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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-697


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Yankee - Kilo
NPYK
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, 6 June 1944, at George Lawley & Sons, Neponset, MA.
  • Launched, 15 June 1944
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-697, 21 June 1944, at Boston

    From Boston the ship made its way to Panama, passing through the canal and on to San Diego, From there the
    ship headed solo to Pearl Harbor where the it trained for about 3 months with Underwater Demolition Teams.
    Tragedy struck one of the UDTs while training with LCI(L)-697 when the entire team was killed in an accident.
    From Pearl Harbor the ship traveling alone set a course for Japan and occupation duty.
    --William. R. Beattie USS LCI)L)-697

  • During World War II LCI(L)-697 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II LCI(L)-697 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 October 1945 to 1 February 1946
  • Decommissioned early-1946 at Charleston, S.C.
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 7 February 1947
  • 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
    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 800 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
    LCI(L)-697 74k LCI(L)-697 at San Diego, 15 October 1944. Other ships in the photo include LCI(L)-644 and LCI(L)-789. Mike Owens for his father-in-law William. R. Beattie MoMM USS LCI(L)-697
    LCI(L)-697 124k LCI(L)-697 crew photo, circa 1945. William R. Beattie - photo contributor - is seated, bottom right, front row. Mike Owens for his father-in-law William. R. Beattie MoMM USS LCI(L)-697
    The history for LCI(L)-697 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 2 July 2004