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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-97


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Hotel - Juliet
 NVHJ
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 - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 15 September 1944, at Brown Ship Building Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 7 October 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-97, 1 November 1944, LT. Hebert L. Eller USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-97 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Eight, CDR. H. Doe USN (23);
     LSM Group Twenty-Three, LCDR. W. E. Edwin, USNR;
     LSM Division Forty-Five
  • Following World War II USS LSM-97 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 September to 3 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, 20 May 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946
  • Sold, 26 August 1947, to Pacific Boatbuilding Co., Seattle, WA, for conversion to a barge
  • Purchased by Tidewater Barge Line, Vancouver, WA., renamed Russell-27, used to haul wheat on the Columbia and Snake Rivers, presently in use as a tie-off barge
    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
    USS LSM-97
    LSM-97 78k USS LSM-97 pre-commissioning crew at Naval Amphibious Training Base, Little Creek, VA., October 1944. Edward Genthert to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-97 71k USS LSM-97 beached, at Iwo Jima, date unknown. Earl Campbell to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-97 90k USS LSM-97 beached, at Iwo Jima, date unknown. Leroy A. Woodman USS LSM-97 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-97
    101409706    		 53k "Deck Force" USS LSM-97 beached, at Iwo Jima, 22 July 1945. Stephen Moores for his father Frank Myron Moores S1/c USS LSM-97
    LSM-97
    101409707    		 48k "Engineering Force" USS LSM-97 beached, at Iwo Jima, 22 July 1945. Stephen Moores for his father Frank Myron Moores S1/c USS LSM-97
    Commercial Service
    LSM-97 54k ex LSM-97 renamed Russell-27 by Tidewater Barge Lines, now in use as a SPUD barge (tie-off barge). After nearly 50 years of service her Navy side number is still visible, March 2003. Photo by Ron Gray / Captain
    LSM-97 53k ex LSM-97 renamed Russell-27 by Tidewater Barge Lines, now in use as a SPUD barge (tie-off barge). Ex-USS LSM-222 is tied astern of Russell-27 on the Columbia River, March 2003. Photo by Ron Gray / Captain
    The history extract for LSM-97 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Eller, Hebert L., USNR1 November 1944 - 21 February 1946
    02LTjg. DeLay, John F., USNR21 February 1946 - 10 April 1946
    03LTjg. Cavallaro, Salvato E., USNR10 April 1946 - 20 May 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    USS LSM-LSMR Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Ship Medium (LSM) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 29 January 2021