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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-322


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Kilo - Echo
NVKE
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal


LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 10 May 1944, at Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IL.
  • Launched, 3 August 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-322, 6 September 1944, LT. Alexander C. Cooper USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-322 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Six, CDR. A. R. Quinn USN;
    LSM Group Sixteen, LCDR. J.T Brugger Jr., USNR;
    LSM Division Thirty-Two and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 30 April 1945

  • Decommissioned, 19 November 1946
  • Struck From the Naval Register, 13 December 1946
  • USS LSM-322 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 26 February 1948, to New Orleans Shipwrecking Corp., Chicago, IL
    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-322 70k USS LSM-322 crew during ship's commissioning ceremony, 6 September 1944. George J. Koch, GM2 USS LSM-322
    4201 Maryland Pl, Baltimore, MD. 21229
    LSM-322 78k USS LSM-322 in the far background, off the Okinawa Beachhead, 1 April 1945. A Coast Guard manned LST in the foreground launches a LVT-4 amphibious tractor, as other LVT-4s churn by. They are taking their positions in the initial assault waves to take soldiers of the Tenth Army ashore. Photographed by a Coast Guard cameraman.The censor has painted out the LST's hull number.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-319224.
    USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-322 56k USS LSM-322 beached and unloading vehicles, Bantangas, P.I., date unknown. George J. Koch, GM2 USS LSM-322
    LSM-322 56k USS LSM-322 at anchor, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-322 70k Looks like a volleyball game going on in the well deck of USS LSM-322, date and location unknown. George J. Koch, GM2 USS LSM-322

    The history extract for LSM-322 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officer
    01LT. Cooper, Alexander Calvin, USNR6 September 1944 - 24 August 1945
    02LTJG. Bjorklund, Leonard Theodore, USNR 24 August 1945 - March 1946
    03LTjg. McClean, Robert Shaw, USNRMarch 1946 - June 1946
    04ENS. Hamer, John W., USNR June 1946 - August 1946
    05ENS. Carpender, Gary Nicholas, USNAugust 1946 - September 1946
    06CHBOSN. Young, Einer Clearunce, USNSeptember 1946 - 19 November 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 31 May 2024