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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-508


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - Yankee - Alpha
 NQYA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

USS LCI(L)-508 was first leased to the United Kingdom then later transferred to France
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down in October 1943 at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched in November 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-508, 30 November 1943
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-508 was assigned to the Europe-Africa Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign;

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944
  • Decommissioned and leased to the United Kingdom, 5 December 1944
  • Commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM LCI(L)-508, date unknown
  • Returned to US Navy custody, date unknown
  • Transferred under terms of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program to France for use in French Indo-China, 10 December 1946, redesignated RFS LCI-508
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-508 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, Mined, 3 April 1953 in South Vietnam - 21 seamen dead. Never repaired, scrapped in 1954 at Saigon
    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
    USS LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508
    1015050818    		 1176k USS LCI(L)-508 crew photo. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c.
    LCI(L)-508 564k USS LCI(L)-508 off the coast of France about to offload soldiers, 17 September 1944. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c.
    LCI(L)-508 292k USS LCI(L)-508 officers, date and location unknown. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c. LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508 216k USS LCI(L)-508 crew exercising one of the 20mm gun mounts Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c. LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508 184k USS LCI(L)-508 loaded with troops ready to transport to Normandy, date unknown. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c. LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508 251k USS LCI(L)-508 preparing to put troops ashore at Normandy, date unknown. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c. LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508 272k USS LCI(L)-508 landing troops, at Normandy, date unknown. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c. LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508 236k USS LCI(L)-508 beached at Normandy, date unknown. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c. LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508 214k USS LCI(L)-508 high and dry on the beach at Normandy, date unknown. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c. LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508 289k
    LCI(L)-508 229k USS LCI(L)-508 damaged port side ramp, date and location unknown. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c. LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508 293k USS LCI(L)-508 crew photo, date and location unknown. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c. LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508 240k USS LCI(L)-508 and and an unidentified LCI ferrying troops ashore from a transport, date and location unknown. Harry J. Cangany Jr. for his father Harry J Cangany Sr., MoMM/1c. LCI(L)-508
    HM LCI(L)-508
    LCI(L)-508 104k Ex-USS LCI(L)-508 in British Naval service as HM LCI(L)-508 crew photo, April 1945, Plymouth, England. Thomas Edward De Ville, front row at the center of the image. All crew members were listed on the back of the photo. Richard De Ville for his father Thomas Edward De Ville HM LCI(L)-508
    RFS LCI-9050
    LCI(L)-508 371k Ex-USS LCI(L)-508 in French Naval service as RFS LCI-9050 abandoned as she burns after being mined, 3 April 1953 in South Vietnamese waters. Photo by Romain Placet, submitted by Georges Demichelis
    LCI(L)-508 141k RFS LCI-9050 salvage operations in 1953 in South Vietnamese waters. Photos from Michel Lacointe submitted Georges Demichelis
    LCI(L)-508 107k
    The history for USS LCI(L)-508 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
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    This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 7 February 2020