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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-266

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Foxtrot - Tango
NVFT

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Iwo Jima)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:

Laid down, 31 May 1944, at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newark, N.J.

Launched, 3 July 1944

Commissioned USS LSM-266, 29 July 1944, LTjg. Walter H. Rutledge USNR in command

During WWII USS LSM-266 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LSM Flotilla Five, CDR. W. H. Carpenter USN (26);
LSM Group Thirteen, LCDR. T. F. Griswold USNR;
LSM Division Twenty-Six and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 16 March 1945

Following World War II USS was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 19 November to 1 December 1945

Decommissioned, 13 June 1946

Struck from the Naval Register in 1946

USS LSM-266 earned one battle star for World War II service

Final Disposition, sold, 19 November 1947, to Hugo Bros.Inc., New York, N.Y., 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

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
77k	USS LSM-266 off the port bow of *USS Texas* (BB-35) during the landings at Iwo Jima, February 1945. Photo was taken from USS Nevada (BB-36)*. US National Archives photo # 80-G-303866* a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
82k	USS LSM-266 beached on Green Beach at Iwo Jima, February 1945. US National Archives photo # 80-G-318047 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
132k	USS LSM-266 beached at the base of Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, 19 Feb 1945. Japanese snipers on Mount Surbachi had wounded drivers of the equipment disembarking. US Marine Corps photo.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
57k	USS LSM-266 and *LSM-261* beached at Iwo Jima, 15 February 1945.	James Tusing
70k	USS LSM-266 underway in San Francisco Bay, 1945-46. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 79861, courtesy D.M. McPherson, 1974.	USS LSM / LSMR Association

Commanding Officers
01	LTjg. Rutledge, Walter H., USNR	29 July 1944 - December 1945
02	LT. Blevins, Delmar Edge, USN	December 1945 - 13 June 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

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

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Last Updated 15 March 2024