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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LC(FF)-656
ex
 USS LCI(L)-656 (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Quebec - Lima
 NPQL
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp)
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 17 June 1944, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, 20 July 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-656, 26 July 1944. LT. H.C. Shireman USNR in command (May 1945)
  • LCI(L)-656 was redesignated Landing Craft (Flotilla Flagship) LC(FF)-656, 20 January 1945
  • During World War II LCI(L)-656 / LC(FF)-656 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LC(FF) Flotilla Twenty-Three LCDR R. H. Brazeal / LCDR Dennis L. Francis:
     LC(FF) Group Sixty-Eight, LT. O. G. Howell;
     LC(FF) Division One Hundred Thirty-Six and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March to 22 June 1945

  • Following World War II LC(FF)-656 performed occupation duty in the Far East, 3 February to 10 April 1946
  • Decommissioned, date unknown and laid up in the Reserve Fleet, Florida Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS LC(FF)-656 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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
    LCI(L) 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 130 tons
    lube oil 200 gal
    Propulsion
    two sets of four General Motors Diesel engines, four per shaft, BHP 1,600
    twin variable pitch propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    There are no images of LCI(L)-656 / LC(FF)-656 available at NavSource
    The history for LCI(L)-656 / LC(FF)-656 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 13 September 2019