Landing Ship Medium

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A Landing Ship Medium (LSM) was an amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy in World War II. Of a size between that of Landing Ships Tank and Landing Craft Infantry, 558 LSMs were built for the USN between 1944 and 1945. Most of vessels built on this frame were regular transports, while several dozen were converted during construction to specialized roles. Most LSMs were scrapped during the Cold War, but several were sold by the United States Department of Defense to foreign nations or private shipping companies.

Contents

OPNAV N95 established a new LSM program in 2020. The new LSM will be 350 to 400 ft long, able to operate at 22 knots and have a range of 6500 miles. The cost will be much lower than traditional amphibious shipping, according to a story in the March 2023 Marine Corps Gazette. The piece suggests that a MLR (Marine Littoral Regiment) would need 9 LSMs. As a comparison the Jason class of the Greek Navy is about 380 ft long, with a top speed of 18 knots

LSM-1-class Landing Ship Medium (Transport)

Oceanside LSM-175.jpg
USS LSM-175 underway off Charleston Navy Yard in 1944
General characteristics
Class and typeLSM-1 class Landing Ship Medium
Displacement
  • 530 long tons (539 t) empty
  • 900 long tons (914 t) loaded
Length203 ft 6 in (62.03 m)
Beam34 ft (10 m)
Draft
  • Landing :
  • 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m) forward
  • 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) aft
  • Full load :
  • 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) forward
  • 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) aft
Propulsion Fairbanks-Morse or GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, 2 screws
Speed13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph)
Range5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)
Capacity
Troops54 troops
Complement4 officers, 54 enlisted
Armament

List of LSM-1-class ships

In total, 558 LSM ships were launched. Some notable examples include:

NameYear launchedFateShort summary
USS LSM-17 May 7, 1944Sold on November 15, 1974
USS LSM-19 May 14, 1944Un­known
USS LSM-20 May 14, 1944Sank on December 5, 1944
USS LSM-45 June 30, 1944Scrapped after 1998
USS LSM-46 June 30, 1944Sold on October 23, 1948
USS LSM-56 July 21, 1944Sold on October 23, 1948
USS LSM-60 July 29, 1944 Scuttled on July 25, 1946
USS LSM-105 October 21, 1944Sold on December 10, 1958
USS LSM-110 October 28, 1944Scrapped on June 9, 1976
USS LSM-115 November 11, 1944Sold on December 29, 1946
USS LSM-125 November 25, 1944Scrapped on October 4, 1977
USS LSM-135 April 23, 1944Sank on May 25, 1945
USS LSM-149 May 27, 1944Grounded on December 5, 1944
USS LSM-157 Sank in September 1958Transferred to Nationalist China in 1949, recommissioned as Mei Le, sunk by Red Chinese artillery 9/1958
USS Kodiak (LSM-161) June 27, 1944Scrapped on August 14, 1972
USS Oceanside (LSM-175) August 3, 1944Scrapped in 1989
USS LSM-216 Scrapped in 1960
USS LSM-217 Un­known
USS LSM-236 July 4, 1944Scrapped in 1972
USS LSM-247 Sold in February 1947
USS LSM-256 Sank on June 16, 1969Transferred to Nationalist China in 1949, recommisioned as Mei Hua, sunk in a collision with M.V. Ta Tung 16/6/69
USS LSM-275 September 11, 1944Scrapped in 1976Later renamed and reclassified USS Portunus (ARC-1)
USS LSM-297 October 30, 1944Scrapped in 1958
USS LSM-315 Un­known
USS LSM-319 Sank in 1971
USS LSM-333 October 13, 1944Scuttled on September 17, 2006
USS LSM-335 Later USNS LSM-335 (T-AG-335) Assigned Ryukyuan shuttle. [1]
USS LSM-338 December 5, 1944Scrapped
USS LSM-355 December 2, 1944Un­known
USS LSM-380 January 13, 1945Waiting for preservation
USS LSM-397 January 6, 1945Sold in November 1958
USS Hunting (LSM-398) January 6, 1945Scrapped after 1983Later reclassified (E-AG-398)
USS LSM-462 February 3, 1945Un­known
USS LSM-469 February 17, 1945Scuttled on February 1, 2003
USS LSM-471 February 17, 1945Un­known
USS LSM-477 Sank in 1971
USS LSM-478 March 3, 1945Un­known
USS Raritan (LSM-540) August 1, 1945Un­known
USS LSM-547 Abandoned by 1972

LSM(R)-188-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)

Uss LSMR-194.jpg
USS LSM(R)-194 passing under the Cooper River Bridge, Charleston, SC, 2 December 1944
General characteristics
Class and typeLSM(R)-188-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)
Displacement
  • LSM(R)-188 to LSM(R)-195 :
  • 968 long tons (984 t) loaded
  • LSM(R)-196 to LSM(R)-199 :
  • 1,008 long tons (1,024 t) loaded
Length203 ft 6 in (62.03 m)
Beam34 ft (10 m)
Draft
  • 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) forward
  • 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) aft
Propulsion GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, two screws
Speed13.2 knots (24.4 km/h; 15.2 mph)
Range5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)
Complement5 officers, 76 enlisted
Armament

LSM(R)-401-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)

General characteristics
Class and typeLSM-401(R)-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)
Displacement1,175 long tons (1,194 t) loaded
Length203 ft 6 in (62.03 m)
Beam34 ft (10 m)
Draft7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)
Propulsion GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, two screws
Speed13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Range5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)
Complement6 officers, 137 enlisted
Armament

LSM(R)-501-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)

Uss Pee Dee River LSMR-517.jpg
USS Pee Dee River (LSM(R)-517) underway in 1954
General characteristics
Class and typeLSM-501(R)-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)
Displacement1,175 long tons (1,194 t) loaded
Length203 ft 6 in (62.03 m)
Beam34 ft 6 in (10.52 m)
Draft7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)
Propulsion GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, two screws
Speed13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Range5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)
Complement6 officers, 137 enlisted
Armament

Gypsy-class Salvage Lifting Vessels

Uss Gypsy ARS(D)-1.jpg
USS Gypsy (ARS(D)-1) underway at Houston, Texas, in 1946
General characteristics
Class and typeGypsy-class Salvage Lifting Vessels
Displacement816 long tons (829 t)
Length224 ft 9 in (68.50 m)
Beam34 ft 10 in (10.62 m)
Draft8 ft 4 in (2.54 m)
Propulsion Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines, 1,440 shp (1,074 kW), direct drive, two screws
Speed13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Range4,900 nmi (9,100 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement65 officers and enlisted
Armament2 × 20 mm AA guns

Production

Dates are launch dates. [2]

Delivery: [2]

Legacy

One LSM, USS LSM-45, survived in its original configuration until around 2010. It was in storage at Marine Station Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina. It was slated to become the centerpiece of the Museum of the Marine, but due to changed plans, was scrapped between 2010 and 2014.[ citation needed ]

Light Amphibious Warship (LAW)

As of February 2023 the US Marine Corps has proposed the purchase of 18 to 35 modern LSMs; this LSM concept was previously known as the Light Amphibious Warship (LAW). [3] [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

USS <i>LSM(R)-189</i>

USS LSM(R)-189 was a LSM(R)-188 class Landing Ship Medium (rocket) of the United States Navy during World War II. She was commanded by Lieutenant James Malcolm Stewart, USNR during the Battle of Okinawa.

USS St. Mary's River was originally authorized as LSM-528. Reclassified LSM(R)-528 on 21 April 1945, she was laid down on 19 May 1945 at the Brown Shipbuilding Co., Inc., Houston, Texas, launched on 16 June 1945, and commissioned on 2 September 1945.

USS <i>St. Josephs River</i>

USS St. Joseph's River was laid down on 19 May 1945 by the Brown Shipbuilding Co., Inc., in Houston, Texas; she was launched on 16 June 1945 and commissioned on 24 August 1945.

USS <i>Pee Dee River</i>

USS Pee Dee River, an LSM(R)-501-class landing ship medium (rocket) of the United States Navy, was originally designed as an LSM, but redesignated on 9 February 1945 as LSM(R)–517. She was laid down by Brown Shipbuilding Corporation, in Houston, Texas, on 28 April 1945 and launched 2 June 1945. She was accepted and commissioned on 21 July 1945.

USS <i>Clarion River</i>

USS Clarion River was an LSM(R)-401-class medium-type landing ship (LSM) built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for the Clarion River in west central Pennsylvania, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Saint Croix River</i>

USS Saint Croix River was a rocket-equipped Landing Ship of the United States Navy during World War II.

USS <i>LSM(R)-190</i>

USS LSM(R)-190 was a United States Navy LSM(R)-188-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket). She was built at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, South Carolina and was commissioned on 21 November 1944. LSM(R)-190 took part in the Battle of Okinawa from 7 April–4 May 1945. She was hit and sunk by a Japanese suicide plane on 4 May 1945 while on the radar picket line. She later received a Navy Unit Commendation for her service off Okinawa.

LSM(R)-191 was a World War II LSM(R)-188-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket) fitted for firing a rocket barrage.

LSM(R)-193 was an American Landing Ship Medium (Rocket) built in 1944, which provided naval gunfire and rocket support for US and Allied amphibious landings in World War II. It was laid down at Charleston Navy Yard and commissioned on 21 November 1944. It participated in the Battle of Okinawa as well as the run-up to the battle

LSM(R)-192 was a LSM(R)-188 class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket) of the US Navy during World War II. Laid down at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, South Carolina, the ship was commissioned on 21 November 1944.

USS <i>LSM-45</i>

USS LSM-45 was a LSM-1-class medium landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. The ship also served as Ypoploiarchos Grigoropoulos (L161) in the Hellenic Navy from 1958 to 1993. She was the last known surviving LSM in its original configuration. Her last location before scrapping was Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. LSM-45 was donated to the Museum of the Marine by the now defunct Amphibious Ship Museum under the understanding that it would be put on display at the museum, and was towed to North Carolina in 2004 from Omaha, Nebraska. The museum decided in 2007 that the ship would not be a part of the museum and tried looking for another home for the ship. In 2009, there were reports that the Museum was considering scrapping or sinking the ship as an artificial reef, and she was scrapped sometime between 2010 and 2014.

USS <i>LSM(R)-196</i>

LSM(R)-196 was a US amphibious assault ship, laid down at Charleston Navy Yard. It was commissioned on 12 December 1944.

USS <i>LSM(R)-197</i>

LSM(R)-197 was a United States Navy vessel laid down at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, South Carolina. The ship was commissioned on 8 December 1944.

LSM(R)-199 was a LSM(R)-188 class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket) of the US Navy during World War II. laid down at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, South Carolina, The ship was commissioned on 12 December 1944.

USS <i>Chariton River</i>

USS Chariton River was an LSM(R)-401-class medium-type landing ship (LSM) built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for the Chariton River in northern Missouri and southern Iowa, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>White River</i>

USS White River (LSMR-536) was a Landing Ship Medium (Rocket) (LSMR) in service with the US Navy between 1945 and 1946, 1950 and 1956, and 1965 and 1970. As a member of the LSM(R)-501-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket), White River was designed to provide rocket fire support to US and allied amphibious operations, although in South Vietnam she was generally used to bombard enemy formations and installations. She saw combat in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, making a large contribution to the latter, in which she fired tens to hundreds of thousands of rockets in support of American, South Vietnamese, and South Korean operations against the Viet Cong during ten tours of duty in Vietnam, 1966 through 1969. In Navy publications such as All Hands and the Navy Times, as well as in the recollections of crew, forward observers and spotters, and ground forces receiving her support, White River was reported to have the firepower of six destroyers or a cruiser. She could fire 250 65-pound (29 kg) rockets in a minute, plus 5-inch shells and autocannon fire, and carry a magazine of 1,500-2,000 rockets.

USS <i>LSM-46</i> LSM-1-class landing ship medium

USS LSM-46 was a LSM-1-class landing ship medium in the United States Navy during World War II.

USS <i>Elk River</i> LSM(R)-501-class medium landing ship

USS LSM(R)-501 was the lead ship of the LSM(R)-501-class landing ship medium built in 1945 for service in World War II. She was later converted into a test range support ship and renamed USS Elk River (IX-501). Her namesake was a Minnesota town named Elk River.

References

  1. "Meet the Fleet – USNS LSM-335". Sealift Magazine. Vol. 14, no. 8. Washington, D.C.: Military Sea Transportation Service. August 1964. p. 24. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Landing Ships, Medium - LSM, LSM(R), LSV". Shipbuilding History. 6 January 2018.
  3. Shelbourne, Mallory (February 2023). "Marine Corps Requirements Call for 9 Light Amphibious Ships per Regiment". USNI News. United States Naval Institute.
  4. Grady, John (February 2023). "SECNAV Del Toro 'Excited' About New Landing Ship Mediums". USNI News. United States Naval Institute.