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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-78

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Foxtrot - Yankee
NVFY

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

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

LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:

Laid down, 5 August 1944, at Brown Ship Building Co., Houston, TX.

Launched, 30 August 1944

Commissioned USS LSM-78, 27 September 1944 at Houston, TX., LT. Hugh C. McFarlane USNR in command

During World War II USS LSM-78 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LSM Flotilla Six, CDR. A. R. Quinn USN;
LSM Group Seventeen, (flagship) LCDR. C. H. Johnson, USNR;
LSM Division Thirty-Four and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 9 to 26 April 1945

Following World War II USS LSM-78 was assigned to Occupation service in Japan from 22 September to 9 November 1945

Decommissioned, 1 April 1946, at Norfolk, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946

USS LSM-78 earned one battle star for World War II service

Sold, 12 August 1947, to Charles N. Wilson, St. John Tugboat Co., Ltd., East St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, converted to a barge

Final Disposition, hulk abandoned in 1960 in the Musquash Estuary, New Brunswick, Canada

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

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
81k	USS LSM-78 beached during low tide at Matsuhama, Japan, 16 October 1945.	Herbert N Smith Jr. S2/c USS LSM-78 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
57k	USS LSM-78 and USS LSM-72 beached at Okinawa, April 1945.	Donald McLain to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
91k	Herbert N. Smith Jr. S2/c in the galley of USS LSM-78	Herbert N. Smith Jr. S2/c USS LSM-78 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association

Commanding Officers
01	LT. McFarlane, Hugh C., USNR	27 September 1944 - Deember 1945
02	LTjg. Tuttle, George W., USNR	Deember 1945 - 1 April 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
USS LSM-LSMR Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Action Report - Landing of Occupation Forces, Nagasaki Japan, September 1945
Mystery ships of the Musquash Estuary, New Brunswick, Canada (WWII Ships Found!) 75th anniversary

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 4 Srptember 2020