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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Lost to enemy action, 6 June 1944

USS LCI(L)-553


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Uniform - India
NFUI
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (6 June 1944, Normandy)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal


LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down in December 1943, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched in January 1944
  • Commissioned as USS LCI(L)-553, 15 January 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-553 was assigned to the Europe- Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 June 1944
  • Lost to enemy gun fire at Normandy, 6 June 1944
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-553 earned one battle star for World War II service
    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 Contributed
    By
    LCI(L)-553 88k USS LCI(L)-553 and USS LCI(L)-410 land troops on "Omaha" Beach, during the initial assault there on "D-Day", 6 June 1944. Photographed from the conning station of USS LCI(L)-412. USS LCI(L)-553, hit by two shells, was left a wreck on the beach on "D-Day".
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-421287, a US Navy Photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    US Naval Historical Center
    LCI(L)-553 107k USS LCI(L)-553 and USS LCI(L)-410 beached at Omaha Beach, Normandy, 6 June 1944. After landing her troops, LCI(L)-553 was unable to retract from the beach and was lost to German 88mm gun fire. The crew was forced to abandon ship and take cover on the beach.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-421288, a US Navy Photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
    Courtesy Robert M. Leach MoMM3/c USS LCI(L)-553 and the US Naval Historical Center
    LCI(L)-553 101k "D-Day" scene on "Omaha" Beach, 6 June 1944.
    USS LCI(L)-553, lost at this time, is partially visible in the left background. LCVP landing craft at left is from USS Samuel Chase (APA-26). Note the "Caution No Signal Left Drive" sign on the vehicle in lower right.
    US Army Signal Corps photo # SC 189899, a US Army Photo now in the US Army Signal Corps collections of the US National Archives.
    US Naval Historical Center

    The history for USS LCI(L)-553 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 13 September 2019