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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-968

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Whiskey - Tango
NYWT

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):

Laid down,29 February 1944, at Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, TX.

Launched, 27 March 1944

Commissioned USS LCI(L)-968, 21 April 1944

During World War II USS LCI(L)-968 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LCI Flotilla Fifteen;
LCI Group Forty-Three and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Western New Guinea operations Morotai landings, 15 September 1944

Following World War II USS LCI(L)-968 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
8 September to 16 December 1945	8 September to 16 December 1945

Decommissioned, date unknown

Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946

Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 26 November 1948, for disposal

Final Disposition, fate unknown

USS LCI(L)-968 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 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
	117k	USS LCI(L)-968 (right) and USS LCI(L)-609 (left) landing 31st Division troops on Morotai, the northernmost of the Moluccas Islands, 15 September 1944. Photo from USS LCI 2007 calendar, courtesy of Bill Ringle, XO LCI(L)-968.		Artie Hunt
	28k	USS LCI(L)-968 high and dry at Hollandia, New Guinea. Thomas Ely, Stewards Mate 1/C, foreground with native children on the beach. Photo from USS LCI National Association's Newsletter The Elsie Item, September 1995 issue.		Bill Brinkley

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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 9 May 2014