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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSSL-102
ex
 USS LCS(L)(3)-102 (1945 - 1949)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Xray - Charlie
 NVXC


Visual Call Sign:
Tango - Pennant 8 - Pennant 1 - Pennant 0 - Pennant 2
 T8102
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

USS LSSL-102 was transferred to Japan, named JDS Himawari later transferred to Thailand and renamed HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751)
LCS(L)(3)-1 Class Landing Craft Support (Large)(Mark3):
  • Laid down, 13 January 1945, at Commercial Iron Works, Portland OR.
  • Launched, 3 February 1945
  • Commissioned USS LCS(L)(3)-102, 17 February 1945, LT. R. L. Jones USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LCS(L)(3)-102 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LCS(L)(3) Flotilla Five, CAPT. J. M. Mc Issac USN (23);
     LCS(L)(3) Group Fourteen;
     LCS(L)(3) Division Twenty-Eight; and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 18 to 30 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS LCS(L)(3)-102 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 4 December 19455 December 1945 to 8 April 1946
    10 to 15 April 1946 

  • Decommissioned in 1946
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria, OR.
  • Redesignated Landing Ship Support Large, USS LSSL-102, 28 February 1949
  • Transferred to Japan, 30 April 1953, named JDS Himawari
  • Returned to US custody, 18 April 1966
  • Transferred to Thailand in 1966, renamed HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LCS(L)(3)-102 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Current Disposition, returned to US custody for use as a floating museum ship at the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.
    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 plus a medical doctor as needed
    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 twin 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
    USS LCS(L)(3)-102
    LCS(L)(3)-102 58k LCS(L)(3)-102 underway off the Island of Kyushu, Japan, September 1945. National Association of
    USS LCS(L) 1-130
    LCS(L)(3)-102 172k LCS(L)(3)-102, moored at Shanghai, circa December 1945 to April 1946. National Association of
    USS LCS(L) 1-130, Rob Rielly
    LCS(L)(3)-104 22k LCS(L)(3)-102 in port with LCS(L)(3)-97, LCS(L)(3)-103, and LCS(L)(3)-104,possibly at Whangpoo River, Shanghai, China, circa December 1945 to April 1946 National Association of USS LCS(L) 1-130
    HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751)
    LCS(L)(3)-102 100k Ex-LCS(L)(3)-102 in Thailand service as HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751), drydocked, probably in Thailand, date unknown. Fop Leder
    LCI(L)-739 133k HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751) (inboard) and HTMS Sattakut (LCI-742) ex-LCI-739 (outboard), moored pierside at the Royal Thai Navy Dock Yard Phachunlachomklao, 14 January 2006. Photo by Nye Nava
    LCS(L)(3)-102 110k HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751). the last of the World War II LCSs is docked at Laem Tien Pier at Sattahip Naval Base ahead of her transfer ceremonies prior to setting off on her final voyage back home to the United States. Photo @copy"Battaya Mail", Pattaya, Thailand, Friday June 1 - June 7 2007. See article "Mighty Midget goes home" Steve Burton
    Ex- USS LSSL-102
    LCS(L)(3)-102 93k Ex-HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751) being loaded aboard ship for transit from Thailand to the United States, 2 September 2007. Derick S. Hartshorn
    LCS(L)(3)-102 1025k Ex-HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751) after completing her transit from Thailand to the United States is tied up at the seawall at Mare Island, Vallejo, CA. in October 2007. Steve Blanchard
    LCS(L)(3)-102 712k Former Signalman 1st Class Gilbert Nadeau and Royal Thai Navy Lt. Sathaporn Thassanaleelaporn raise the flag aboard ex-USS LSSL-102, ex-HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751), ex-USS LCS(L)-102 is the last remaining ship of the landing craft support (large) class, a once common U.S fire-support landing craft class used in World War II. At a ceremony at Mare Island Historic Park, 10 November 2007, the ship was formally turned over to the National Association of USS LCS(L) 1-130 from the Royal Thai Navy, where it served as an coastal patrol vessel for more than 30 years. Nadeau is a former LCS Sailor and Sathaporn is the last commanding officer of ship while it was in service with the Royal Thai Navy.
    US Navy photo # 071110-N-7179R-003 VALLEJO, Calif. (Nov. 10, 2007) by LT. Erik Reynolds.    		 Tony Cowart
    LCS(L)(3)-102 6578k Ex-USS LSSL-102, ex-HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751), ex-USS LCS(L)-102 moored at the former US Naval Shipyard, Mare Island, 27 October 2008. Photo by CAPT. Jack C. Goldthorpe, USCG, Ret.
    LCS(L)(3)-102 1144k Three views of ex-USS LSSL-102, ex-HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751), ex-USS LCS(L)-102 moored at the former US Naval Shipyard, Mare Island, 4 March 2009. Photos by CAPT. Jack C. Goldthorpe, USCG, Ret.
    LCS(L)(3)-102 1074k
    LCS(L)(3)-102 1241k
    LCS(L)(3)-102 1144k Three views of ex-USS LSSL-102, ex-HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751), ex-USS LCS(L)-102 moored at the former US Naval Shipyard, Mare Island, 7 March 2009. Photos by CAPT. Jack C. Goldthorpe, USCG, Ret.
    LCS(L)(3)-102 907k
    LCS(L)(3)-102 801k
    YTL-432 2239k Eugene-H (ex-YTL-434) moored outboard of ex-USS LSSL-102 at Mare Island, 26 July 2011 Photo by Phil Mattingly
    Phil Mattingly, who provided the picture of the tugboat, was lost over the side in December 2012, apparently while trying to get back aboard the tug from LCS 102. He was found 9 days later washed up on a beach at Point Pinole, about 8 miles away.
    LCS(L)(3)-102 32k Ex-USS LSSL-102 moored at the former US Naval Shipyard, Mare Island, 2013. Gordon Stutrud
    LCS(L)(3)-102 204k Ex-USS LSSL-102 in Mare Island's No 2 Dry Dock for hull repairs. She entered July 17 and will remain in drydock until about Oct 1, 2018. David Wood
    LCS(L)(3)-102
    1005010281    		 70k Ex-USS LSSL-102 belonging to the American Veterans Association, the National Association of LCS (L) 1-130, moored at Mare Island, CA.
    Globe Secruity website    		 Tommy Trampp
    LCS(L)(3)-102
    1005010282    		 69k
    LCS(L)(3)-102
    1005010283    		 53k
    LCS(L)(3)-102
    1005010284    		 116k
    LCS(L)(3)-102
    1005010285    		 93k
    LCS(L)(3)-102
    1005010286    		 77k
    LCS(L)(3)-102
    1005010287    		 59k
    LCS(L)(3)-102
    1005010288    		 60k

    For more photos and information about USS LCS(L)-102, see;
  • USS LCS-102 "Yankee Dollar" Landing Craft Support Museum"
  • "A Visit to WWII Naval Ship LCS-102"
  • Mighty Midgets at War: The Saga of the LCS(L) Ships from Iwo Jima to Vietnam. by Robin L. Rielly, Central Point, Oregon: Hellgate Press, 2000. (ISBN 1-55571-522-2)
  • National Association of USS LCS(L) 1-130
  • Mike McCullough photo collection 1 July and 14 August 2012, Mare Island Historic Park
  • LSSL-102 Newspaper Articles
  • "WWII gunboat brought home by vets from Thailand as memorial" ©San Francisco Chronicle (Wednesday, September 26, 2007) by Carl Nolte
    "Itty-bitty warship to provide mighty big fun at Mare Island" ©San Francisco Chronicle (Saturday, November 10, 2007) by Carl Nolte
    "Mighty Midget goes home" ©Pattaya Mail (Vol. XV No. 22 - Friday June 1 - June 7 Features
    • There is no history available for USS LCS(L)(3)-102 at NavSource
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Jones, R. L., USNR17 February 1945 - ?
    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 Dennis Steenbergen
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    Last Updated 3 December 2021