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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-538

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal

USS LSM-538 was transferred to the Dominican Republic and named Antares (BA-105)
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 10 may 1945, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Commissioned USS LSM-538, 15 November 1945, LTjg. Francis T. Montague USNR in command
  • Decommissioned, 20 June 1946, at Green Cove Springs FL.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred, 10 March 1958, to the Dominican Republic, named Antares (BA-105)
  • Final Disposition, decommissioned by Dominican Republic Navy, and, sold for scrapping in 1959
    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 General Motors (model GM 16-278A, 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-538 75k USS LSM-538 with other LSMs nested at Annex 2, Little Creek, VA, early February 1946. Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D. LT. USN Ret. Commanding Officer USS LSM-538 January-May 1946
    LSM-538 68k USS LSM-538 with bow doors open and ramp down, at Annex 2, Little Creek, VA., early-February 1946. Note-This ship, which never saw enemy action, had armament which most combat LSMs wished they had, a twin-40mm. gun on the bow. Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D. LT. USN Ret. Commanding Officer USS LSM-538 January-May 1946
    LSM-538 68k USS LSM-538 and USS LSM-540 moored at Annex 2, Little Creek, VA. early-February 1946. Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D. LT. USN Ret. Commanding Officer USS LSM-538 January-May 1946
    LSM-538 55k USS LSM-538 moored pierside at Annex 2, Little Creek, VA. early-February 1946. Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D. LT. USN Ret. Commanding Officer USS LSM-538 January-May 1946 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-538 66k USS LSM-538 moored pierside at Annex 2, Little Creek, VA. early-February 1946. Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D. LT. USN Ret. Commanding Officer USS LSM-538 January-May 1946 to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-538 63k USS LSM-538 in a column, following USS LSM-543 enroute from Little Creek, VA., to Green Cove Springs, FL., to begin the process of "mothballing" for possible future use. Ships are off Cape Hatteras, NC., 9 February 1946. Photo was taken from LSM-538 Raymond A. Biswanger, Jr., Ph.D. LT. USN Ret. Commanding Officer USS LSM-538 January-May 1946
    LSM-538
    101453808    		 301k Decommissioned USS LSM-538, USS LSM-543, USS LSM-544 and USS LSM-555 moored in a nest in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Green Cove Springs, FL., 3 March 1946. Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine
    The history extract for USS LSM-538 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Montague, Francis T., USNR15 November 1945 - January 1946
    02LTjg. Biswanger, Raymond A., USNRJanuary 1946 - 20 June 1946
    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 4 February 2022