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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSIL-698
ex
 USS LCI(L)-698 (1944 - 1949)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Yankee - Romeo
 NPYR
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal

USS LSIL-698 was transferred to France re-designated RFS LSIL 9029 and later to South Vietnam, renamed RVNS Long Dao (HQ-327)
LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 9 June 1944, George Lawley & Sons, Neponset, MA.
  • Launched, 17 June 1944
  • Commissioned as USS LCI(L)-698, 23 June 1944, LTjg. C. F. Turner in command (May 1945)
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-698 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LCI Flotilla Five, CDR. H. V. Milton;
     LCI Group Thirteen (group flagship), LCDR. N. Nash Jr.;
     LCI Division Twenty-Six
  • Decommissioned and laid up in Reserve, date unknown
  • Reclassified Landing Ship Infantry Large LSIL-698, 28 February 1949
  • Transferred under terms of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program to France for use in French Indo-China, 8 January 1951, redesignated RFS LSIL 9029
  • Returned to US Naval custody, date unknown
  • Transferred to South Vietnam, date unknown, redesignated RVNS Long Dao (HQ-327)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, sunk in 1974 in South Vietnam, unknown circumstances
    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
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    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS LCI(L)-698
    LCS(L)-78/104/LCI(L)-698 82k USS LCS(L)(3)-78 center, with USSLCI(L)-698 inboard, only her bow is visible, date and place unknown. Photo from the collection of Bill Heist, LSM-474
    RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 69k Commissioning crew of RFS LSIL 9029 departing Paris bound for Seattle to pick up their ship, 1951. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 166k Ex-USS LSIL-698 in French Naval Service as RFS LSIL 9029 moored pierside at Seattle, WA. in 1951. Note the Naval Reserve Training Destroyer Escort USS Rombach (DE-364) moored aft. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 119k RFS LSIL 9029 beached in the San Diego area while undergoing amphibious training in 1951. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 47k
    LCS(L)-698 324k Georges Demichelis at right, back aboard RFS LSIL 9029 after liberty in Tijuana. Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 66k RFS LSIL 9029 underway in San Francisco Bay, 1951. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 176k RFS LSIL 9029 makes a port call at Hawaii, while enroute to Haiphong, French Indo-China, in 1951. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 300k RFS LSIL 9029 engineers taking a break while making repairs in the engine room during 1954 crossing of the Pacific Ocean. Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 154k RFS LSIL 9029 on a mud bank at Haiphong after the Pacific crossing to repair the ships propellers. Photo by Romain Placet, submitted by Georges Demichelis.RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 115k RFS LSIL 9029 in Along Bay, North Vietnam in 1954. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 169k RFS LSIL 9029 beached at Port Dayot (Annam - French-Indochina) in May 1954. Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 202k RFS LSIL 9029 crew at breakfast in 1954. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 197k RFS LSIL 9029 in the Brown Water Navy Force (French DINASSAUT) on the Red River in North Vietnam along with RFS LSIL 9033 ex-USS LCIL-699. Photo by Jean Claude Fortier., submitted by Georges Demichelis.RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 103k RFS LSIL 9029 conducting military operations against the Vietnamese Communist Forces in North Vietnam. Photo by Romain Placet., submitted by Georges Demichelis.RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 144k RFS LSIL 9029 crew members Jean Boudouresque, unknown, Georges Demichelis, and Romain Placet, preparing ammunitions for machine guns while sitting on mortar shell cases. Photo by Jacques Porcher, submitted by Georges Demichelis.RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 240k RFS LSIL 9029 participating in the withdrawal of French troops from the Red River, North Vietnam. Photo by Jean Claude Fortier, submitted by Georges Demichelis.RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 873k RFS LSIL 9029 during a prisoner exchange between France and Communist North Vietnam at Sam Son in August 1954. Photo by Georges Demichelis.RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 2053k Rescue at sea by RFS LSIL 9029 Vietnamese Catholics escapees from Communist North Vietnam near the coast of Bui Chu in September 1954. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 77k RFS LSIL 9029 beached in North Vietnam in 1954. Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 65k RFS LSIL 9029 at anchor in Along Bay, North Vietnam in 1954. Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 429k RFS LSIL 9029 on patrol in Along Bay, North Vietnam in 1954. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 268k Petty officer signalman Michel Avenol standing at the stern of RFS LSIL 9029 while on patrol in Along Bay, North Vietnam in 1954. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 190k Quarter master gunner Corre of RFS LSIL 9029 while on patrol in Along Bay, North Vietnam in December 1954. The inscription on the hat is " AMPHIBIE." Photo by Michel Avenol petty officer signalman. Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 590k Quartermaster Gilbert Viel and a petty officer of RFS LSIL9029 after receiving their War Cross in August 1954. Note the 120 mm mortar behind them. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 254k RFS LSIL 9029 moored in Along Bay, North Vietnam in 1954 with an LCM Monitor alongside. Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 182k French Naval cemetery in Along Bay, North Vietnam. Photo taken from RFS LSIL 9029, circa 1954. Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 440k RFS LSIL 9029 moored pierside at Haiphong in December 1954 waiting for the International Control Commission Ceasefire members to arrive. to transport them to Along Bay.
    Photos By Gilbert Viel quarter master Secretary of the DINASSAUT 4.    		 Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 544k RFS LSIL 9029's Commanding Officer Captain Pichot de Champfleury waiting for the International Control Commission Ceasefire members to arrive. to transport them to Along Bay, December 1954.
    Photos By Gilbert Viel quarter master Secretary of the DINASSAUT 4.     		Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 558k Photo is titled "champfleury" and it depicts the captain of RFS LSIL 9029 with the International Control Commission Ceasefire members in Along Bay in December 1954. Photo by Gilbert Viel LSIL 9029 Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 553k The International Control Commission Ceasefire members aboard RFS LSIL 9029's at Along Bay, December 1954.
    Photos By Gilbert Viel quarter master Secretary of the DINASSAUT 4.    		 Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 346k RFS LSIL 9029 in South Vietnam, circa 1955. Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 798k RFS LSIL 9029 during operations on the Red River with soldiers on board. The gun is a 120mm mortar. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 570k RFS LSIL 9029 mascot, "Gingers" was given to the crew by a US navy officer at Seattle in 1953. "Gingers" travels included San Francisco, San Diego, Pearl Harbor, Guam, Manila, Saigon, and Haiphong. She was aboard for the war campaign, unshipped at Saigon in 1955 and returned to France with one of the crew. Photo by Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    LCS(L)-698 198k RFS LSIL 9029 beached at Port Dayot near Danang in May 1955. Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    RVNS Long Dao (HQ-327)
    LCS(L)-698 176k South Vietnamese navy ship RVNS Long Dao (HQ-327) (ex-USS LCI(L)-698, ex-RFS 9029) under way somewhere on the Mékong River, date unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo # NH 93777    		 Georges Demichelis RFS LSIL 9029
    and Mike Green
    LCS(L)-698 315k RVNS Long Dao (HQ-327) moored, pierside, date unknown and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    LCS(L)-698 108k RVNS Long Dao (HQ-327) under way, circa 1971, location unknown.
    Official Vietnamese Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    The history for USS LCI(L)-698 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
    A History of RFS LSIL 9029
    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 and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 26 May 2017