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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-323

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Oscar - Papa
 NJOP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom. left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive 6 June 1944)
Second Row - Coast Guard Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (4)
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

USS LCI(L)-323 was manned by the US Coast Guard
LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 21 December 1942, at Brown Shipbuilding Corp., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 22 January 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-323, 9 February 1943, LT. William H. E. Schroeder, USCGR in command
  • USS LCI(L)-323 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater, LCI Flotilla Four, Capt. M. E. Imlay, USCG in command, (Flotilla Ten at Normandy) and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North African occupation
    Tunisian operation, 1 June to 9 July 1943     		Salerno landings, 9 September 1943
    USS LCI(L)-323 arrived an 3 November 1943 in the United Kingdom
    for training in preparation for the Invasion of Normandy
    Sicilian occupation, 9 July 1943 Invasion of Normandy 6 to 17 June 1944
    USS LCI(L)-323 unloaded her troops on Utah Beach, 6 June 1944
    and thereafter acted as guide for cross channel craft until departing England
    5 October 1944 for Charleston, S.C. for repairs and overhaul.

  • USS LCI(L)-323 was reassigned to the Asiatic Pacific Theater and departed San Diego, 3 April 1945, for Okinawa
  • Upon reaching Okinawa on 28 May 1945 USS LCI(L)-323 was assigned to:
    LCI Flotilla Thirty-Five, CDR. H. J. Wuensch, USCG;
     LCI Group One Hundred Three, LCDR. B. A. Walliser, USCGR;
     LCI Division Two Hundred Six and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 29 May to 30 June 1945
    At Kerma Rhetto USS LCI(L)-323 acted as North Net Entrance Control Ship and occasionally was assigned to lay smoke coverage

  • USS LCI(L)-323 departed Okinawa 8 September 1945 for Wakayama, Japan for drydocking and then onward to New Orleans, LA. arriving 8 March 1946
  • Decommissioned, 15 April 1946, at New Orleans, LA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946
  • USS LCI(L)-323 earned five battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, Sold, 13 December 1946, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 236 t.(light), 264 t.(landing), 419 t.(loaded)
    Length 158' 5½"
    Beam 23' 3"
    Draft
    Light, 3'1½" mean
    Landing, 2' 8" forward, 4' 10" aft
    Loaded, 5' 4" forward, 5' 11" aft
    Speed
    16 kts (max.)
    14 kts maximum continuous
    Complement
    4 officers
    24 enlisted
    Troop Capacity
    6 officers
    182 enlisted
    Cargo Capacity 75 tons
    Armor 2" plastic splinter protection on gun turrets, conning tower and pilot house
    Endurance 4,000 miles at 12 kts, loaded, 500 miles at 15 knots; and 110 tons of fuel
    Armament
    five single 20mm guns, one bow mounted, one each port and starboard forward of wheelhouse, one each port and starboard aft of wheelhouse
    on some LCIs two .50 cal machine guns were added
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 860 Bbls
    lube oil 200 gal
    Propulsion
    two sets of 4 General Motors 6051 series 71 Diesel engines, 4 per shaft
    single General Motors Main reduction gears
    two Diesel-drive 30Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    twin variable pitch propellers, 2,320shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    LCI(L)-323 8k USS LCI(L)-323 Note shell hole in conning tower made by German 88 shell at Salerno, Italy, 9 September 1943. Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
    LCI(L)-323 175k Another view of USS LCI(L)-323's conning tower with shell hole made by German 88 shell at Salerno, Italy, 9 September 1943. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-323
    1015032307    		 138k USS LCI(L)-323 beached during Amphibious landing operations at Slapton Beach, Devon, England in preparation for invasion of Europe. U.S. Navy Communications Section signalmen contact landing craft approaching shore, 16 January 1944.
    From FLICKR, Harry Kidd - Photo by: CPU 11 & 8. U.S. Navy Photograph. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Local Identifier: 80-G-251846    		 John Spivey
    LCI(L)-323 40k USS LCI(L)-323 on the beach at Slapton Sands, England, date unknown.
    US National Archives image    		 Bill Brindley
    LCI(L)-323 72k USS LCI(L)-323 disembarking troops at Slapton Sands, England, date unknown.
    US National Archives image    		 Bill Brindley
    LCI(L)-323 109k USS LCI(L)-323 disembarking troops, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the USCG Historian's Office    		 Mike Green
    LCI(L)-323 40k LCMs pass USS LCI(L)-323 (at right, with a barrage balloon overhead) and an LCT off the invasion beaches, 6 June 1944. Photo taken by Combat Photo Unit Eight (CPU-8).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-252367, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    The history for USS LCI(L)-323 is from "The Coast Guard At War, Transports and Escorts, Volume II"
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Schroeder, William H. E., USCGR9 September 1943 - 16 December 1944
    02LT. Jones, Douglas B., USCGR16 December 1944 - 9 February 1945
    03LTjg. Lempgas, Theodore J., USCGR9 February 1945 - 6 October 1945
    04LTjg. Burns, Edward J., USCGR6 October 1945 - ?
    05LTjg. Roche, John D. Jr., USCGR? - 6 February 1946
    06LT. Rosenbloom, Raymond M., USCGR6 February 1946 - 15 April 1946
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 8 March 2024