
    101421705    		 337k LTjg. Vernon A Hinze, USNR with two crew members standing in front of the open bow door of USS LSM-217 in the Pacific theater, date and location unknown. LTjg. Hinze is on the right, on the left could possibly be Ed Brown, commanding officer. The man in the center is unidentified. onathan A Hinze for his father LTjg. Vernon A Hinze, USNR LSM-217
    The history extract for USS LSM-217 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT./LCDR. Heisley, Eugene J., USNR4 August 1944 - October 1945
    02LTjg Brown, Jr., William Edward (Ed), USNROctober 1945 - December 1945
    03LTjg. Hinze, Vernon, Arthur, USNRDecember 1945 - March 1946
    04LTjg. Cary, Paul V., USNRMarch 1946 - 2 May 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 6 October 2023