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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-256


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Echo - Yankee
NVEY
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - 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



USS LSM-256 was transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy, redesignated ROCS LSM-341
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 24 February 1944, at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newark, N.J.
  • Launched, 22 April 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-256, 27 May 1944, LTjg. Joseph R. Gilmore USNR in command
  • During WWII USS LSM-256 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla One, LCDR. H. B. Taliaferro USN (28):
    LSM Group One, LCDR. F. L. O'Leary USNR;
    LSM Division One and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 30 May to 30 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS LSM-256 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal

    China Service Medal (extended)
    11 to 25 September 194522 May to 3 September 1946
    7 October to 22 November 1945 
    18 to 21 March 1946 

  • Decommissioned, 3 September 1946, at Shanghai, China, transferred the same day to the Republic of China
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LSM-256 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Eluded Communist Chinese capture in October 1949 and escaped to Taiwan, redesignated ROCS LSM-341
  • Final Disposition, sunk, 16 June 1969, after colliding with the merchant ship Ta Tung in a dense fog
    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-256 108k USS LSM-256 entering the well deck of USS Casa Grande (LSD-13), in the Chesapeake Bay, 20 June 1944.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-256 148k USS LSM-256 in the well deck of USS Casa Grande (LSD-13), in the Chesapeake Bay, 20 June 1944.
    US Navy photo.
    Bill Brinkley and the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-256 906k Aerial photo of USS LSM-256 at the pier at White Beach Okinawa, 17 June 1945.
    US Navy photo.
    Donn Cuson
    LSM-137 316k USS LSM-137 at Cebu, P.I., to transport the Americal division to Yokohama, Japan 30 August 1945. In the background are; USS LSM-256, USS LSM-107, USS LSM-177, USS LSM-212, USS LSM-83, USS LSM-82, USS LSM-134, USS LSM-4, and USS LSM-17, Photo was taken from USS LSM-186 Photo by Ken Roberts Engineering Officer USS LSM-186
    LSM-256 70k USS LSM-256 moored at either Saipan or Guam, Christmas 1945. R.L. Petry
    Photo Courtesy Jim Tusing LSM-372,
    Editor "Alligator Alley" The Newsletter
    of the USS LSM - LSMR Association
    LSM-256 115k Aerial view of Little Creek Amphibious Base, 1 August 1944. Ships present include; USS LSM-256 at the bottom of the photo. Other ships that are identified and marked are 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

    The history extract for USS LSM-256 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Gilmore, Joseph R., USNR27 May 1944 - 9 August 1945
    02LTjg. Clymer, Everett S., USNR9 August 1945 - December 1945
    03LTjg. Kroft, David G., USNRDecember 1945 - June 1946
    04ENS. Morrill, Stephen A., USNRJune 1946 - 3 September 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

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

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    Last Updated 10 February 2023