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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Lost to enemy action, 11 June 1944

USS LCI(L)-219


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Whiskey - Golf
 NBWG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal
Personal Awards

Navy Cross (LCDR. Albert Joseph Corsi, USNR) - Purple Hearts (Invasion of Normandy, number unknown)
LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down in 1942 at George Lawley & Sons Corp., Neponset, MA.
  • Launched in 1942
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-219, 20 November 1942
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-219 was assigned to the Europe-Africa Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North African occupation
    Tunisian operations, 27 March to 9 July 1943     		West coast of Italy operations-1944
    Anzio-Nettuno advanced landing 22 January 1944
    Sicilian occupation
    9 to 15 July and 28 July to 17 August 1943     		Invasion of Normandy
    6 to 25 June 1944

  • Lost through enemy action, 11 June 1944
  • USS LCI(L)-219 earned four battle stars for World War II service
    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 Contributed
    By
    LCI(L)-218 13k From left to right:
    USS LCI(L)-217,
    USS LCI(L)-218,
    USS LCI(L)-219 and
    USS LCI(L)-215 nested together while moored in North Africa, circa 1943.
    Black and white photo courtesy of Shane Miracle in memory of his grandfather who served aboard USS LCI(L)-217. Color version courtesy Ken Adair, Sr.    		 Robert G. Morrissey
    LCI(L)-218 75k
    LCI(L)-21 5567k USS LCI(L)-219 and USS LCI(L)-554 off Utah beach. After landing troops on Utah Beach on D-Day, LCI(l)-219 embarked the commander of LST Flotilla 10 to take charge of the various rhino ferries and barges off the beaches there. LCI(L)-219 made it through North Africa, Sicily, and Anzio without a scratch and would spend the next few days finding her way through the minefields off Utah that claimed several other vessels. This included USS LST499, which LCI(L)-219 assisted after the LST struck a mine on 9 June. The following day, they were ordered to Omaha Beach to bring the 81st Seabee Battalion back to Utah (seen here). At 3:45 in the morning on 11 June 1944, hours after this photo was taken, a German aerial bomb exploded close aboard LCI(L)-219, killing or wounding several of her crew and ultimately sinking the vessel as she sat in the transport area awaiting the Seabees. LCDR Albert Corsi, CO of USS LCI(L)-219, was awarded a Navy Cross for his efforts to save his ship and his crew, despite severe wounds. He was the last man to abandon ship, collapsing from his injuries soon afterward. Brian Miller
    The history for LCI(L)-219 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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 13 June 2019