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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-344


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Lima - Whiskey
 NVLW
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)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 6 October 1944, at Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IL.
  • Launched, 26 January 1945
  • Commissioned USS LSM-344, 24 February 1945, LT. John L. Gurney USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-344 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-344 was assigned to Occupation service in Far East from 15 September to 29 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 9 May 1947, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Sold, 10 November 1947, to Sohio Pipe Line Co., Cleveland, OH.
  • Final Disposition, 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-344 68k USS LSM-344 under way, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-344 71k USS LSM-344 under way, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-344 77k USS LSM-344 under way, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-344/476/80 49k USS LSM-344 enroute to Sasebo, Kyushu, Japan. Note: USS LST-726, USS LST-800, USS LST-811, USS LST-830, USS LST-888, USS LST-918, USS LST-950, and USS LST-1048 convoyed from Saipan to Sasebo with USS LSM-76, USS LSM-80, USS LSM-111, USS LSM-112, USS LSM-283, USS LSM-343, USS LSM-344, USS LSM-386, USS LSM-387, USS LSM-440, USS LSM-467,and USS LSM-474, 14-21 September 1945. These LSM's, along with USS LSM-321 and USS LSM-322, grouped at Hilo, Hawaii on 27 August. USS LSM-321 and USS LSM-322 left the group, and USS LSM-478 and USS LSM-499 joined the group at Saipan. Escorts were USS Joyce (DE-317), USS PC-1231, USS PC-1260, and USS LCI(FF)-628. Hugh L. Hudson, Jr., RM/2c, LSM-467, LSM-49, Collection, photo number 055
    LCI(L)-606/LSM-344 107k USS LSM-344 and possibly USS LSM-476 left background, leaving Sasebo Japan. USS LCI(L)-606 at anchor in center of photo. An unidentified Destroyer and Tender can be seen in the right background, 24 September 1945 Richard W. Friedrich, F/1c, LSM-467, Collection, slide #23
    LSM-344/476/80 54k Left to right, USS LSM-344, USS LSM-476, and USS LSM-80 in Sasebo Harbor, Kyushu, Japan, 22-24 September 1945. Hugh L. Hudson, Jr., RM/2c, LSM-467, LSM-49, Collection, photo number 080
    LSM-344/LST-1074/1082 51k Left to right, USS LSM-344, USS LST-1074, and USS LST-1082 in Sasebo Harbor, Kyushu, Japan. Japanese Seaplane Base is at left center of photo. Richard W. Fiedrich F/1c, LSM-467, Collection, slide #19
    LSM-344 145k USS LSM-344 off-loading Marines and equipment at Sasebo, Japan, 22 September 1945. Crew members on top deck are Ensign Eppstein, Carl Kerney, Joe Casey, Lindy Bell Bill Gripe MM2/c,
    Photo Courtesy Jim Tusing LSM-372,
    Editor "Alligator Alley" The Newsletter
    of the USS LSM - LSMR Association
    LSM-344 147k USS LSM-344 high and dry at Okinawa, October 1945, after the typhoon, repair and inspection party at work. Bill Gripe, MoMM2/c,
    Photo Courtesy Jim Tusing LSM-372,
    Editor "Alligator Alley" The Newsletter
    of the USS LSM - LSMR Association
    LSM-344 49k USS LSM-344 entering San Francisco Bay. Note: the "Homeward Bound" pennant, 1945-46.
    US Navy photo # NH 83266 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy D.M. McPherson, 1975.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history extract for USS LSM-344 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Gurney, John L., USNR24 February 1945 - November 1945
    02LTjg. Walker, Harvey D., USNRNovember 1945 - March 1946
    03LTjg Epstein, Aaron S., USNRMarch 1946 - June 1946
    04LTjg. Sweet, William Branch, USNJune 1946 - 9 May 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