Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-261


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Foxtrot - India
 NVFI
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Iwo Jima)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 26 April 1944, at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newark, N.J.
  • Launched, 3 June 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-261, 28 June 1944, LT. Angelo J. Smith, Jr. USNR in command
  • During WWII USS LSM-261 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Five, CDR. W. H. Carpenter USN (26);
     LSM Group Thirteen, LCDR. T. F. Griswold USNR;
     LSM Division Twenty-Six and participated in the following campaign:
    Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 16 March 1945
  • Decommissioned, 28 May 1946, at Terminal Island Navy Yard, San Pedro, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • USS LSM-261 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold, 17 February 1948, to Clark Sales Co., Pittsburgh, PA., 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-261 92k LSM-261 approaching a beach during landing exercises, date and place unknown. Marty Petersen to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-261 57k LSM-261 and LSM-266 beached at Iwo Jima, 15 February 1945. James Tusing
    The history extract for USS LSM-261 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Smith Jr., Angelo John, USNR28 June 1944 - 7 December 1945
    02LTjg. Duck, Roy Benton, USN7 December 1945 - 18 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
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 10 February 2023