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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L) -554

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Uniform - Romeo
NFUR

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (Normandy, 6 June 1944) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (3) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal

USS LCI(L)-554 was transferred to the Soviet Union, redesignated Desantiye Suda DS-9

LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):

Laid down, 15 January 1944, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.

Launched, 11 February 1944

Commissioned USS LCI(L)-554, 16 February 1944, LTjg. E. B. Koehler USNR in command

During World War II USS LCI(L)-554 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater:
LCI Flotilla Eleven
LCI Group Thirty-Three and participated in the following campaigns;

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
Convoy UGS-38, 20 April 1944	Invasion of Southern France, 15 August to 16 September 1944
Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

USS LCI(L)-554 was decommissioned and transferred as part of Project Hula to the Soviet Union at Cold Bay, AK., 29 July 1945, designated Soviet Landing Ship Desantiye Suda DS-9

Ex-USS LCI(L)-554 (Soviet Navy Desantiye Suda DS-9) participated in the Soviet invasion of the Japanese Kuril Islands 18 August 1945

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

USS LCI(L)-554 earned three battle stars for World War II service

Final Disposition, destroyed during the Soviet invasion of the Japanese Kuril Islands, 18 August 1945

Specifications:
Displacement 246 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 kts; and 110 tons of fuel

LCI(L) 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

130 tons Diesel

200 gal. lube oil

Propulsion

two sets of 4 GM Diesels, 4 per shaft, BHP 1,600

twin variable pitch propellers

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS LCI(L)-554
1015055406 TL 116680821	284k	USS LCI(L)-554 beached in the background at Normandy, D-Day plus 2 (8 June 1944), while German POWs wade out to waiting LCVPs to take them to another location, TimeLife_image_116680821 by Life Magazine photographer Frank Scherschel. For personal non-commercial use only. TimeLife_image_116680820 by Life Magazine photographer Frank Scherschel. For personal non-commercial use only. TimeLife_image_116680822 by Life Magazine photographer Frank Scherschel. For personal non-commercial use only.	David Upton
1015055404 TL 116680820	307k
1015055405 TL 116680822	647k
	55k	USS LCI(L) 554 at Omaha Beach, Normandy, D-Day plus 2 (8 June 1944) USS LCI(L)-554 made several landings on Omaha on D-Day and in the days after. German prisoners of war are being brought out to landing craft. This photo was originally published in the 26 June 1944 issue of LIFE magazine. ©Frank Scherschel/Timepix.	Photo purchased from Time/Life by Derek May and submitted to honor his father, Wesley May, S1C, LCI(L) 554
	66k
	5567k	USS LCI(L)-554 off Omaha Beach, 10 June 1944. This was the only time *LCI(L)-554* (background) and USS LCI(L)-219 crossed paths, according to reports. On D-Day, *LCI(L)-554, under the command of LTjg. E.B. Koehler and following LTjg. Brinker of LCT-30, courageously maneuvered through a deadly field of obstacles and various underwater hazards (including mines) under intense enemy fire. Many of the obstacles were other vessels from the convoy that had already been destroyed by the same Nazi weapons now trained on him. Sadly, this soon included LCT-30. LCI(L)-554* delivered 200 officers and men of the 1st Battalion Headquarters and Company D, 115th Infantry to Omaha Beach in one piece and effectively reopened that section of beach for the remainder for the convoy. *LCI(L)-554* remained off Normandy until the morning of 10 June, when she returned to England. During this three-day period, *LCI(L)-554* made six landings, putting over 1800 troops ashore and returning 39 wounded from the beaches, surviving Neptune without a scratch.	Brian Miller
Desantiye Suda DS-9
	107k	Former Soviet Landing Craft (Desantiye Suda) *DS-9* (ex-USS LCI(L) 554 burned out beached and abandoned on Shumshu Island in the Kuril Islands. Soviet Marines landed on Shumshu Island, 18 August 1945. Japanese coastal artillery destroyed five LCI(L)s including *DS-9* (ex-USS LCI(L)-554, it appears that most of the crew of *DS-9* may have been killed in this action.	Derek May and submitted to honor his father, Wesley May, S1C, LCI(L) 554

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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
After Action Report of Operations at Normandy
USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association

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This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 27 August 2021