Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Painting by Rev. Joel Osborne

Lost due to enemy action, 6 June 1944 at Omaha Beach

USS LCI(L)-85

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Golf - Juliet
NDGJ

USS LCI(L)-85 was manned by the US Coast Guard

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - Coast Guard Unit Commendation
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal
Individual Awards

Silver Stars - LTjg Coit T. Hendley CO LCI 85 - Gene Oxley S2/c CG Press Release
Bronze Star - LTjg Arthur Farrar XO LCI 85
Purple Hearts - 5 WIA, Normandy - LTjg. Arthur Farrar, (XO) - Charles O. McWhirter, CQM - Alfred E. Hahn S2/c - Gordon R. Arneberg RM3/C - George Lott Jr. SM

Landing Craft Infantry (Large):

Laid down in October 1942 at Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, TX.

Launched in 1943

Commissioned USS LCI(L)-85, with a Coast Guard crew, 26 January 1943, LTjg. Coit Hendley, USCGR, in command

During WWII USS LCI(L)-85 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater:
LCI Flotilla Four and
LCI Flotilla Ten
LCI Group Twenty-Nine
LCI Division Fifty-Seven and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
North African occupation Tunisian operations, 1 June to 9 July 1943	Salerno landings, 9 to 21 September 1943
Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943	Invasion of Normandy, 6 June 1944

Final Disposition, sunk by enemy action at Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

USS LCI(L)-85 earned four battle stars and the Coast Guard Unit Commendation for World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 236 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 knots; and 110 tons of fuel

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

Diesel 860 Bbls

lube oil 200 gal

Propulsion

two sets of 4 General Motors 6051 series 71 Diesel engines, 4 per shaft

single General Motors Main reduction gears

two Diesel-drive 30Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

twin variable pitch propellers, 2,320shp

Size	Image Description	Source
650k	Coast Guard manned *LCI Flotilla Four* LCI's USS LCI(L)-85, USS LCI(L)-86, USS LCI(L)-91, USS LCI(L)-350, *USS Warbler* (ARS-11), USS Willet (ARS-12) and the Stevedoring Barge YS-103** moored at Trumbo Point, Key West, FL., 6-7 March 1943. The LCIs were enroute to Europe from their builder in Texas. Wright Langley Collection. Image from Flickr courtesy of Florida Keys Public Libraries photo # MM00042465x.	Robert Hurst
71k	USS LCI(L)-85 number two 20mm gun crew at anti-aircraft practice. Note the "Charlie Noble" smoke exhaust stack disassembled to give a free field of fire. Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", January 2007 issue	Ardie Hunt
94k	USS LCI(L)-85 along with the rest of LCI Flotillas Two and Four ready to sail from North Africa with the Third Infantry Division.	Bill Brinkley
71k	USS LCI(L)-85 with USS LCI(L)-229 in the foreground and USS LCI(L)-322 in the background, moored at Bizerte, Tunisia, date unknown.	Valerie Vierk for her father Herbert Nolda USS LCI(L)-85 and USS LCI(L)-92
73k	USS LCI(L)-93 and USS LCI(L)-85, USS LCI(L)-92, USS LCI(L)-84 and USS LCI(L)-349 moored pierside and forward of two unidentified transports at the Pig Iron Battle Fleet Site, Oran, Algeria, October 1943. Photo by John R Smith Jr. USS LCI(L)-90.	Robert G. Morrissey
32k	USS LCI(L)-85 during a practice landing at Slapton Sands, UK USCG photo, date unknown.	US Coast Guard Historian's Office Web Site
75k	From right to left:USS LCI(L)-87, USS LCI(L)-85 and USS LCI(L)-319 nested at anchor, prior to the Normandy Invasion, date and location unknown. US Coast Guard	Robert Morrissey
146k	USS LCI(L)-496, USS LCI(L)-85, USS LCI(L)-88, USS LCI(L)-90, USS LCI(L)-92, and USS LCI(L)-491, prepare for the Invasion of Normandy while in an English port, circa 5 June 1944. Images are from the DVD "D-Day Code Name: Overlord" with the permission of Denver Collins, Editor, Timeless Media Group, Eugene OR.	Robert Morrissey
117k		Robert Morrissey
250k	USS LCI(L)-85 USS LCI(L)-83, USS LCI(L)-492 and USS LCI(L)-89 in a British port while loading troops for D-Day (Normandy), circa 4-5 June 1944. Photo from USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", March 2010 issue	Ardie Hunt
73k	USS LCI(L)-85 listing after hitting a mine and taking 25 German artillery hits on Omaha Beach on "D-Day", 6 June 1944 at Normandy.	Bill Brinkley
112k	USS LCI(L)-85 battered by enemy fire after approaching Omaha Beach, prepares to evacuate her troops to *USS Samuel Chase* (APA-26). LCI(L)-85)** sank shortly after this photograph was taken. USS LCI(L)-85 was one of four Coast Guard LCI's that were destroyed on D-Day. USCG photo.	US Coast Guard Historian's Office Web Site
146k	USS LCI(L)-85 listing after hitting a mine and taking 25 German artillery hits on Omaha Beach on "D-Day", 6 June 1944 at Normandy. She is coming alongside *USS Samuel Chase* (APA-26)** to evacuate her crew. A short time later she capsized and sank. Note wartime censors have painted out the landing craft's number. US National Archives photo # 26-G-06-10-44(4) a US Coast Guard photo in from the US Coast Guard collection at the US National Archives.	Photo courtesy Elmer Carmichael BM2/c and the US Navy Historical Center
143k	The mortally damaged USS LCI(L)-85, her decks littered with the dead, lays alongside the attack transport *USS Samuel Chase* (APA-26)*. Her crew managed to disembark the survivors before sinking. Note how the censor scratched off the dead soldier's face. Also note binoculars atop a chart in the LCI(L)'s conning tower (upper right) and life raft (at left) with paddles secured to its side. US Coast Guard Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Photo #: 26-G-2344*	Robert Hurst
66k	Another view of the listing and sinking USS LCI(L)-85, alongside the attack transport *USS Samuel Chase* (APA-26)** just before she sank. USCG photo 220-18.	John H. Kellers GM3/c USS LCT-539

Commanding Officers
01	LTjg. Hendley, Coit, USCGR Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter, the "Elsie Item", June 2019.	26 January 1943 - ?

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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
Coast Guard Press Release "Indianapolis Coast Guardsman has three ships shot out from under him in one morning -- and loses only seat of pants"

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index

Back To The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 8 January 2021