Landing Ship Medium
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A Landing Ship Medium (LSM) was originally 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.
OPNAV N95 established a new LSM program in 2020. The new LSM will be 350 to 400 feet (110 to 120 m) long, able to operate at 22 knots and have a range of 6,500 miles (10,500 km). 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 nine LSMs.[1][2][3] As a comparison the Jason-class of the Greek Navy is about 380 feet (120 m) long, with a top speed of 18 knots
LSM-1-class Landing Ship Medium (Transport)
[edit] USS LSM-175 underway off Charleston Navy Yard in 1944 | |
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Class and type | LSM-1 class Landing Ship Medium |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 203 ft 6 in (62.03 m) |
| Beam | 34 ft (10 m) |
| Draft |
|
| Propulsion | Fairbanks-Morse or GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, 2 screws |
| Speed | 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 |
|
| Troops | 54 troops |
| Complement | 4 officers, 54 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
List of LSM-1-class ships
[edit]In total, 558 LSM ships were launched. Some notable examples include:
| Name | Year launched | Fate | Short summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| USS LSM-17 | May 7, 1944 | Sold on November 15, 1974 | |
| USS LSM-19 | May 14, 1944 | Unknown | |
| USS LSM-20 | May 14, 1944 | Sank on December 5, 1944 | |
| USS LSM-45 | June 30, 1944 | Scrapped after 1998 | |
| USS LSM-46 | June 30, 1944 | Sold on October 23, 1948 | |
| USS LSM-56 | July 21, 1944 | Sold on October 23, 1948 | |
| USS LSM-60 | July 29, 1944 | Scuttled on July 25, 1946 | |
| USS LSM-105 | October 21, 1944 | Sold on December 10, 1958 | |
| USS LSM-110 | October 28, 1944 | Scrapped on June 9, 1976 | |
| USS LSM-115 | November 11, 1944 | Sold on December 29, 1946 | |
| USS LSM-125 | November 25, 1944 | Scrapped on October 4, 1977 | |
| USS LSM-135 | April 23, 1944 | Sank on May 25, 1945 | |
| USS LSM-149 | May 27, 1944 | Grounded on December 5, 1944 | |
| USS LSM-157 | — | Sank in September 1958 | Transferred to Nationalist China in 1949, recommissioned as Mei Le, sunk by Red Chinese artillery 9/1958 |
| USS Kodiak (LSM-161) | June 27, 1944 | Scrapped on August 14, 1972 | |
| USS Oceanside (LSM-175) | August 3, 1944 | Scrapped in 1989 | |
| USS LSM-216 | — | Scrapped in 1960 | |
| USS LSM-217 | — | Unknown | |
| USS LSM-236 | July 4, 1944 | Scrapped in 1972 | |
| USS LSM-247 | — | Sold in February 1947 | |
| USS LSM-256 | — | Sank on June 16, 1969 | Transferred 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, 1944 | Scrapped in 1976 | Later renamed and reclassified USS Portunus (ARC-1) |
| USS LSM-297 | October 30, 1944 | Scrapped in 1958 | |
| USS LSM-315 | — | Unknown | |
| USS LSM-319 | — | Sank in 1971 | |
| USS LSM-333 | October 13, 1944 | Scuttled on September 17, 2006 | |
| USS LSM-335 | — | — | Later USNS LSM-335 (T-AG-335) Assigned Ryukyuan shuttle.[4] |
| USS LSM-338 | December 5, 1944 | Scrapped | |
| USS LSM-355 | December 2, 1944 | Unknown | |
| USS LSM-380 | January 13, 1945 | Waiting for preservation | |
| USS LSM-397 | January 6, 1945 | Sold in November 1958 | |
| USS Hunting (LSM-398) | January 6, 1945 | Scrapped after 1983 | Later reclassified (E-AG-398) |
| USS LSM-462 | February 3, 1945 | Unknown | |
| USS LSM-469 | February 17, 1945 | Scuttled on February 1, 2003 | |
| USS LSM-471 | February 17, 1945 | Unknown | |
| USS LSM-477 | — | Sank in 1971 | |
| USS LSM-478 | March 3, 1945 | Unknown | |
| USS Raritan (LSM-540) | August 1, 1945 | Unknown | |
| USS LSM-547 | — | Abandoned by 1972 |
LSM(R)-188-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)
[edit] USS LSM(R)-194 passing under the Cooper River Bridge, Charleston, SC, 2 December 1944 | |
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Class and type | LSM(R)-188-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket) |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 203 ft 6 in (62.03 m) |
| Beam | 34 ft (10 m) |
| Draft |
|
| Propulsion | GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, two screws |
| Speed | 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 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
- 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)
[edit]| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Class and type | LSM-401(R)-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket) |
| Displacement | 1,175 long tons (1,194 t) loaded |
| Length | 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, two screws |
| Speed | 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 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
- 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)
[edit] USS Pee Dee River (LSM(R)-517) underway in 1954 | |
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Class and type | LSM-501(R)-class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket) |
| Displacement | 1,175 long tons (1,194 t) loaded |
| Length | 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, two screws |
| Speed | 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 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
- 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. Mary's 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
[edit]-1.jpg) USS Gypsy (ARS(D)-1) underway at Houston, Texas, in 1946 | |
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Class and type | Gypsy-class salvage lifting vessels |
| Displacement | 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, two screws |
| Speed | 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 enlisted |
| Armament | 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
Production
[edit]Dates are launch dates.[5]
- Brown Shipbuilding: Houston, TX: 254 (May 1944 - Apr 1946)
- purpose-built yard for the war effort
- Charleston Navy Yard, North Charleston, SC: 121 (May 1944 - Nov 1945)
- traditional military yard
- Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, DE: 65 (Apr 1944 - May 1945)
- purpose-built yard for the war effort
- Pullman Company, Chicago, IL: 44 (May 1944 - May 1945)
- traditional rail car manufacturer
- Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, NJ: 42 (May 1944 - Feb 1945)
- traditional civil and military yard
- Western Pipe and Steel, San Pedro, CA: 32 (Aug 1944 - Mar 1945)
- traditional civil yard
Delivery:[5]
- Q2 1944: 74
- Q3 1944: 129
- Q4 1944: 132
- Q1 1945: 111
- Q2 1945: 58
- Q3 1945: 30
- Q4 1945: 15
- 1946: 9
Legacy
[edit]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)
[edit]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).[6][7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Acquisition Costs of the Navy's Medium Landing Ship". Congressional Budget Office. 11 April 2024.
- ^ "Navy launches LSM contract competition". InsideDefense.com.
- ^ Eckstein, Megan (5 October 2022). "Marines, Navy near agreement on light amphibious warship features". Defense News.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b "Landing Ships, Medium - LSM, LSM(R), LSV". Shipbuilding History. 6 January 2018.
- ^ Shelbourne, Mallory (February 2023). "Marine Corps Requirements Call for 9 Light Amphibious Ships per Regiment". USNI News. United States Naval Institute.
- ^ Grady, John (February 2023). "SECNAV Del Toro 'Excited' About New Landing Ship Mediums". USNI News. United States Naval Institute.
- LSM-LSMR: WWII Amphibious Forces, Turner Publishing Co.; Paducah, Kentucky, ISBN 1-56311-140-3
- Jane's Fighting Ships, 1980–81
- US Navy, ONI 226, Allied Landing Craft and Ships, April 1944
External links
[edit]- 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