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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-131


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Kilo - Bravo
 NVKB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 1 March 1944, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 12 April 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-131, 20 May 1944, LT. Harold L. Rekate, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-131 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Consolidation and capture of Southern Philippines
    Palawan Islands landings, 28 February 1945
    Visayan Island landings, 18 to 19 March 1945, 26 March to 1 April 1945
  • Decommissioned, 19 June 1946, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LSM-131 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold, 21 November 1947, to Hughes Bros. Inc., New York, NY, converted to a barge, fate unknown
    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
    LSM-131 68k USS LSM-131 under way near Mindanao while carrying army personnel and supplies, date unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-131 57k USS LSM-131 beached on a ramp at Morotai, date unknown. Harry Weliner to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-131 61k USS LSM-131 in San Francisco Bay, 1945-46.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 79856. Courtesy D.M. McPherson, 1974.    		 Bill Brinkley and the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history extract for USS LSM-131 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Rekate, Harold Louis, USNR20 May 1944 - 8 August 1945
    02LT. Wyman, Frank W., USNR8 August 1945 - 15 January 1946
    03LTjg. Bonney, Warren R., USNR15 January 1946 - 19 June 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 22 June 2018