Landing Ship Medium were amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy in the World War II.
Of comparable size to Landing Ship, Tank and the Landing Craft, Infantry, there were 558 LSM (Landing Ship, Medium) made for the USN between 1944 and 1945. The majority of vessels built on this versatile frame were regular transports however there were several dozen that were converted during construction for specialized roles. Most vessels of this type were scrapped during the Cold War, but several were sold by the United States Department of Defense to foreign nations or private shipping companies.
Only one LSM, USS LSM-45 is known to still exist in its original configuration. It is in storage at Marine Station Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC. It was slated to become the centerpiece of the Museum of the Marine, but due to changed plans, is now in danger of being scrapped or sunk as an artificial reef.
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium (Transport)[]
Landing Ship Medium | |
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USS LSM-437 underway after World War II |
General characteristics Class & type:
LSM-1 class Landing Ship MediumDisplacement:
530 long tons (539 t) empty
900 long tons (914 t) loadedLength:
203 ft 6 in (62.03 m)Beam:
34 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) aftPropulsion:
Fairbanks-Morse or GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, 2 screwsSpeed:
13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph)Range:
5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)Capacity:
5 × medium tanks or
3 × heavy tanks (150 tons max. payload, beaching) or
6 × LVTs or
9 × DUKWsTroops:
54 troopsComplement:
4 officers, 54 enlistedArmament:
• 2 × 40 mm AA guns
• 4 × 20 mm AA guns
}}
List of LSM-1 class ships[]
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LSM(R)-188 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)[]
Landing Ship Medium | |
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USS LSM(R)-194 passing under the Cooper River Bridge, Charleston, SC, 2 December 1944 |
General characteristics Class & type:
LSM(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) loadedLength:
203 ft 6 in (62.03 m)Beam:
34 ft (10 m)Draft:
5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) forward
5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) aftPropulsion:
GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, 2 screwsSpeed:
13.2 knots (24.4 km/h; 15.2 mph)Range:
5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)Complement:
5 officers, 76 enlistedArmament:
LSM(R)-188 to LSM(R)-195 :
• 1 × 5"/38 caliber gun
• 2 × 40 mm AA guns
• 3 × 20 mm AA guns
• 85 × Mk. 51 automatic rocket launchers
LSM(R)-196 to LSM(R)-199 :
• 1 × 5"/38 caliber gun
• 2 × 40 mm AA guns
• 75 × 4-rail Mk. 36 rocket launchers
• 30 × 6-rail Mk. 30 rocket launchers
• 85 × Mk. 51 automatic rocket launchers
}}
- USS LSM(R)-188
- USS LSM(R)-189
- USS LSM(R)-190
- USS LSM(R)-191
- USS LSM(R)-192
- USS LSM(R)-193
- USS LSM(R)-194
- USS LSM(R)-195
- USS LSM(R)-196
- USS LSM(R)-197
- USS LSM(R)-198
- USS LSM(R)-199
LSM(R)-401 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)[]
Landing Ship Medium | |
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USS LSM(R)-409, of the LSM(R)-401 class, underway off San Diego, California on 25 February 1954 USS LSM(R)-409 underway off San Diego, California on 25 February 1954 |
General characteristics Class & type:
LSM-401(R) class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)Displacement:
1,175 long tons (1,194 t) loadedLength:
203 ft 6 in (62.03 m)Beam:
34 ft (10 m)Draft:
7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)Propulsion:
GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, 2 screwsSpeed:
13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)Range:
5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)Complement:
6 officers, 137 enlistedArmament:
• 1 × 5"/38 caliber guns
• 2 × 40 mm AA guns
• 4 × 20 mm AA guns
• 4 × 4.2 in (110 mm) mortars
• 8-10 × continuous loading 5-inch (130 mm) Ship-to-Shore rocket launchers
}}
- USS Big Black River (LSM(R)-401), later reclassified (LFR-401)
- USS Big Horn River (LSM(R)-402)
- USS Blackstone River (LSM(R)-403)
- USS Black Warrior River (LSM(R)-404), later reclassified (LFR-404)
- USS Broadkill River (LSM(R)-405), later reclassified (LFR-405)
- USS Canadian River (LSM(R)-406)
- USS Chariton River (LSM(R)-407)
- USS Charles River (LSM(R)-408)
- USS Clarion River (LSM(R)-409), later reclassified (LFR-409)
- USS Clark Fork River (LSM(R)-410)
- USS Cumberland River (LSM(R)-411)
- USS Desplaines River (LSM(R)-412), later reclassified (LFR-412)
LSM(R)-501 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)[]
Landing Ship Medium | |
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USS Pee Dee River (LSM(R)-517) underway in 1954 |
General characteristics Class & type:
LSM-501(R) class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)Displacement:
1,175 long tons (1,194 t) loadedLength:
203 ft 6 in (62.03 m)Beam:
34 ft 6 in (10.52 m)Draft:
7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)Propulsion:
GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, 2 screwsSpeed:
13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)Range:
5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)Complement:
6 officers, 137 enlistedArmament:
• 1 × 5"/38 caliber gun
• 4 × 40 mm AA guns
• 8 × 20 mm AA guns
• 4 × 4.2 in (110 mm) mortars
• 20 × continuous loading 5-inch (130 mm) Ship-to-Shore rocket launchers
}}
- USS Elk River (LSM(R)-501), later reclassified (IX-501)
- USS Escalanteo River (LSM(R)-502)
- USS Flambeau River (LSM(R)-503)
- USS Gila River (LSM(R)-504)
- USS Grand River (LSM(R)-505)
- USS Green River (LSM(R)-506)
- USS Greenbrier River (LSM(R)-507)
- USS Gunnison River (LSM(R)-508), later reclassified and renamed USS Targeteer (YV-3)
- USS Holston River (LSM(R)-509)
- USS James River (LSM(R)-510)
- USS John Day River (LSM(R)-511)
- USS Lamiolle River (LSM(R)-512), later reclassified (LFR-512)
- USS Laramie River (LSM(R)-513), later reclassified (LFR-513)
- USS Maurice River (LSM(R)-514)
- USS Owyhee River (LSM(R)-515), later reclassified (LFR-515)
- USS Pearl River (LSM(R)-516)
- USS Pee Dee River (LSM(R)-517)
- USS Pit River (LSM(R)-518)
- USS Powder River (LSM(R)-519)
- USS Raccoon River (LSM(R)-520)
- USS Rainy River (LSM(R)-521)
- USS Red River (LSM(R)-522), later reclassified (LFR-522)
- USS Republican River (LSM(R)-523)
- USS Saint Croix River (LSM(R)-524)
- USS St. Francis River (LSM(R)-525), later reclassified (LFR-525)
- USS St. Johns River (LSM(R)-526)
- USS St. Joseph's River (LSM(R)-527)
- USS St. Marys River (LSM(R)-528)
- USS St. Regis River (LSM(R)-529)
- USS Salmon Falls River (LSM(R)-530)
- USS Smoky Hill River (LSM(R)-531), later reclassified (LFR-531)
- USS Smyrna River (LSM(R)-532)
- USS Snake River (LSM(R)-533)
- USS Thames River (LSM(R)-534)
- USS Trinity River (LSM(R)-535)
- USS White River (LSM(R)-536), later reclassified (LFR-536)
Gypsy Class Salvage Lifting Vessels[]
Landing Ship Medium | |
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USS Gypsy (ARS(D)-1) underway at Houston, Texas, in 1946 |
General characteristics Class & type: Gypsy-class Salvage Lifting VesselsDisplacement: 816 long tons (829 t)Length: 224 ft 9 in (68.50 m)Beam: 34 ft 10 in (10.62 m)Draft: 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m)Propulsion: Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines, 1,440 shp (1,074 kW), direct drive, 2 screwsSpeed: 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)Range: 4,900 nmi (9,100 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)Complement: 65 officers and enlistedArmament: 2 × 20 mm AA guns }}
- USS Gypsy (ARS(D)-1), authorized as LSM-549
- USS Mender (ARS(D)-2), authorized as LSM-550
- USS Salvager (ARS(D)-3), authorized as LSM-551, later reclassified to YMLC-3
- USS Windlass (ARS(D)-4), authorized as LSM-552, later reclassified to YMLC-4
See also[]
References[]
- LSM-LSMR: WWII Amphibious Forces, Turner Publishing Co.; Paducah, Kentucky, ISBN 1-56311-140-3
- Jane's Fighting Ships, 1980–81
External links[]
- USS LSM/LSMR Association
- NavSource Photo Archives
- Landing Ships ibiblio.org
- My Life Aboard the LSM-319 by Eugene Carey
- The Navy's Smallest Aircraft Carrier, July 1958, Popular Mechanics small article on conversion of LSM-445 to a target drone launching vessel
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The original article can be found at Landing Ship Medium and the edit history here.