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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(G)-420
ex
 USS LCI(L)-420 (1944 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - India - Lima
 NKIL
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal

USS LCI(G)-420 was transferred to the Netherlands, named HNLMS Zeearend later transferred to Indonesia and renamed KRI Piru
LCI(L)-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 9 February 1944, at George Lawley and Sons, Neponset, MA.
  • Launched, 16 February 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-420, 23 February 1944
  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Guns) LCI(G)-420, 15 July 1945
  • During World War II LCI(L)-420 / LCI(G)-420 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
    Convoy UGS 38, 20 April 1944 Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

  • Decommissioned, circa 1945-46
  • Struck from the Naval Register, circa 1945-46
  • Transferred to the State Department, 20 May 1946, for disposal
  • Transferred to the Netherlands in 1946, named HNLMS Zeearend
  • Handed over to the Dutch East Indies government on the formation of the Indonesian Navy in 1950, renamed KRI Piru
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-420 earned two battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 216 t.(light), 234 t.(landing); 389 t.(loaded)
    Length 158' 5 1/2"
    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
    LCI(L) Complement
    3 Officers
    21 Enlisted
    LCI(G) Complement
    5 Officers
    65 Enlisted
    LCI(L) Troop Capacity
    6 Officers
    182 Enlisted
    LCI(L) 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 kts; and 110 tons of fuel
    LCI(L) Armament
    four single 20mm guns one forward, one amidship, two aft
    two .50cal machine guns
    LCI(G) Armament
    two 40mm guns
    four 20mm guns
    six .50cal machine guns
    ten MK7 rocket launchers
    Fuel Capacity 130 tons, lube oil 200 gal.
    Propulsion
    two sets of 4 General Motors Diesel engines, 4 per shaft, BHP 1,600
    twin variable pitch propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    LCI(L)-420
    1015042006    		 913k USS LCI(L)-420 beached high and dry at Normandy, date unknown Sean Allen Earnhardt for his grandfather Fred Alvin “Shirt” Allen LCI(L)-420
    LCI(L)-420 913k USS LCI(L)-420 underway, date and location unknown. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc.
    courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-420 274k USS LCI(L)-420 disembarking troops, date and location 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)-420 90k USS LCI(L)-420 disembarking troops onto a pier, date and location unknown. Bill Brinkley
    LCI(L)-420
    Then    		 126k Then - LT Steve Basse, XO USS LCI(L)-420 circa 1944
    Now - LCI Reunion aboard LCI(L)-713, 2008    		 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)-420
    Now    		 359k
    The history for USS LCI(L)-420 / LCI(G)-420 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 28 October 2022