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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-556

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 23 March 1945. at US Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 10 April 1945
  • Commissioned USS LSM-556, 12 October 1945, LTjg. Carl E. Gainer USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-556 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Fourteen, LCDR. W. R. McCaleb;
     LSM Group Forty-Two;
     LSM Division Eighty-Four
  • Decommissioned, 5 August 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)
  • Sold, January 1959, to Kent Line Ltd., St. John, New Brunswick, Canada
  • 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 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-558 127k Charleston Navy Yard fitting out pier "C" looking north to river end. Shop field offices and Building Ways 1 and 2 in background on left. Ships present
    Front Row;
    LSM-556,
    USS LSM-557,
    USS LSM-558
    Second Row;
    USS LSM-553,
    USS LSM-554 and
    USS LSM-555.
    Beyond the LSMs is USS Tidewater (AD-31).
    Charleston Navy Yard photo # 1997-45    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history extract for USS LSM-556 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Gainer, Carl E., USNR12 October 1945 - ?
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    USS LSM-LSMR Association
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 6 October 2017