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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-342

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Lima - Sierra
NVLS

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 - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:

Laid down, 22 September 1944, at Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IL.

Launched, 12 January 1945

Commissioned USS LSM-342, 12 February 1945, LTjg. Vernon Patz USNR in command

During World War II USS LSM-342 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LSM Flotilla Thirteen, LCDR C. L. Weigle USN (27);
LSM Group Thirty-Nine, LCDR. J. M. Rose;
LSM Division Seventy-Seven;

Following World War II USS LSM-342 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
8 to 23 September 1945
27 July 1946 to 18 May 1947	27 July 1946 to 18 May 1947

Decommissioned, 8 July 1947, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

Donated, 17 February 1948, to Port of Newport Authority, Newport, OR., for commercial use, renamed Amazon

Current Disposition, Amazon is still in use along the Columbia River.

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-342
	42k	USS LSM-342 underway, date and location unknown.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
	95k	USS LSM-342 and moored in an anchorage with other amphibious ships, including USS LCI(L)-989, at either Shanghai or Tsingtao, China, circa October 1946	Paul Webb for his father ENS. Ronald H. Webb, USNR USS LST-1102
Commercial Service
	62k	Ex-USS LSM-342 in commercial service as the work barge *Amazon* along the Columbia River, April 2003. Her side number is still visible.	Photo by Ron Gray, Capt.
	64k	Work barge *Amazon* on the Columbia River, April 2003.	Photo by Ron Gray, Capt.
	56k	Work barge *Amazon* on the Columbia River, April 2003.	Photo by Ron Gray, Capt.
	56k	Work barge *Amazon* on the Columbia River, April 2003.	Photo by Ron Gray, Capt.

Commanding Officers
01	LTjg. Patz, Vernon, USNR	12 February 1945 - November 1945
02	LTjg. Hatcher Jr., James F., USNR	November 1945 - 1 March 1946
03	LTjg. Storm, James P., USNR	1 March 1946 - 15 April 1946
04	LT. Doran, Daniel O'Connell, USN	15 April 1946 - 8 July 1947


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

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

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Last Updated 31 May 2024