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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-637


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Mike - Hotel
NPMH
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippine Liberation Medal (1)
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 27 May 1944, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Co., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, 19 June 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-637, 24 June 1944
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-637 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LCI(L) Flotilla Twenty-Four CDR. A. Vernon Janaotta, USN;
    LCI(L) Group Seventy-Two LCDR. A.T. Baker, USNR; and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operations
    Leyte landings, 28 and 29 November 1944

  • Decommissioned in 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1946
  • Sold, 9 November 1946
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-637 earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 246 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 kts; and 110 tons of fuel
    Armament
    five single 20mm gun mounts, 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    		SizeImage DescriptionSource
    LCI(L)-73178kDecommissioned LCI's moored at Naval Station Long Beach, CA., circa 1946. Ships that can be identified include USS LCI(L)-881, USS LCI(L)-731, USS LCI(L)-980, USS LCI(L)-979, and USS LCI(L)-637.
    Photo by The Inman Co., Long Beach, CA.    		USS LSM / LSMR Association
    The history for USS LCI(L)-637 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 PageBack To The Amphibious Ship Type IndexBack 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 1 March 2024