Birth of the First LSM

LSM-201 was the first of the 558 LSMs built. She was built by Dravo Corp., Wilmington, DK. Keel laid 24 Dec. 1943. Launched 26 Feb. 1944 and commissioned 14 April 1944, 80 days. As the war progressed some shipyards only took as little as 53 days from the time the keel was laid up through commissioning.

LSM - "LANDING SHIP MEDIUM"

Operational use...
An oceangoing tank landing ship designed to operate with LCI(L) convoys.

Description...
A new design derived from a combination of LST and LCT(6), and formerly designated LCT(7).

Capacity...
5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVT's, or 9 DUKW's (165 tons maximum load to maintain landing draft). Troops- 2 officers and 46 men accommodated.

Dimensions...
Length, 203' 6" o. a. beam, 34' 6"

Displacement...
Loaded, 1,095 tons. Draft: 6' 4-1/2" forward, 8' 3-1/2" aft. 3' 5-3/4" forward, 7' 1/2" aft. Landing, 743 tons. Light, 520 tons. Tons per inch immersion, 14.4 (loaded), 14.3 (landing).

Armament...
1, 40 mm twin. (1, 40 mm single interim installation). 4, 20 mm.

Armor...
10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilothouse, and conning station.

Endurance...
4, 900 miles at 2 kts. (928 tons displacement).

Speed...
13.2 kts. (max.) (928 tons displacement).

Propulsion...
2 FM (reversible with hydraulic clutch) or GM (non-reversing with airflex clutch) diesels. Direct drive with 1,440 BHP each at 720 rpm, twin screws.

Engine Room Noise Underway
Not exactly but close

Crew...
4 officers and 54 men.

PERSONAL MEMOIR
USS LSM 311 HOWARD M. McCONNELL, LT(JG) USNR

---

Ahoy Mates of LSMRs. We are looking for a Personal Memoir page for the LSMR to Link to this Webpage.   If interested Please Contact Oklahoma Sandscraper 3/c

"LSMRs of FLOTILLA NINE"

LSM(R) - "LANDING SHIP MEDIUM (ROCKET)"

LSM(R) is the forthcoming production model, and incorporates only the outside hull and propulsion of the normal LSM in an entirely new design. Rocket launchers are the automatic, power-driven type, fed by an automatic hoist.

Capacity...
Crew only.

Dimensions...
203' 6" x 34'

Displacement...
Light, 758 tons. Draft (est. mean) 5' 4" Full load, 1175 tons. Draft (est. mean) 7' 9" Attack, 993 tons. Draft (est. mean) 6' 8"

Armament...
One 5"/38 DP, twenty continuous loading 5" SS rocket launchers, two 40 mm twins, four 20 mm twins, four 4".2 mortars.

Armor...
10-lb. STS on conning station, pilot-house, radio room, radar plot, and rocket control; 10-lb. ASPP around 40 and 20 mm mounts and directors.

Endurance...
3,000 miles at 12 kts. (cst.).

Speed...
13 kts. max. (est.).

Propulsion...
GM diesel, non-reversing with airflex clutch; direct drive; twin screw.

Crew...
6 officers, 137 men.

Information about these ships is taken from...
LSM-LSMR AMPHIBIOUS FORCES - VOLUME II
"© Turner Publishing Company"

---

LSM/LSMR's Lost During World War II
Sunk by Enemy Action or Storms

Ship	Date Commissioned	Date Sunk	Length Of Service
LSM   318	3 Aug 1944	7 Dec 1944	4 months   5 days
LSM   149	8 Jul 1944	5 Dec 1944	4 months 28 days
LSM   169	7 Sep 1944	15 Feb 1945	5 months   9 days
LSMR 195	21 Nov 1944	3 May 1945	5 months 13 days
LSMR 190	21 Nov 1944	4 May 1945	5 months 14 days
LSMR 194	21 Nov 1944	4 May 1945	5 months 14 days
LSM     20	17 Jun 1944	5 Dec 1944	5 months 19 days
LSM   361	6 Jan 1945	9 Oct 1945	9 months   4 days
LSM     59	21 Jun 1945	21 Jun 1945	9 months 23 days
LSM     12	31 May 1944	4 Apr 1945	10 months   5 days
LSM   135	31 May 1944	25 May 1945	11 months 25 days
LSM     15	2 June 1944	9 Oct 1945	16 months   9 days

LSM 201 was the first commissioned.   Built at Dravo Corp., Wilmington, Delaware.   She was commissioned 14 April, 1944, and decommissioned about 2 years and one month later, 16 May 1946. LSM 548 was the last to be commissioned.   Built by Brown Shipbuilding co., Houston, Texas, she was commissioned 2 February 1946, and decommissioned about 6 months later, 31 July 1946. WW II:   The following chart shows when LSMs went out of service (S/D) Sunk or Decommissioned.

Year	Month	S/D
1944		3
1945		21
1946	Jan-Jun	277 (51%)
1946	July-Dec	127 (78%)
1947	Jan-Jun	70 (91%)
1947	July-Dec	23

WW II: 243 LSMs and 12 LSMRs earned battle stars 1948 Decommissioned 8, 1949 Decommissioned 7, 1950 Decommissioned 1, 1951 Decommissioned 1, 1954 Decommissioned 4, 1955 Decommissioned 7, 1957 Decommissioned 2, 1958 Decommissioned 1, 1960 Decommissioned 1, 1962 Decomissioned 1 KOREAN War (UN Police Action) (*=earned battle stars) The following were not decommissioned after WW II: 297, 397, 398, 399, 419*, 448, 462, 401R*, 403R*, 404R*, 512R, 514R, 515R, 517R. The following were recommissioned between Aug 1950 and Jan 1951: 58*, 110*, 125*, 161*, 175, 226*, 236*, 268, 316*, 355*, 362*, 422, 429*, 455, 546*, 547*, 405R, 409R*, 411R, 412R*, 520R, 525R*, 527R*, 536R*. All of the above ships except one were decommissioned between Dec 1953 and Nov 1955.   LSM 161 was decommissioned 19 April 1965, 14 years 3 months and 19 days of continuous active duty. VIETNAM USS Clarion River (LSMR 409), USS St. Francis River (LSMR 525), and USS White River (LSMR 536) were recommissioned in Sep/Oct 1950 and decommisioned Apr/May 1970. All earned battle stars. Tours of duty during Korea and Vietnam were much longer than WW II, usually three to four years and longer. Jim Caldwell served aboard the USS Owyhee River (LSMR 515) for five years, five months, and 12 days. Note that on 1 Oct 1955 all 401 and 501 Class LSMR's were given names of minor rivers and LSMs still on active duty were also given names. ........ Information source. LSM-LSMR Association's NewsLetter, Alligator Alley.