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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-488

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - Tango - Charlie
NQTC

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

USS LCI(L)-488 was leased to the United Kingdom in November 1944 for the duration of World War II

LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):

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

Launched, October 1943

Commissioned USS LCI(L)-488, 30 October 1943

During World War II USS LCI(L)-488 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 to 25 June 1944

Decommissioned, and leased to the United Kingdom, 20 November 1944

Returned to US Navy custody, 13 April 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946

USS LCI(L)-488 earned one battle star for World War II service

Transferred to the State Department and sold, 13 February 1948

Final Disposition, fate unknown

Specifications:
Displacement 246 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 kts; and 110 tons of fuel

Armament

five single 20mm gun mounts, 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

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
1015048804	236k	USS LCI(L)-488 underway, probably during builders trials in October 1943 off the coast of New Jersey. TimeLife_image_116142169, by Wallace Kirkland. TimeLife. Life Magazine.	David Upton
	78k	LCI(L)-488 underway, probably during builders trials in October 1943 off the coast of New Jersey.	Kathryn V. Esau Hilton and Don Hilton in memory of John Jacob Esau, Cox. USNR USS LCI(L)-488
	215k	USS LCI(L)-488 and USS LCI(L)-87 beached, probably at Slapton Sands, England, during the spring of 1944 while preparing for the Invasion of Normandy. US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the US Coast Guard Historian's Office	Mike Green
	83k	USS LCI(L)-488 landing infantry at Normandy, June 1944.	Ron Reeves
1015048803	156k	Ensign flown from *USS LCI(L)-488* on D-Day at Omaha Beach Landing. US Naval History and Heritage Accession photo # NHHC 1978-74-A

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 by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 16 July 2021