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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Blackstone River (LSMR-403)
ex
 USS LSM(R)-403) (1945 - 1955)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 13 to 17 September 1950) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (7) - United Nations Korea Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
LSM(R)-401 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket):
  • Laid down at, 6 January 1945, US Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 26 January 1945
  • Commissioned USS LSM(R)-403, 25 April 1945, LT. John M. Royer, USN, in command
  • During World War II USS LSM(R)-403 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • During the Korean War USS LSM(R)-403 assigned to LSMR Squadron Five and participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    10 to 12 September 1950
    18-10 September 1951     		U.N. Summer-Fall Offensive
    19 to 24 November 1951
    Communist China Aggression
    11 to 24 December 1950     		Second Korean War Winter
    25 December 1951 to 18 April 1952
    Inchon Landing,
    13 to 17 September 1950     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall
    14 May to 7 June 1952
    First U.N. Counter Offensive
    5 to 10 February 1951     		 

  • Decommissioned, 13 May 1955 at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Named USS Blackstone River (LSMR-403), 1 October 1955
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1955
  • USS LSM(R)-403 earned seven battle stars for Korean War service
  • Sold in 1959, to Riedel International Inc., Portland, OR. and converted to a barge
  • Final Disposition, scrapped circa 1989-1990
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    light 758 t.
    attack 994 t.
    fully loaded 1,084 t.
    Length 203' 6" o.a.
    Beam 34' 6"
    Draft 7' 2' (lim)
    Speed 12.6 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 5
    Enlisted 133
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    two twin 40mm gun mounts
    four twin 20mm gun mounts (after Korean War)
    ten twin tube continuous loading 5" spin stabilizer rocket launchers (two removed after Korean War)
    four 4".2 mortars (removed after Korean War)
    two .50 cal machine guns on the forecastle
    two .30 cal machine guns on the bridge wings.
    Armor 10-lb. STS on conning station, pilot-house, radio room, radar plot, and rocket control, 10-lb. ASPP around 40 and 20mm gun mounts and directors
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,225 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 16-287A (non-reversing with airflex clutch) Diesel engines, direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm
    Ship's Service Generators
     four Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
     two Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
    twin screws 2,800 shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LSM(R)-403 104k USS LSM(R)-403 crew photo, San Francisco, CA., circa January or February 1945. (Reverse side of the photo) "This is about three-quarters of our crew. The other quarter of us were on liberty when this was taken. Notice our dog. His name is "Rocky". he has more sea duty then half the guys in the Navy, and has been overboard about the same. The marking on the side of the picture is covering one of our rocket launchers. The large ship to the stern on the right is the sub tender "Bushnell", notice subs on the sides." The crewmember in the first row far right is Signalman John Sajtar (deceased). Identified by his daughter, Ann Sajtar. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM(R)-403 54k USS LSM(R)-403 at anchor, date and location unknown. Photo Courtesy Jim Tusing LSM-372,
    Editor "Alligator Alley" The Newsletter
    of the USS LSM - LSMR Association
    LSMR-403 90k USS LSM(R)-403 in dry dock, Sasebo, Japan, 1951. Photo Courtesy Jim Tusing LSM-372,
    Editor "Alligator Alley" The Newsletter
    of the USS LSM - LSMR Association
    Big Black River 79k USS LSM(R)-409, USS LSM(R)-412, USS LSM(R)-401, USS LSM(R)-403, USS LSM(R)-404 and USS LSM(R)-419 moored at Yokosuka, Japan, 1 May 1951
    US Navy photo.    		 Lewis Smith to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM(R)-403 87k USS LSM(R)-403 underway off San Diego, April 1954.
    Photo by Oather Morper.    		 Bill Brinkley and the USS LSM-LSMR Association
    LSM(R)-403 61k USS LSM(R)-403 underway, date and location unknown. USS LSM-LSMR Association
    LSM(R)-403 124k USS LSM(R)-403 underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo # USN 1045143.    		 USS LSM-LSMR Association
    USS LSM(R)-403 / USS Blackstone River (LSMR-403)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    USS LSM-LSMR Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 20 June 2014