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USS Powder River (LSMR-519)
ex
 USS LSM(R)-519 (1945 - 1955)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
LSM(R)-501 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket):
  • Laid down, 28 April 1945, at Brown Ship Building Co, Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 2 June 1945
  • Commissioned USS LSM(R)-519, 28 July 1945, LT John W. Mitchell, USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM(R)-519 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM(R) Flotilla Eighteen, CAPT. C. F. Macklin USN
     LSM(R) Group Forty-Four
     LSM(R) Division One Hundred Eight
  • Decommissioned, 21 January 1947, at St John's River, FL. Reserve Berthing Area
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs
  • Named USS Powder River LSM(R)-519, 1 October 1955
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1958
  • Final Disposition, sold in 1959, to an unknown American shipping company and converted to a barge, fate unknown
    LSM(R) Specifications:
    Displacement 758 t.(light), 993 t. (attack) 1,175 t. (fully loaded)
    Length 206' 3"
    Beam 34' 6"
    Draft light, 5' 4" (mean), attack 6' 9" (mean), fully loaded 7' 9" (mean)
    Speed 13 kts.
    Complement 6 officers, 137 enlisted
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    ten twin continuous loading 5" SS rocket launchers
    four 4.2" mortars
    Armor 10-lb. STS on conning station, pilot-house, radio room, radar plot, and rocket control, 10-lb. ASPP around 40 and 20mm gun mounts and directors
    Endurance 3,000 miles @ 13kts
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 16-278A (non-reversing with airflex clutch) Diesel engines, direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm
    Ship's Service Generators
     four Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
     two Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
    twin screws 2,800 shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Pit River 86k USS LSM(R)-519 moored pierside at Troy/Albany, N.Y. Navy Day, 27 October 1945. Robert Hanle to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSMR-523 95k USS LSM(R)-523,
    USS LSM(R)-524, (See Deck Log entry below)
    USS LSM(R)-525,
    USS LSM(R)-527,
    USS LSM(R)-526 and
    USS LSM(R)-519 at anchor in a nest of six LSMRs at Green Cove Springs, FL, January 1946. The deck log entry of LSM(R)-524 for January 1946 indicates the following:
    "Moored at Berth Oak 31, St. John's River, Green Cove Springs, Fla. in 14 feet of water, mud bottom, with 35 fathoms of chain to bow anchor, 300 feet of cable to the stern anchor and moored port side to the USS LSM(R) 523 moored to the starboard side, the starboard side to the USS LSM (R) 525 moored to the port, port side to, USS LSM (R) 527 moored to the USS LSM (R) 525, USS LSM (R) 526 moored to LSM (R) 527, USS LSM (R) 519 moored to starboard side of USS LSM (R) 526 on the following Bridge bearing 166 (T), North End of bridge 068 (T), tower 219 (T) with the following machinery in operation #1 ship service generator, #1 boiler, #2 refrigerator, #2 fresh water` pump, #2 fire and flushing pump, #2 air compressor"
    		Photo submitted by Donald Tourville USS LSMR-528
    Log Entry submitted by Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    Pit River 58k Seventeen LSM(R)s at Green Cove Springs, FL. during Operation "Zipper", the process of decommissioning the fleet, commonly called "mothballing", March 1946.
    From front to back:
    LSM(R)-519
    USS LSM(R)-526,
    USS LSM(R)-527,
    USS LSM(R)-525,
    USS LSM(R)-524, (See Deck Log entry below)
    USS LSM(R)-529,
    USS LSM(R)-521,
    USS LSM(R)-528,
    USS LSM(R)-522,
    USS LSM(R)-531,
    USS LSM(R)-536,
    USS LSM(R)-535,
    USS LSM(R)-534,
    USS LSM(R)-520,
    USS LSM(R)-533,
    USS LSM(R)-530,
    USS LSM(R)-523,
    The USS LSMR-524 Deck Log states during the month of March 1946
    Moored in Birth Oak 31, St. Johns River Green Cove Springs. Fla. Anchorage in 14 feet of water, mud bottom with 65 fathoms of chain to bow anchor and 495 feet of cable to the stern anchor. Nested with LSM (R) type ships: 523, 530, 533, 520, 534, 535, 536, 531, 522, 528, 521, and 529, moored to our starboard numbering from inboard to outboard. LSM(R) type ships: 525, 527, 526, and 519, moored to our port numbering from inboard to outboard , on the following bearing: bridge opening 180 .5 (T), signal tower 235 (T), pt. of land 336 (T). The following machinery in operation: #1 generator, #1 evaporator, #2 fire & flushing pumps, #2 fresh water pumps, #2 refrigeration unit.
    		Robert Hanle to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Log Entry submitted by Mark McDonald for his father John A. McDonald S1/c USS LSM(R)-524
    USS LSM(R)-519 / USS Powder River (LSMR-519)
    Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    USS LSM-LSMR Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 16 February 2007