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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(G)-556
ex
 USS LCI(L)-556 (1944 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Victor - India
 NFVI
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
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 19 January 1944, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, 16 February 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-556, 19 February 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-556 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

  • Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) USS LCI(G)-556, 10 July 1945
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 January 1946
  • Sold, 10 December 1946
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-556 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)-556 89k USS LCI(L)-556 "high and dry" on mud flats in England, date unknown. Photo courtesy of Lance Caputo, for his father Francis L. Caputo, GM2/c, USS LCI(L)-556. Photo from USS LCI National Association's newsletter The Elsie Item, January 2005 issue. Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-556 79k USS LCI(L)-556 "Celebrating another victory in the Captain's Quarters!" Left to Right: Frank Caputo (GM), Captain P. Walsby, Walter Simmington (QM), Ray Wakild (MM), and Fred West (MM). Photo courtesy of Lance Caputo, for his father Francis L. Caputo, GM2/c, USS LCI(L)-556. Photo from USS LCI National Association's newsletter The Elsie Item, January 2005 issue. Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-556 164k Ray Wakild, MM1/c at the engine room controls of USS LCI(L)-556. Photo courtesy of Lance Caputo, for his father Francis L. Caputo, GM2/c, USS LCI(L)-556. Photo from USS LCI National Association's newsletter The Elsie Item, January 2005 issue. Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-556 76k The crew of USS LCI(L)-556 on the beach at Torquay, England, sometime after D-Day. Photo from USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", December 2005 issue, courtesy, Walt Simonsen, QM1/c USS LCI(L)-556. Ardie Hunt
    President Warfield 104k USS President Warfield (IX-169) moored on the Seine River, France, circa 1944-1945. President Warfield was serving as a Base and Accommodations Ship for LCIs. Alongside, from left to right; USS LCI(L)-412, USS LCI(L)-408, USS LCI(L)-539, USS LCI(L)-401 and USS LCI(L)-556. In the right foreground is an LCT and HMS ML-248.
    US Army Signal Corps Photo # SC-222893, from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.    		 Robert G. Morrissey
    The history for USS LCI(L)-556 / LCI(G)-556 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 by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 14 March 2014