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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-60

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Echo - Papa
NVEP

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive-Iwo Jima, 19 Feb.-16 Mar. 1945)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:

Laid down, 7 July 1944, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.

Launched, 29 July 1944

Commissioned USS LSM-60, 25 August 1944, LT. William W. Doar USNR in command

During WWII USS LSM-60 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LSM Flotilla Five, CDR. W. H. Carpenter USN (26);
LSM Group Fourteen, LCDR. A. E. Lind USNR;
LSM Division Twenty-Seven and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February 16 March 1945

USS LSM-60 was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.1.1 (Technical Group - BAKER surface vessel for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946

Decommissioned, 19 August 1946

USS LSM-60 earned one battle star for World War II service

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

Final Disposition, obliterated, 25 July 1946, at Bikini Atoll during "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker

Specifications:
Displacement 520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
Length 203' 6" (ovl)
Beam 34' 6"
Draft

light, 3' 6" forward, 7' 8" aft

fully loaded, 6' 4" forward, 8' 3" aft

Speed 13.2 kts. (max.), (928 tons displacement)

Complement

5 officers

54 enlisted

Armament

one twin bow mounted 40mm gun

four single 20mm gun mounts

Vehicle/Boat Capacity 5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVT's, or 9 DUKW's

Fuel Capacity

Diesel 1,225 Bbls

Troop Accommodations

2 officers

46 enlisted

Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station

Endurance 4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement)

Propulsion

two Fairbanks Morse (model 38D81/8X10, reversible with hydraulic clutch) Diesel engines, direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm
Ship's Service Generators
two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
one Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.

twin propellers, 2,800shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
101406008	414k	USS LSM-60 and USS SC-1374 with other ships of the invasion fleet off Iwo Jima, to the right in the photograph. This image depicts the black slopes of Mount Suribachi looming in the distance as the American Task Force edges close to the beaches of Iwo Jima, 19 February 1945. US National Archives Identifier 205585173, Local Identifier 26-G-4470, US Coast Guard Photo # 26-G-4470..	David Upton
	76k	USS LSM-74, USS LSM-60 and USS LSM-238 heading towards the beachhead at Iwo Jima, 19 February 1945.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
101406007	96k	USS LSM-60 at Pearl Harbor, circa 1945.	Barry W. Smith for his father William P. Smith RM3 USS LSM-301.
	178k	Overhead view of USS LSM-60 being prepared for "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker at Eniwetok.USS LSM-60 designated the "Cinderella Ship" for Test Baker, had the dubious distinction of having the bomb strapped to the bottom of her hull. US Navy photo.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	170k	USS LSM-60 with the midships hoist being used to lower the cassion into the ship's hold for "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker at Bikini Atoll. US Navy photo.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	146k	USS LSM-60 being drydocked in preparation for "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker. US Navy photo.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	80k	USS LSM-60 moored pierside at the shipyard while work progresses on her preparation for "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker. US Navy photo.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	65k	USS LSM-60 anchored at Bikini Atoll ready for "Operation Crossroads" Test Baker. The cassion slung under her hull has been lowered to a predetermined depth. Test Baker was the under water shot designed to determine the effects of an under water atomic bomb explosion upon ships, particularly ship hulls. Use of a surface vessel from which to suspend the bomb made possible a detonation at exactly the predetermined depth and at the exact center of the target array. All errors in positioning the bomb were thus avoided. The antenna used to receive the radio signal which detonated the bomb and the midships hoist used for lowering the bomb cassion are clearly visible in this photo. US Navy photo.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	59k	USS LSM-60 was obliterated during Operation "Crossroads," Test Baker at Eniwetok Atoll when the signal was received via her antenna at 0835 24 July 1946. US Department of Energy photo	Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D., LT. USN Ret. USS LSM-9 and USS LSM-538

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Doar, William W., USNR	25 August 1944 - September 1945
02	LT. Wyche Jr., William A., USNR	September 1945 - December 1945
03	LTjg. Burk, Richard D., USNR	December 1945 - March 1946
04	LTjg. Burns, E. J., USNR	March 1946 - 18 April 1946
05	CDR. Owens, Hinton Allen, USN (USNA-1932)	18 April 1946 - 19 August 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Crossroads-Baker detonation in slow motion. LSM-60, which was anchored directly above the device and was completely destroyed.

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 28 June 2024