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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-326


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Papa - Kilo
 NJPK
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)
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Individual Awards

Silver Star (LT Samuel W. Allison, CO, LCI(L)- 326) - 6 June 1944 at Normandy)

USS LCI(L)-326 was manned by the US Coast Guard
LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 22 December 1942, at Brown Shipbuilding Corp, Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 2 February 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-326, 15 February 1943, at Orange, TX., LT Samuel W. Allison, USCGR in command
  • USS LCI(L)-326 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater, LCI Flotilla Four, Capt. M. E. Imlay, USCG in command, (Flotilla Ten at Normandy) and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North African occupation
    Tunisian operation, 1 June to 9 July 1943     		Salerno landings, 9 September 1943
    Sicilian occupation, 9 July 1943 Invasion of Normandy 6 to 17 June 1944

  • USS LCI(L)-326 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)-323 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 and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 29 May to 30 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS LCI(L)-326 proceeded to Sasebo via Nagasaki, Japan and was assigned to C.T.G. 55.2 at Nagoya for Navy Occupation Service from 2 September to 25 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 7 May 1946, at New Orleans, LA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946
  • USS LCI(L)-326 earned five battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold, 13 December 1946, fate unknown
    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)-326, USS LCI(L)-237, USS LCI(L)-96 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)-218 1976k From left to right, front row:
    USS LCI(L)-218,
    USS LCI(L)-35,
    USS LCI(L)-14,
    USS LCI(L)-326,
    USS LCI(L)-88,
    USS LCI(L)-91 and
    USS LCI(L)-229
    From left to right back row:
    USS LCI(L)-2,
    USS LCI(L)-90,
    USS LCI(L)-320,
    USS LCI(L)-16,
    USS LCI(L)-3,
    USS LCI(L)-213,
    USS LCI(L)-321,
    USS LCI(L)-4,
    USS LCI(L)-86,
    USS LCI(L)-212,
    USS LCI(L)-217,
    USS LCI(L)-8,
    USS LCI(L)-83 and
    USS LCI(L)-94, massed at Bizerte, Tunisia, 6 July 1943 while loading troops for the invasion of Sicily.
    US Army Signal Corps photo # 176486, now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Dave Kerr
    LCI(L)-14 94k USS LCI(L)-326 along with the rest of LCI Flotillas Two and Four ready to sail to North Africa with the Third Infantry Division. Bill Brinkley
    LCI(L)-326 73k USS LCI(L)-326 beached while unloading her troops during a training exercise, date and location unknown. Wes Stone, Lusby, MD. -"In memory of the men of the USNATB, Solomons, MD."
    LCI(L)-326
    1015032614    		 445k US Army troops board USS LCI(L)-326 (left) and USS LCI(L)-96 (right) 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)-326 106k USS LCI(L)-326 off loading troops during training exercises at Slapton Sands, England, prior to the invasion of Normandy. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-320/326 32k USS LCI(L)-326 and LCI(L)-320 beached, location and location unknown. Wayne Caldwell USS LCI(L)-89 and USS LCI(L)-320
    LCI(L)-5 448k USS LCI(L)-5 crew being briefed on coming operations (Normandy invasion - 6 June 1944). USS LCI(L)-3 is on their left and USS LCI(L)-4 on their right. Also, in the background across from them are USS LCI(L)-325, USS LCI(L)-326, and USS LCI(L)-8.
    Photo from the May 2014 issue of the USS LCI National Association's newsletter, "Elsie Item:, courtesy of Robert Wright Jr.    		 Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-325 96k USS LCI(L)-326, USS LCI(L)-350, USS LCI(L)-325 and an unidentified LCI(L) of the Coast Guard Flotilla await orders in an English port prior the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, 6 June 1944.
    Image is a frame from an unknown film documentary.    		 Paulo Soukup
    LCI(L)-326
    1015032613    		 396k Aboard USS LCI(L)-326 on the way to the Normandy beachhead, Army troops and Navy sailors listen to music to take their minds off what lays ahead once they reach the French coast.
    US National Archives Identifier 205578570, Local Identifier 26-G-2401, US Coast Guard photo # 2401.    		 David Upton
    LCI(L)-326 166k Men from Texas and Oklahoma of the 90th Infantry Division aboard USS LCI(L)-326 bound for Normandy for the D-day invasion. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-326 174k
    LCI(L)-326 77k
    LCI(L)-326 160k USS LCI(L)-326 off loading 90th Infantry Division troops into LCVPs for their run into the beach at Normandy, on D-day, 6 June 1944. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-326 143k USS LCI(L)-326 underway returning to England from Normandy with German Prisoners of War aboard, date unknown. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-326 128k A crane off loads machinery from USS LCI(L)-326 as she lays beached at Normandy, date unknown. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-326 180k USS LCI(L)-326 at anchor some time after 6 June 1944, location unknown. Note the aircraft painted on the conning tower below the number 326. LCI(L)-326 was credited with downing one enemy aircraft on D-Day, 6 June 1944.
    US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the US Coast Guard Historian's Office.    		 Mike Green
    LCI(L)-326
    1015032611
    NA 205578615    		 342k USS LCI(L)-326 crew members, Robert E. O'Connell MoMM/3c, Allen Aylward RM/3c and Harold Goodwin SM/2c, talk to German POWs while they are onboard being transported across the English Channel from France to an English port where the prisoners will be transported to a Prisoner of War Camp.
    US National ArchIves Identifier 205578615, Local Identifier 26-G-2448, US Coast Guard photo # 2448 and
    US National Archives Identifier 205578667, Local Identifier 26-G-2447, US Coast Guard photo # 2447    		 David Upton
    LCI(L)-326

    1015032612
    NA 205578667    		 379k
    The history for USS LCI(L)-325 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Allison, Samuel W., USCGR15 February 1943 - 15 September 1944
    02LTjg. Jones, James, USCGR15 September 1944 7 May 1946
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
    US Coast Guard Historian's Office - LCI(L)-326
    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
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    Last Updated 18 June 2021