USS LCS(L)(3)-102

Last updated
USS LCS(L) 102.jpg
USS LCS(L)-102 at Vallejo, California, 2007
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameLCS(L)(3)-102
Laid down13 January 1945
Launched3 February 1945
Commissioned17 February 1945
ReclassifiedLSSL-102, 28 February 1949
FateTransferred to Japan, 30 April 1953
Honors and
awards		one battle star
Naval Ensign of Japan.svg Japan
NameHimawari
Acquired30 April 1953
Out of service1966
FateTransferred to Thailand, 18 April 1966
Naval Ensign of Thailand.svg Thailand
NameNakha
NamesakeNakha Islands
Acquired1966
Out of serviceSeptember 2007
Identification Hull number: LSSL-751
FateReturned to the US, became a museum ship since September 2007
General characteristics
Class and typeLCS(L)(3)-1 Class Landing Craft Support ship
Displacement
  • 250 tons (light);
  • 387 tons (full load)
Length158 ft (48 m)
Beam23 ft 8 in (7.21 m)
Draft5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Propulsion Diesel engines
Speed16.5 knots (max); 12 knots (econ)
Range5,500 nautical miles at 12 knots
Complement8 officers, 70 enlisted
Armament
Armor10-lb. STS splinter shields
USS LCS-102 (Landing Craft Support)
Location Vallejo, California
NRHP reference No. 15000716
Added to NRHPOctober 13, 2015

USS LCS(L)(3)-102 is an LCS(L)(3)-1 Class Landing Craft Support ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. The vessel was completed near the end of the war and saw brief service during the Battle of Okinawa. After the war, LCS(L)(3)-102 served in China before being decommissioned in 1946 and then transferred to Japan in mid-1953. Serving under the name JDS Himawari, the vessel remained in Japan until mid-1966 when she was transferred to Thailand, becoming the HTMS Nakha. In 2007, after being retired, the ship was returned to the United States to become a museum ship.

Contents

Now the sole remaining vessel of her class, she remains docked at the site of the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard, in Vallejo, CA.

Design and construction

USS LCS(L)(3)-102 was laid down 13 January 1945 at Commercial Iron Works in Portland, Oregon. The vessel was launched on 3 February 1945 and commissioned on 17 February. [1] As built, the vessel displaced 250-tons without load, and 387 tons at full load. She was 158 feet (48 m) long, with a beam of 23 feet 6 inches (7.16 m) and a draft of 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m). With a crew of six officers and 65 enlisted personnel, at maximum endurance she had a range of 5,500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 12 knots; power was provided by two propellers that were driven by four General Motors 6-71 per-shaft 1,600 horse power diesel engines.

Armament

She was armed with an array of weapons, including: a single 3-inch gun mounted on her bow; two twin-mounted 40mm anti-aircraft guns; four single-mounted 20mm anti-aircraft guns; four .50 caliber machine-guns and ten rocket launchers. Armor included 10-pound (4.5 kg) splinter shields which were placed on the gun mounts, the pilot house and the conning tower. [1] [2]

Her ten Mk7 rocket launchers were removed sometime after decommissioning, presumably before transfer into the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Operational history

After commissioning, the LCS(L)(3)-102 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. World War II was in its final stages at the time, but she arrived in time to participate in the Battle of Okinawa, participating in the Gunto operation between 18 and 30 June 1945. [1] [2]

She was pulled off line to perform mine removal in the Philippines, before doing the same in the Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands, and rivers in China.

At the end of the war, USS LCS(L)(3)-102 served as part of the occupation forces in Japan until December 1945 when it was moved to China before being deemed surplus and decommissioned in April 1946 and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, in Astoria, Oregon. Redesignated Landing Ship Support Large, USS "LSSL-102", on 28 February 1949 she was soon transferred to Japan, 30 April 1953, and renamed JDS Himawari where she served until 18 April 1966 when she was brought to the US, re-transferred to Thailand and renamed HTMS Nakha (LSSL-751). She stayed in Thailand until 2007. [1]

USS LCS(L)(3)-102 earned one battle star for her service in World War II. [1]

Museum ship (2007-present)

USS LCS (L) (3) 102 at Mare Island, California, 2016 USS LCS L 3 102 30Apr2016 450px.jpg
USS LCS (L) (3) 102 at Mare Island, California, 2016

A transfer ceremony was held on May 22, 2007, to transfer custody of the ship from the Royal Thai Navy to the National Association of LCS(L) 1–130. [3]

In September 2007, she was loaded aboard a ship for transit from Thailand back to the United States to become a museum ship at Mare Island, California. [4] [5] The National Association of LCS(L) 1-130 is now officially known as the Landing Craft Support Museum, and continues to preserve and restore the 102.

She is now located on Mare Island, at the site of the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard. The museum is open to the public from 9 to 3 Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, or by prior arrangements.

The 102 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

Related Research Articles

The names of commissioned ships of the United States Navy all start with USS, for United States Ship. Non-commissioned, primarily civilian-crewed vessels of the U.S. Navy under the Military Sealift Command have names that begin with USNS, standing for United States Naval Ship. A letter-based hull classification symbol is used to designate a vessel's type. The names of ships are selected by the Secretary of the Navy. The names are those of states, cities, towns, important persons, important locations, famous battles, fish, and ideals. Usually, different types of ships have names originated from different types of sources.

Landing Craft Support United States Navy and Royal Navy ship class

The Landing Craft, Support (Large) were two distinct classes of amphibious warfare vessels used by the United States Navy (USN) in the Pacific and the Royal Navy in World War II. The USN versions, which were later reclassified Landing Ship Support, Large, also performed radar picket duty and fire fighting.

USS <i>Heywood L. Edwards</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Heywood L. Edwards (DD-663) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named after Lieutenant Commander Heywood L. Edwards (1905–1941), captain of the destroyer USS Reuben James, the first U.S. Navy ship sunk in World War II. Following the war, the ship was transferred to Japan and renamed Ariake. The ship served with the Japanese until 1974 and was scrapped in 1976.

USS <i>Richard P. Leary</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Richard P. Leary (DD-664) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy. In 1959, the ship was transferred to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and renamed Yūgure. The destroyer remained in service with the Japanese until 1974, when she was returned to the US, who then sold the ship for scrap in 1976.

USS <i>Allentown</i> Tacoma-class patrol frigate

USS Allentown (PF-52), a United States Navy Tacoma-class frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945, has thus far been the only U.S. Navy ship to be named for Allentown, Pennsylvania. She later served in the Soviet Navy as EK-9 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Ume (PF-9), JDS Ume (PF-289) and as YAC-14.

USS <i>Albuquerque</i> (PF-7) Tacoma-class patrol frigate

USS Albuquerque (PG-115/PF-7), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate in commission from 1943 to 1945 and from 1950 to 1953, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Albuquerque, New Mexico. She also served in the Soviet Navy as EK-14 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Tochi (PF-16/PF-296) and as YAC-15.

USS <i>Pasco</i> Tacoma-class patrol frigate

USS Pasco (PG-114/PF-6), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945, has thus far been the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Pasco, Washington. She later served in the Soviet Navy as EK-12 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Kashi (PF-3/PF-283) and as YAC-12.

USS <i>Everett</i> Tacoma-class patrol frigate

USS Everett (PG-116/PF-8), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945 and from 1950 to 1953, thus far has been the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Everett, Washington. She also served in the Soviet Navy as EK-15 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Kiri (PF-11/PF-291/YAC-20).

USS <i>Charlottesville</i> Tacoma-class patrol frigate

USS Charlottesville (PF-25), a United States Navy Tacoma-class frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945, has been the only US Navy ship thus far to be named for Charlottesville, Virginia. She later served in the Soviet Navy as EK-1 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Matsu (PF-6), JDS Matsu (PF-286) and YAS-36.

USS Newport (PF-27), a Tacoma-class frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945, and from 1950 to 1952, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Newport, Rhode Island. She later served in the Soviet Navy as EK-28 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Kaede (PF-13), JDS Kaede (PF-293) and as YAC-17.

USS <i>Gallup</i> (PF-47) Tacoma-class patrol frigate

The second USS Gallup (PF-47), a Tacoma-class frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945 and from 1950 to 1951, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Gallup, New Mexico. She also served in the Soviet Navy as EK-22 and in the Royal Thai Navy as HTMS Prasae.

<i>Shinyo</i> (suicide motorboat) Motorboats used for suicide attacks by the Imperial Japanese Navy

The Shinyo were Japanese suicide motorboats developed during World War II. They were part of the wider Japanese Special Attack Units program.

Landing Craft Infantry Type of landing craft used by the Allies during World War II

The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) were several classes of landing craft used by the Allies to land large numbers of infantry directly onto beaches during World War II. They were developed in response to a British request for seagoing amphibious assault ships capable of carrying and landing substantially more troops than their smaller Landing Craft Assault (LCA). The result was a small steel ship that could land 200 men, traveling from rear bases on its own bottom at a speed of up to 15 knots.

USS <i>Carson City</i> (PF-50) Tacoma-class patrol frigate

USS Carson City (PF-50), a Tacoma-class frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945, thus far has been the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Carson City, Nevada. She later served in the Soviet Navy as EK-20 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Sakura (PF-10), JDS Sakura (PF-290) and as YAC-16.

USS <i>LST-31</i> Tank landing ship of the United States Navy

USS LST-31 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used exclusively in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. Like many of her class, she was not originally named and is properly referred to by her hull designation. Later she was named for Addison County, Vermont. She was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Krishna</i> Achelous-class landing craft

USS Krishna (ARL-38) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Krishna, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name, and only one of three ships to be named after a Hindu deity.

USS <i>Machias</i> (PF-53) Tacoma-class patrol frigate

The second USS Machias (PF-53) was a United States Navy Tacoma-class frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945 which later served in the Soviet Navy as EK-4 and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Nara (PF-2), JDS Nara (PF-282) and YTE-8.

The second USS Bath (PF-55) was a United States Navy Tacoma-class frigate in commission from 1944 to 1945 which later served in the Soviet Navy as EK-29 and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, with her Japanese name reported by various sources as JDS Maki (PF-18) and JDS Maki (PF-298), and later as YTE-9.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "USS LSSL-102". Amphibious Photo Archive. NavSource Online. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 "LCS-102 and YTL-434: WWII Memorials". Navy Memorieshop.com. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "102 Retrieval" . Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  4. ↑ "Mare Island Historic Park Foundation" . Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "Last WW II Landing Craft Support Ship Still Afloat in Vallejo, Calif". Contra Costa Times. 11 September 2013.

Further reading

38°06′22″N122°16′26″W / 38.106128°N 122.273799°W / 38.106128; -122.273799

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.