USS LMS 45 Home From The War

LSM-45 in San Francisco Bay

circa 1945- 46. US Navy photo # NH79847. US Naval Historical Center courtesy D.H. McPherson. Training For War Aboard LSM Aboard LSM Little Creek ATB Little Creek ATB Little Creek ATB As I Remember A well oiled Fighting Machine - LSM 462 We trained aboard an LSM training ship as a crew. I was assigned the landing duties of the bow door and bow ramp operator. This would also be my combat postion. This position was in a small compartment on the left front side of the ship. It was totally enclosed by two water tight doors. My only contact to the outside were the sound powered phones. The LSM was a flat bottom ship designed for one purpose; land the Marines on the beachhead. The ship had a large stern anchor. On a landing, the ship would head directly into the beach and drop its stern anchor. The cable would be played out until the ship hit the beach. I would be given the orders over the sound powered phones, "Open the bow doors and lower the bow ramp." LSM Crew Training Cruise I will never forget the incident that happened on our training cruise. There was a limit switch on the bow ramp. If it was not functioning properly the ramp could not be raised. The LSM Trainers disabled the switch without our crew's knowledge (to evaluate the crews response to the situation under combat conditions). During the training exercise, we landed the Marines, and I was given the orders to raise the bow ramp and close the bow doors. We were being pulled off the beach by the stern anchor and would soon be headed out to sea. I hit the switch, but nothing happened. The bow ramp would not raise. I was given orders to correct the situation. I had no idea what to do. The Electrician Mate Third Class was called in to help me with the problem. He got out the schematics, but he was as dumb as I was. The ship's C.O., a Lieutenant, was about to have a heart attack. His ship was headed out to sea with its bow doors opened and his bow ramp down. The ocean water was flooding the ship through the opened bow doors and lowered bow ramp. He gave orders to his Engineering Officer and Chief Petty Officer to correct the problem. They had no idea what to do. The LSM Trainers were laughing at him and our crew. The Trainers finally told me how to correct the problem. I corrected it and off we went, out to sea. "Who Shot The Albatross?" `God save thee, ancient Mariner ! From the fiends, that plague thee thus !-- Why look'st thou so ?'--With my cross-bow I shot the ALBATROSS. And I had done an hellish thing, And it would work 'em woe : For all averred, I had killed the bird That made the breeze to blow. Did LSM 462 ever become a well oiled fighting machine (ship) ........? No, but don't blame the ship. The Crew did however, managed to peform the duties they were called on to do and brought the ship back home after the war. Mariner: a man who serves as a sailor "I did not kill the ALBATROSS" I had not done an hellish thing, That would work 'em woe : But all averred, I had killed the bird That made the ship to flow. ~ A boy - not a Mariner I was left behind on a hospital ship (USS Repose) in Shanghai. What was left of the Crew probably thought their chances of getting home would be better.........If I was not aboard. Aboard LSM These photos are for the world to see....They are now History. Come Sail Away With Me Come Sail Away - Midi Written by dennis deyoung