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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCS(L)(3)-51


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Tango - Echo
 NVTE
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (Iwo Jima, Okinawa) - Presidential Unit Citation (16 April 1945, Okinawa)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
LCS(L)(3)-1 Class Landing Craft Support (Large)(Mark3):
  • Laid down, 15 June 1944, at Albina Engine and Machine Works Inc., Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 5 August 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCS(L)(3)-51, 16 September 1944, LTjg. Howell D. Chickering USNR in command
  • During WWII LCS(L)(3)-51 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LCS(L)(3) Flotilla Three, (flagship) CAPT. T.C. Aylward USN (23);
     LCS(L)(3) Group Seven, LCDR. F. P. Stone USNR;
     LCS(L)(3) Division Thirteen, and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 to 26February 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 25 March to 30 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS LCS(L)(3)-51 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    19 September to 8 December 19459 to 10 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, 1 November 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LCS(L)(3)-51 was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Sold to Copper River Packing , Seattle, WA., 22 September 1947
  • Registered in 1948 by the Copper River Packing Co. as the freighter Makaka homeported in Juneau, AK.
  • Registered in 1961 by the Calvert Corp., Cordova, AK.
  • Registered in 1963 by the San Juan Fishing & Packing Co., Seattle, WA., as the fishing vessel Makaka homeported in Juneau, AK.
  • Registered in 1975 by the New England Fishing Co., Juneau, AK.
  • Registered in 1989 by Seward Marine Services of Seward, AK. Homeported at Juneau, AK.
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 250 t (lt), 387 t (fl)
    Length 158' o.a.
    Beam 23' 8"
    Draft
    5' 8" limiting and max draft
    loaded, 4' 9" fwd, 6' 6" aft
    Speed
    14.4 trial
    16.5k max at 650 shaft rpm
    14.5kts at 585 shaft rpm
    Armor 10-lb STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning tower
    Complement
    6 Officers
    65 Enlisted
    Endurance 5,500 miles at 12kts at 45" pitch (350 tons dspl.)
    Fuel/Stores
    635 Bbls Diesel (76 tons)
    10 tons fresh water
    6 tons lubrication oil
    8 tons provisions and stores at full load
    Fresh Water Capacity distill up to 1,000 gals. per day
    Armament
    bow gun, one single 40mm gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four single 20mm AA gun mounts
    four .50 cal machine guns
    ten MK7 rocket launchers
    Propulsion
    2 quad packs of 4 General Motors 6051 series 71 Diesel engines per shaft, BHP 1,600
    single General Motors Main Reduction Gears
    2 Diesel-drive 60Kw 450V. A. C. Ships Service Generators
    twin variable pitch propellers
    Specifications Sources:
    Ships' Data U.S. Naval Vessels, Navships 250-012, April 15 1945
    Baker, A.D. III. Allied Landing Craft of World War II, Annapolis: United States Naval Institute Press, 1989. 47
    Lawley, George & Sons Corporation. Instructions for LCS(L)(3) Class
    Lawley, George & Sons Corporation. Original Plans of LCS(L)(3)
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS LCS(L)(3)-51
    LCS(L)(3)-51 11k LCS(L) Group Seven at Pearl Harbor prior to deployment to Iwo Jima, circa December 1944-January 1945. From left to right:
    USS LCS(L)(3)-35
    USS LCS(L)(3)-34
    USS LCS(L)(3)-51
    USS LCS(L)(3)-32
    USS LCS(L)(3)-56
    USS LCS(L)(3)-55
    USS LCS(L)(3)-33
    USS LCS(L)(3)-5?
    USS LCS(L)(3)-53
    and Group flag ship USS LCS(L)(3)-31.    		 Michael Hollis for his father LTjg. Jack D.Hollis, USS LCS(L)(3)-31 and LCS(L) Group Seven staff.
    LCS(L)(3)-51 24k LCS(L) Group Seven at Pearl Harbor prior to deployment to Iwo Jima, circa December 1944-January 1945. From left to right:
    USS LCS(L)(3)-51
    USS LCS(L)(3)-32
    USS LCS(L)(3)-56
    USS LCS(L)(3)-55
    USS LCS(L)(3)-33
    USS LCS(L)(3)-5?
    USS LCS(L)(3)-53
    and Group flag ship USS LCS(L)(3)-31.    		 Michael Hollis for his father LTjg. Jack D.Hollis, USS LCS(L)(3)-31 and LCS(L) Group Seven staff.
    LCS(L)(3)-51 33k USS LCS(L)(3)-51 at Iwo Jima during the invasion sometime in the later part of February 1945, In the background is USS LSM-202 beached. Michael Hollis, courtesy Louis Plant SM1/c LCS(L) Group Seven staff.
    LCS(L)(3)-51 124k USS LCS(L)(3)-51 port side showing damage caused by Kamikaze attack, 16 April 1945, while assigned radar picket duty on station 1 off Okinawa. Michael Hollis for his father LTjg. Jack D.Hollis, USS LCS(L)(3)-31 and LCS(L) Group Seven staff.
    LCS(L)-79 41k USS LCS(L)(3)-51, circa August 1945, is in the background along with USS LCS(L)(3)-79, at San Pedro Bay, Leyte Island, P.I. Photo donated to National Association of
    USS LCS(L) 1-130 by James B. Fleming ex CO LCS(L)3-79
    LCS(L)(3)-51 58k USS LCS(L)(3)-51, date and location unknown. National Association of
    USS LCS(L) 1-130
    Merchant Service
    LCS(L)(3)-51
    1005005106    		 139k Ex-USS LCS(L)(3)-51 in commercial service as FV Makaka moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    University of British Columbia Open Library    		 John Spivey
    The History of LCS(L)(3)-51 was provided by the National Association of USS LCS(L) 1-130
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Chickering, Howell D., USNR16 September 1944 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Other Crew Contact and Reunion Information
    National Association of USS LCS(L) 1-130
    Dennis Steenbergen, Secretary
    7345 W. Lakeside Drive, Littleton, CO, 80125
    Phone 303-470-1187
    E-mail Dennis Steenbergen
    Additional Web Sites of Interest
    National Association of USS LCS(L) 1-130
    Additional Resources
    Rielly, Robin L. Mighty Midgets at War: The Saga of the LCS(L) Ships from Iwo Jima to Vietnam. Central Point, Oregon: Hellgate Press, 2000. (ISBN 1-55571-522-2)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 15 December 2023