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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Lost to enemy action, 6 June 1944

USS LCI(L)-553

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Uniform - India
NFUI

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (6 June 1944, Normandy)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):

Laid down in December 1943, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.

Launched in January 1944

Commissioned as USS LCI(L)-553, 15 January 1944

During World War II USS LCI(L)-553 was assigned to the Europe- Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
Invasion of Normandy, 6 June 1944

Lost to enemy gun fire at Normandy, 6 June 1944

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

USS LCI(L)-553 earned one battle star 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	Contributed By
88k	USS LCI(L)-553 and USS LCI(L)-410 land troops on "Omaha" Beach, during the initial assault there on "D-Day", 6 June 1944. Photographed from the conning station of USS LCI(L)-412. USS LCI(L)-553, hit by two shells, was left a wreck on the beach on "D-Day". US National Archives photo # 80-G-421287, a US Navy Photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	US Naval Historical Center
107k	USS LCI(L)-553 and USS LCI(L)-410 beached at Omaha Beach, Normandy, 6 June 1944. After landing her troops, *LCI(L)-553* was unable to retract from the beach and was lost to German 88mm gun fire. The crew was forced to abandon ship and take cover on the beach. US National Archives photo # 80-G-421288, a US Navy Photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association Courtesy Robert M. Leach MoMM3/c USS LCI(L)-553 and the US Naval Historical Center
101k	"D-Day" scene on "Omaha" Beach, 6 June 1944. USS LCI(L)-553, lost at this time, is partially visible in the left background. LCVP landing craft at left is from *USS Samuel Chase* (APA-26)*. Note the "Caution No Signal Left Drive" sign on the vehicle in lower right. US Army Signal Corps photo # SC 189899*, a US Army Photo now in the US Army Signal Corps collections of the US National Archives.	US Naval Historical Center

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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 13 September 2019