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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(R)-342
ex
 USS LCI(L)-342 (1942 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Uniform - Charlie
 NJUC
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (7)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 12 October 1944, at Brown Ship Building Co., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 7 November 1942
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-342, 30 December 1942;
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-342 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Eastern New Guinea operation
    Lae occupation, 4 to 6 September 1943
    Finschhafen occupation, 22 September 1943
    Saidor occupation, 2 to 3 January 1944     		Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 12 to 29 November 1944
    Bismarck Archipelago operation
    Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 26 and 27 December 1943     		Luzon operation
    Mindoro landings, 12 to 18 December 1944
    Lingayen Gulf landing, 4 to 18 January 1945
    Hollandia operation, 21 to 25 April 1944 Consolidation of the Southern Philippines
    Palawan Island landings, 28 February 1945
    Visayan Island landing, 26 to 28 March 1945
    Mindanao Island landings, 17 to 23 April 1945
    Western New Guinea operations
    Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area operation, 17 May 1944
    Biak Island operation, 27 to 28 May 1944, 29 May to 1 June 1944
    Noemtoor Island operation, 2 to 3 July 1944     		.

  • USS LCI(L)-342 was redesignated Landing Craft Rockets USS LCI(R)-342, 10 July 1945
  • Following World War II USS LCI(R)-342 performed occupation service in the Far East, including China Service from 29 September to 10 October 1945
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred, 10 March 1948, to the Maritime Commission for disposal
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS LCI(L)-342 received seven battle stars for WWII service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 216 t.(light), 234 t.(landing); 389 t.(loaded)
    Length 158' 5 1/2"
    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
    LCI(L) Complement 3 Officers, 21 Enlisted
    LCI(R) Complement 3 Officers, 31 Enlisted
    LCI(L) Troop Capacity 6 Officers, 182 Enlisted
    LCI(L) 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 four single 20mm guns one forward, one amidship, two aft, two .50 cal machine guns
    LCI(R) Armament one 40mm gun, four 20mm guns, two .50 cal machine guns, six 5" rocket launchers
    Fuel Capacity 130 tons, lube oil 200 gal.
    Propulsion two sets of 4 GM diesels, 4 per shaft, BHP 1,600, twin variable pitch propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LCI(L)-342 256k USS LCS(L)-342 underway in a convoy, date and location unknown. Photo taken from an unknown LCI. Photo from USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item", August 2008 issue. A US Navy photo from the US National Archives, courtesy Dennis Blocker. Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-342 148k USS LCS(L)-342 embarking troops, date and location unknown. Bill Brinkley
    LCI(L)-342 241k USS LCS(L)-342 and USS LCI(L)-340 beached while embarking troops of the 1st Bn, 163rd Rgt, 16 May 1944, bound for Tor River New Guinea. as part of the Western New Guinea campaign. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-342 124k USS LCS(L)-342 anchored in a nest of LCIs, date and location unknown. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-342 79k USS LCS(L)-342 crew photo, date and location unknown. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    The history for USS LCI(L)-342 / LCI(R)-342 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
    Fleet Reserve Association
    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 and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last updated 28 August 2009