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Painting by Rev. Joel Osborne

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCS(L)(3)-31


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Romeo - Quebec
 NVRQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - Presidential Unit Citation (4 May 1945, Okinawa)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Individual Awards

Silver Star (LTjg. Kenneth F. Machacek CO. LCS(L)-31) Purple Heart (10-KIA and 12-WIA at Okinawa, 4 May 1945)
LCS(L)(3)-1 Class Landing Craft Support (Large)(Mark3):
  • Laid down, 7 August 1944, at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 2 September 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCS(L)(3)-31, 20 September 1944, LTjg. Kenneth Machacek USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LCS(L)(3)-31 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LCS(L)(3) Flotilla Three, CAPT. T.C. Aylward USN (23);
     LCS(L)(3) Group Seven, (Flagship) LCDR. E. P. Stone USNR;
     LCS(L)(3) Division Fourteen and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 8 March 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto 26 March to 30 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS LCS(L)(3)-31 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    19 September to 13 November 194516 November 1945 to 10 October 1946

  • Decommissioned in 1946 at New Orleans after running aground on a reef and tearing her bottom out
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LCS(L)(3)-31 was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold to H. H. Buncher Co., Pittsburgh PA., 27 January 1947, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 250 t (lt), 387 t (fl)
    Length 158' o.a.
    Beam 23' 8"
    Draft
    5' 8" limiting and max draft
    loaded, 4' 9" fwd, 6' 6" aft
    Speed
    14.4 trial
    16.5k max at 650 shaft rpm
    14.5kts at 585 shaft rpm
    Armor 10-lb STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning tower
    Complement
    6 Officers
    65 Enlisted
    Endurance 5,500 miles at 12kts at 45" pitch (350 tons dspl.)
    Fuel/Stores
    635 Bbls Diesel (76 tons)
    10 tons fresh water
    6 tons lubrication oil
    8 tons provisions and stores at full load
    Fresh Water Capacity distill up to 1,000 gals. per day
    Armament
    bow gun, one single 40mm gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four single 20mm AA gun mounts
    four .50 cal machine guns
    ten MK7 rocket launchers
    Propulsion
    2 quad packs of 4 General Motors 6051 series 71 Diesel engines per shaft, BHP 1,600
    single General Motors Main Reduction Gears
    2 Diesel-drive 60Kw 450V. A. C. Ships Service Generators
    twin variable pitch propellers
    Specifications Sources
    Baker, A.D. III. Allied Landing Craft of World War II. Annapolis: United States Naval Institute Press, 1989. 47
    Lawley, George & Sons Corporation. Instructions for LCS(L)(3) Class Lawley, George & Sons Corporation. Original Plans of LCS(L)(3)
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LCS(L)(3)-31 134k USS LCS(L)(3)-31 officers at commissioning, 20 September 1944, at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR. From left to right: LTjg. Kenneth Machacek, Commanding Officer,
    Ensign Robert Rahn, Executive Officer,
    Ensign Laurance McKenna, Gunnery Officer,
    Ensign Shelby Harbison, 1st Lieutenant,
    Ensign Fredrick Morris, Engineering Officer,
    Ensign James Smith, Communications Officer.    		 Michael Hollis for his father LTjg. Jack D.Hollis, USS LCS(L)(3)-31 and LCS(L) Group Seven staff, on behalf of Shelby Harbison, 1st LT. USS LCS(L)(3)-31.
    LCS(L)(3)-51 11k LCS(L) Group Seven at Pearl Harbor prior to deployment to Iwo Jima, circa December 1944-January 1945. From left to right:
    USS LCS(L)(3)-35
    USS LCS(L)(3)-34
    USS LCS(L)(3)-51
    USS LCS(L)(3)-32
    USS LCS(L)(3)-56
    USS LCS(L)(3)-55
    USS LCS(L)(3)-33
    USS LCS(L)(3)-5?
    USS LCS(L)(3)-53
    and Group flag ship USS LCS(L)(3)-31.    		 Michael Hollis for his father LTjg. Jack D.Hollis, USS LCS(L)(3)-31 and LCS(L) Group Seven staff.
    LCS(L)(3)-51 24k LCS(L) Group Seven at Pearl Harbor prior to deployment to Iwo Jima, circa December 1944-January 1945. From left to right:
    USS LCS(L)(3)-51
    USS LCS(L)(3)-32
    USS LCS(L)(3)-56
    USS LCS(L)(3)-55
    USS LCS(L)(3)-33
    USS LCS(L)(3)-5?
    USS LCS(L)(3)-53
    and Group flag ship USS LCS(L)(3)-31.    		 Michael Hollis for his father LTjg. Jack D.Hollis, USS LCS(L)(3)-31 and LCS(L) Group Seven staff.
    LCS(L)(3)-54 19k USS LCS(L)(3)-54, USS LCS(L)(3)-53 and USS LCS(L)(3)-31, probably during training exercises off Maui, T.H. prior to deployment, circa December 1944-January 1945. Michael Hollis for his father LTjg. Jack D.Hollis USS LCS(L)-31 and Comm Officer, LCS(L) Group Seven.
    LCS(L)(3)-31 37k USS LCS(L)(3)-31 Christmas 1944 at Maui, T.H.. Michael Hollis for his father LTjg. Jack D.Hollis USS LCS(L)-31 and Comm Officer, LCS(L) Group Seven
    LCS(L)(3)-31 32k Left to Right; LTjg. Kenneth Machacek Commanding Officer USS LCS(L)(3)-31 LCDR Frank Stone Commander LCS(L) Group Seven, LT. Phil Jacobson, Executive Officer LCS(L) Group Seven. Michael Hollis for his father LTjg. Jack D.Hollis USS LCS(L)-31 and Comm Officer, LCS(L) Group Seven
    LCS(L)(3)-31 51k USS LCS(L)(3)-31 underway, date and location unknown. National Association of
    USS LCS(L) 1-130
    LCS(L)(3)-31 53k USS LCS(L)(3)-31 underway, date and location unknown. Michael Hollis for his father LTjg. Jack D.Hollis, USS LCS(L)(3)-31 and LCS(L) Group Seven staff, on behalf of Shelby Harbison, 1st LT. USS LCS(L)(3)-31.
    The History of USS LCS(L)(3)-31 as provided by the National Association of USS LCS(L) 1-130
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Machacek, Kenneth, USNR20 September 1944 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Other Crew Contact and Reunion Information
    National Association of USS LCS(L) 1-130
    Dennis Steenbergen, Secretary
    7345 W. Lakeside Drive, Littleton, CO, 80125
    Phone 303-470-1187
    E-mail Address: augustad@juno.com
    Additional Web Sites of Interest
    National Association of USS LCS(L) 1-130
    Additional Resources
    Rielly, Robin L. Mighty Midgets at War: The Saga of the LCS(L) Ships from Iwo Jima to Vietnam. Central Point, Oregon: Hellgate Press, 2000. (ISBN 1-55571-522-2)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 11 August 2017