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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-279

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Golf - Tango
 NVGT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - 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, 30 August 1944, at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newark, N.J.
  • Launched, 14 October 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-279, 31 October 1944, ENS. Paul M. Jones USN in command
  • During WWII USS LSM-279 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Nine, CDR. D. L. Francis USN (23);
     LSM Group Twenty-Five, LCDR. L. Brouwer USN;
     LSM Division Fifty and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 2 April to 30 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS LSM-279 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 to 27 September 194528 September to 9 December 1945

  • Decommissioned, 26 July 1946, at Terminal Island Navy Yard, San Pedro, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LSM-279 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold, 28 February 1948, to O.W. Dyer, Sr., Houston, TX, and C.L. Cannon, San Diego, CA., 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 General Motors (model GM 16-278A, 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-456 147k USS LSM-279 moored outboard of USS LSM-456 at Tientsin China, September 1945. Steve Franklin
    LSM-279 73 USS LSM-279 moored outboard of an unidentified LSM with USS LSM-391 inboard and USS LSM-251 outboard moored forward of USS LSM-279 at Tientsin, China, October 1945. Richard Schatz MoMM3/c USS LSM-279 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-279 61k USS LSM-279 beached on the north side of the Hai Ho (River) at Taku, China, Sunday, 11 November 1945. Even though LSM-279 had a flat bottom, her screws struck many logs and rocks in the river. The ship was beached so that at low tide the ship would be high and dry and the screws could be changed. However, when daylight came and the ship was high and dry, two Chinese junks were also alongside. They both had Chinese prostitutes on board. The Captain said, "No use in anyone getting hurt, throw down a couple of ladders." Richard Schatz MoMM3/c USS LSM-279 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-279 65k USS LSM-279 entering floating drydock USS ABSD-6 at Guam, Marianas Islands for repairs, 15 January 1946.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-37967 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 Richard Schatz MoMM3/c USS LSM-279 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history extract for USS LSM-279 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Jones, Paul M., USNR31 October 1944 - December 1945
    02LTjg. Wibberley Jr. Haro E., USNRDecember 1945 - April 1946
    03LTjg. Holl, Edward B., USNRApril 1946 - 26 July 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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 15 March 2024