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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Osage (LSV-3)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Zulu - Bravo
 NEZB
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
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Osage Class Mine Layer
  • Laid down as the Net Layer (AN-3), 1 June 1942, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp, Pascagoula MS.
  • Reclassified Transport (AP-108), 1 May 1943
  • Launched, 30 June 1943
  • Reclassified Vehicle Landing Ship (LSV-3), 21 April 1944
  • Fitting out completed at Tampa Shipbuilding Corp., Tampa, FL.
  • Commissioned USS Osage (LSV-3), 30 December 1944, CAPT. Harry H. Keith in command
  • During World War II USS Osage was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 11 to 15 April 1945

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

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    4 to 14 October 194526 November to 3 December 1945

  • Decommissioned, 16 May 1947, at Orange, TX.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange, TX.
  • Reclassified Mine Countermeasures Support Ship (MSC-3), 7 February 1955
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1961
  • USS Osage earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 1 September 1961
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 11 December 1974, to Luria Brothers and Co., Inc., Cleveland, OH., for $312,000.00 (PD-X-988 dated 31 October 1974) Maritime Commission contract MA-7643, withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet, , 6 January 1975
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,626 t(lt)
    Length 458'
    Beam 60' 2"
    Draft 20'
    Speed 21 kts.
    Complement 458
    Troop Capacity
    122 Officers
    1236 Enlisted
    Boats
    19 LVT or 29 DUKW
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts, forward (moved aft to replace the 5"/38 cal twin mount)
    one twin 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, aft (removed)
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts (superstructure port and starboard sponsons 40mm gun mounts - moved forward to replace single 5'/38 cal gun mount)
    twenty single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion
    four Combustion Engineering 2-drum boilers
    two General Electric Geared turbines
    two propellers, 11,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Osage 126k USS Osage (LSV-3) under construction at the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS., 20 July 1943, less than a month after her launching. Although she had been reclassified as a transport (AP) while on the ways she is still displaying her netlaying bow.
    US National Archives photo from record group RG-19-LCM, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Osage 106k USS Osage (LSV-3) under construction at the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corps., Pascagoula, MS., 10 January 1944. The shipyard has begun to modify the ship from a netlayer to a transport by raising the hull sides at the stern.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-111702 (RG-19-LCM), a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Osage 533k USS Osage (LSV-3) fitting out at the Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, FL., progress photo, date unknown. The modified stern is complete, although the ramp has not yet been fitted. At this time the ship had both its original armament of 4-5"/38 (including the twin mount seen here) and two pairs of Welin davits. The armament was reduced and redistributed before completion because of concerns over stability.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-69091 (RG-19-LCM), a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Osage
    10170309    		 682k USS Osage (LSV-3) fitting out at the Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, FL., 5 July 1944 progress photo. The original armament of 4-5"/38 including the twin mount have been replaced.
    Tampa Shipbuilding Corp. photo.    		 Rick Davis
    Osage
    10170310    		 468k USS Osage (LSV-3) fitting out at the Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, FL., 5 July 1944 progress photo.
    Tampa Shipbuilding Corp. photo 1596.    		 Rick Davis
    Osage
    10170307    		 227k USS Osage (LSV-3) near her conversion yard at Tampa, FL., 10 January 1945. The ship was modified in the late stages of conversion to accommodate two Welin boat davits on each side. As weight compensation, the twin 5"/38 mount aft was removed, the superfiring 5"/38 single mount forward was moved aft, and the two twin 40 mm mounts in sponsons on the side of the superstructure were moved to the superfiring position forward of the bridge.
    Same as US National Archives photo # 19-N-81151 (RG-19-LCM), a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Osage
    10170308    		 326k USS Osage (LSV-3) off Tampa, Florida, 10 January 1945. Note her odd bow. Intended to aid in her originally planned mission of netlaying.
    Same as US National Archives photo # 19-N-81155 (RG-19-LCM), a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Rick Davis
    Osage
    10170311    		 232k USS Osage (LSV-3) off Tampa, Florida, 10 January 1945, during acceptance trials.
    Tampa Shipbuilding Corp. photos.    		 Rick Davis
    Osage
    10170312    		 184k
    Osage
    10170313    		 429k
    Osage 32k USS Osage (LSV-3) at anchor, date and location unknown. Her camouflage is Measure 31 Design 18L. Hyperwar US Navy in World War II web site
    Osage 25k USS Osage (LSV-3) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Joe Radigan, MACM USN Ret
    Osage 39k USS Osage (LSV-3) underway, date and location unknown. Her camouflage is Measure 31 Design 18L
    US Navy photo    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Osage (LSV-3)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Keith, Harry H. USN (USNA 1923)30 December 1944 - 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Association of Minemen
    Minewarfare Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Mine Warfare Ship Type Index Back To The Net Laying Ship (AN) Photo Index Back To The Transport (AP) Photo Index Back To The Landing Ship Vehicle (LSV) Photo Index Back To The Mine Countermeasures Support Ship (MCS) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 13 November 2020