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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-60


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Echo - Papa
NVEP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive-Iwo Jima, 19 Feb.-16 Mar. 1945)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal


LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 7 July 1944, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 29 July 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-60, 25 August 1944, LT. William W. Doar USNR in command
  • During WWII USS LSM-60 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Five, CDR. W. H. Carpenter USN (26);
    LSM Group Fourteen, LCDR. A. E. Lind USNR;
    LSM Division Twenty-Seven and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February 16 March 1945

  • USS LSM-60 was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.1.1 (Technical Group - BAKER surface vessel for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Decommissioned, 19 August 1946
  • USS LSM-60 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, obliterated, 25 July 1946, at Bikini Atoll during "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker
    Specifications:
    Displacement 520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
    Length 203' 6" (ovl)
    Beam 34' 6"
    Draft
    light, 3' 6" forward, 7' 8" aft
    fully loaded, 6' 4" forward, 8' 3" aft
    Speed 13.2 kts. (max.), (928 tons displacement)
    Complement
    5 officers
    54 enlisted
    Armament
    one twin bow mounted 40mm gun
    four single 20mm gun mounts
    Vehicle/Boat Capacity 5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVT's, or 9 DUKW's
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,225 Bbls
    Troop Accommodations
    2 officers
    46 enlisted
    Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station
    Endurance 4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement)
    Propulsion
    two Fairbanks Morse (model 38D81/8X10, reversible with hydraulic clutch) Diesel engines, direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm
    Ship's Service Generators
    two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
    one Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
    twin propellers, 2,800shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LSM-60
    101406008
    414k USS LSM-60 and USS SC-1374 with other ships of the invasion fleet off Iwo Jima, to the right in the photograph. This image depicts the black slopes of Mount Suribachi looming in the distance as the American Task Force edges close to the beaches of Iwo Jima, 19 February 1945.
    US National Archives Identifier 205585173, Local Identifier 26-G-4470, US Coast Guard Photo # 26-G-4470..
    David Upton
    LSM-74 76k USS LSM-74, USS LSM-60 and USS LSM-238 heading towards the beachhead at Iwo Jima, 19 February 1945. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-60
    101406007
    96k USS LSM-60 at Pearl Harbor, circa 1945. Barry W. Smith for his father William P. Smith RM3 USS LSM-301.
    LSM-60 178k Overhead view of USS LSM-60 being prepared for "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker at Eniwetok.USS LSM-60 designated the "Cinderella Ship" for Test Baker, had the dubious distinction of having the bomb strapped to the bottom of her hull.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-60 170k USS LSM-60 with the midships hoist being used to lower the cassion into the ship's hold for "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker at Bikini Atoll.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-60 146k USS LSM-60 being drydocked in preparation for "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-60 80k USS LSM-60 moored pierside at the shipyard while work progresses on her preparation for "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-60 65k USS LSM-60 anchored at Bikini Atoll ready for "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker. The cassion slung under her hull has been lowered to a predetermined depth. Test Baker was the under water shot designed to determine the effects of an under water atomic bomb explosion upon ships, particularly ship hulls. Use of a surface vessel from which to suspend the bomb made possible a detonation at exactly the predetermined depth and at the exact center of the target array. All errors in positioning the bomb were thus avoided. The antenna used to receive the radio signal which detonated the bomb and the midships hoist used for lowering the bomb cassion are clearly visible in this photo.
    US Navy photo.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-60 59k USS LSM-60 was obliterated during Operation "Crossroads," Test Baker at Eniwetok Atoll when the signal was received via her antenna at 0835 24 July 1946.
    US Department of Energy photo
    Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9 and USS LSM-538

    The history extract for USS LSM-60 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Doar, William W., USNR25 August 1944 - September 1945
    02LT. Wyche Jr., William A., USNRSeptember 1945 - December 1945
    03LTjg. Burk, Richard D., USNRDecember 1945 - March 1946
    04LTjg. Burns, E. J., USNRMarch 1946 - 18 April 1946
    05CDR. Owens, Hinton Allen, USN (USNA-1932)18 April 1946 - 19 August 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

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

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Crossroads-Baker detonation in slow motion. LSM-60, which was anchored directly above the device and was completely destroyed.
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Ship Medium (LSM) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 28 June 2024