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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-96


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Juliet - Mike
 NDJM
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom. left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 6 June 1944)
Second Row - Coast Guard Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (4)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

USS LCI(L)-96 was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 21 December 1942, at Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, TX.
  • Launched, 17 January 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-96, 15 February 1943, at Orange, TX, LTjg. Roland G. Johnson USCG in command
  • USS LCI(L)-96 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater, LCI Flotilla 4, Capt. M. E. Imlay, USCG in command, (North Africa and Sicily) Flotilla 10 at Normandy and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    North African occupation
    Tunisian operation, 1 June to 9 July 1943     		Salerno landings
    9 to 21 September 1943
    Sicilian occupation
    9 to 15 July 1943     		Invasion of Normandy 6 to 26 June 1944

  • USS LCI(L)-96 departed the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater at Falmouth England, 5 October 1944 returning to the United States for overhaul and refresher training prior to assignment to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • USS LCI(L)-96 was reassigned to the Asiatic Pacific Theater and departed San Diego, 3 April 1945, for Okinawa
  • Upon reaching Okinawa on 28 May 1945 USS LCI(L)-96 was assigned to:
    LCI Flotilla Thirty-Five, CDR. H. J. Wuensch, USCG;
     LCI Group One Hundred Three, LCDR. B. A. Walliser, USCGR;
     LCI Division Two Hundred Six

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 29 May to 30 June 1945
    Assigned to make smoke for larger naval units until departing
    8 September 1945 for duty at Wakayama, Japan.     		Minesweeping Operations - Pacific
    Wakanoura-Kii (Honshu Area), 11 to 27 September 1945
    Skagway (East China Sea-Ryukyu area), 27 October to 1 November 1945

  • Following World War II USS LCI(L)-96 performed occupation duty in the Far East from 2 September to 26 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 2 April 1946, at San Pedro, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-96 earned six battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, transferred to the Maritime Commissioned, 3 March 1948, for disposal
    Specifications:
    Displacement 236 t.(light), 264 t.(landing), 419 t.(loaded)
    Length 158' 5½"
    Beam 23' 3"
    Draft
    Light, 3'1½" mean
    Landing, 2' 8" forward, 4' 10" aft
    Loaded, 5' 4" forward, 5' 11" aft
    Speed
    16 kts (max.)
    14 kts maximum continuous
    Complement
    4 officers
    24 enlisted
    Troop Capacity
    6 officers
    182 enlisted
    Cargo Capacity 75 tons
    Armor 2" plastic splinter protection on gun turrets, conning tower and pilot house
    Endurance 4,000 miles at 12 kts, loaded, 500 miles at 15 knots; and 110 tons of fuel
    Armament
    five single 20mm guns, one bow mounted, one each port and starboard forward of wheelhouse, one each port and starboard aft of wheelhouse
    on some LCIs two .50 cal machine guns were added
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 860 Bbls
    lube oil 200 gal
    Propulsion
    two sets of 4 General Motors 6051 series 71 Diesel engines, 4 per shaft
    single General Motors Main reduction gears
    two Diesel-drive 30Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    twin variable pitch propellers, 2,320shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    LCI(L)-326 110k USS LCI(L)-96, USS LCI(L)-237, USS LCI(L)-326 along with other LCI(L)s moored pierside at Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA., 23 March 1943, during visit by Prince Olav of Norway. To Prince Olav's right is Rear Admiral Kirk, Commander, Amphibious Force, US Atlantic Fleet.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-38805, a US Navy photo now in the custody of the US National Archives, College Park, MD.    		 Tracy White
    LCI(L)-96 115k USS LCI(L)-96 conning tower, date and location unknown. William R. Gilmer for his father
    R.E. Gilmer USS LCI(L)-96
    LCI(L)-96 87k USS LCI(L)-96 beached, date and location unknown. William R. Gilmer for his father
    R.E. Gilmer USS LCI(L)-96
    LCI(L)-96 60k USS LCI(L)-96 main deck looking forward towards the conning tower, date and location unknown. William R. Gilmer for his father
    R.E. Gilmer USS LCI(L)-96
    LCI(L)-96 1183k USS LCI(L)-96 beached near Paostum, Italy, 15 September 1943, while embarking 2nd Battalion 504 Airborne Infantry for transportation to an undisclosed destination.
    US Army Signal Corps photo SC 181952 now in the collections of the US National Archives.     		Dave Kerr
    LCI(L)-96 252k Part of a frieze painted by LT. Marshal Lee USCGR, the second commanding officer of USS LCI(L)-96, in the Library of Greenway House, (Agatha Christies holiday home in Devon, where the 4th flotilla were based in 1943 The entire frieze details the experiences of the flotilla up to their time at Greenway House. Photo was extracted from the visitors guide book showing USS LCI(L)-96 moored in the river Dart below Greenway House. Also of note there is a railway tunnel through the estate, which was used by General Eisenhower. The tunnel sheltered his train in the tunnel whilst he visited the area prior to D-Day. Margaret Perryman, volunteer guide and conservator at Greenway House
    LCI(L)-326
    1015032614    		 445k US Army troops board USS LCI(L)-96 (right) and USS LCI(L)-326 (left) in an English port to conduct landing exercises prior to the actual invasion of Normandy in June 1944
    US National Archives Identifier 205578446, Local Identifier 26-G-2325, US Coast Guard photo # 2325.    		 David Upton
    LCI(L)-96
    1015009608    		 304k Army personnel delivering supplies to LCI(L)'s waiting for D-Day and start of the Normandy invasion in an English port. Among the LCI(L)'s are USS LCI(L)-96, USS LCI(L)-87 and USS LCI(L)-493 in the far distance.
    US National Archives National Archives Identifier 12003998 (photo # 80-G-251871).    		 David Upton
    LCI(L)-350 200k USS LCI(L)-96 underway in column following USS LCI(L)-350 followed by an unidentified vessel, probably enroute to or from the Normandy beachhead in June 1944.
    USCG photo from the US Coast Guard Historian's Office collection.    		 Mike Green
    LCI(L)-350 133k USS LCI(L)-96 crew members Robert L. Wright and Grant Rose, November 1943. Scott Wright for his grandfather Robert L. Wright USS LCI(L)-96
    LCI(L)-350
    1015009607     		305k Several USS LCI(L)-96 crew members playing music, date and location unknown. Joe Burden for his grandfather Charles J. Givens USS LCI(L)-96
    The history for USS LCI(L)-96 is from "The Coast Guard At War, Transports and Escorts, Volume II"
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Johnson, Roland G. USCG15 February 1943 - 13 May 1943
    02LTjg. Lee, Marshall L. USCGR13 May 1943 - ?
    03LTjg. Underwood, S. R. USCGRno dates
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 18 June 2021