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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-343


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Lima - Uniform
 NVLU
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

USS LSM-343 was transferred to Spain redesignated LSM-3
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 29 September 1944, at Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IL.
  • Launched, 19 January 1945
  • Commissioned USS LSM-343, 17 February 1945, LT. Edward K. Schade USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-343 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Fourteen, LCDR. W. R. McCaleb;
     LSM Group Forty, LCDR. O. J. Heggem USNR;
     LSM Division Seventy-Nine
  • Following World War II USS LSM-343 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 15 September 1945 to 21 March 1946
  • Decommissioned, 1 November 1946, at Astoria, OR.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred, 25 March 1960, to Spain, redesignated LSM-3
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 9 April 1976, by the Spanish Navy, to Isabel Carrasco Poso, Seville, Spain
    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-343
    LSM-462 45k USSLSM-462, USS LSM-170, USS LSM-161 and USS LSM-343 in a six ship assault wave formation while undergoing amphibious training, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-343 64k USS LSM-343 underway, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-343 68k USS LSM-343 underway, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-343 50k USS LSM-343 underway, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-467/440/112/467 51k Six LSM's including USS LSM-343, USS LSM-440, USS LSM-112, and USS LSM-467 at the Sasebo Harbor Seaplane Ramp, Kyushu, Japan, circa 22 to 24 September 1945. The group had just completed transporting the 5th Marine Tank Battalion from Hilo, Hawaii to Sasebo, Japan. Hugh L. Hudson, Jr., RM/2c, LSM-467, LSM-49, Collection, Photo 074
    LSM-343 55k USS LSM-343 in the distance ahead is enroute to Pearl Harbor. Diamond Head is off to the right. Photo taken from USS LSM-467, date unknown. Richard W. Friedrich F/1c, LSM-467 Collection, Slide #12
    LSM-3
    LSM-343 62k Ex-USS LSM-343 underway in 1969 as Spanish navy LSM-3, location unknown.
    Official Spanish navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    The history extract for LSM-343 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Schade, Edward K., USNR17 February 1945 - 2 December 1945
    02LTjg. DePuydt, Harold C., USNR2 December 1945 - March 1946
    03ENS. Butler, Allen H., USNRMarch 1946 - September 1946
    04LTjg. Sledge, Jack Bernard, USNSeptember 1946 - 1 November 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
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    Last Updated 31 May 2024