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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-421

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down 18 October 1944, at Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, DE.
  • Launched, 30 November 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-421, 24 December 1944, LTjg. Kimball Penney USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-421 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Twelve, LCDR. A. F. Dineen USN (22);
     LSM Group Thirty-Six, LT. V. L. Homer USN;
     LSM Division Seventy-Two and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 17 April to 18 May 1945
  • Following World War II USS LSM-421 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 18 October to 26 NOvember 1945
  • Decommissioned 14 October 1946
  • Laid up in the Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LSM-421 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Sold in December 1958, to Fleet Storage Co., New York, N.Y.
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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-421 44k LSM-421 launch at Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, DE., 30 November 1944. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-421 38k USS LSM-421 at anchor in San Francisco Bay, 1945-46.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 83273, courtesy D.M. McPherson, 1975.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history extract for USS LSM-421 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Penney, Kimball, USNR24 December 1944 - March 1946
    02LTjg. Higgins, William L. USNRMarch 1946 - June 1946
    03ENS. Preusse, William C., USNRJune 1946 - 14 October 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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 11 April 2025