417:", ran the caption. The interim group of 12 LSM(R)s transited the Panama Canal and via San Diego, Honolulu, and the Philippines, headed for battle against Japan in March 1945. Unaware of their destination, the crews were nonetheless well equipped and trained. In a preliminary assault on 26 March 1945, they laid down a rocket barrage at dawn on Kerama Retta, a small cluster of islands off the southwestern shore of Okinawa. Their objective: to allow the Marines to swiftly land and secure the islands and harbor for the protection of hospital, supply and communication ships, and floating drydocks. The early dawn assault surprised the Japanese. The Marines took control with a minimum of casualties and established this haven for damaged ships.
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function due to damage. They have no great value in combating enemy aircraft due to the absence of air search radar, adequate director control for the 5"/38 main battery and director control for the 40mm single guns. The fact that they carry a considerable quantity of explosive rockets in their magazines presents another hazard. In general, it is believed that assigning them to picket duty should be avoided since it means risking the operation of a limited number of specialized ships which could be performed by any number of other landing craft whose primary function is more closely coincident with screening operations.
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direction. Each station was manned around the clock by a handful of ships ranging from destroyers to minesweepers. Their job was to sound the alarm and vector fighters on to the
Japanese before they could attack the fleet anchored off Okinawa and the Allied forces and supply dumps ashore. Unfortunately, some of the eager-to-die Japanese wanted to attack the first American ships they saw: the pickets. Dennis L. Francis LSM Commander, Flotilla Nine for the period 12–26 April, Action Report indicated that:
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The
American plan for defense against the kamikazes was to have fighters intercept the Japanese as early as possible. Sixteen radar picket stations were established around the island, in some cases almost 100 miles out, to give early warning of the Japanese planes which might be coming from any
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These ships are not particularly suited for picket duty. Since their primary function is to deliver rockets during invasion operations, it seems feasible that subjecting them to continual enemy air attack will allow this secondary duty to seriously effect their ability to perform their primary
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The LSM(R) was heralded in Life
Magazine in 1945 with a centerfold picture. "Each of these tiny ships had amazing firepower, greater at short range than the combined firepower of two mammoth
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LSM(R)-189 and LSM(R)-197, two of the seven LSM(R)s comprising Groups 53 and 54 arriving home at the Port of Los
Angeles, 8 October 1945, after the conclusion of World War II.
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The ship was damaged when struck by a
Japanese kamikaze aircraft on 12 April 1945 while on radar picket duty off Okinawa. She, with
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On 29 March 1945 the ship was attacked by several
Japanese suicide boats and witnessed the kamikaze attack on
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Friedman, Norman (2002) "US Amphibious Ships and Crafts" Nacal
Institute Press, Annapolis, MD
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during World War II. She was commanded by
Lieutenant James Malcolm Stewart, USNR during the
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Decommissioned on 31 January 1946, she was sold for scrap on 17 February 1948 to the
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Thirty 6-rail Mark 30 launchers mounted along gunwales (removed early April 1945)
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5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)
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75 four-rail Mark 36 automatic rocket launchers on topside rocket deck
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2 × GM Cleveland diesels, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), 2 screws
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LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces Volume II, Turner
Publishing Co. 1997
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To
Foreign Shores: U.S. Amphibious Operations in World War II
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World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
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was sunk on 4 May 1945 with 13 killed and 18 wounded, and
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was sunk on 4 May 1945 with 13 killed and 23 wounded.
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was sunk on 3 May 1945 with 9 killed and 16 wounded,
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Blossoms in the Wind: Human Legacies of the Kamikaze
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List of United States Navy amphibious warfare ships
345:and participated in the assault and occupation of
435:Before these recommendations were implemented,
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8:
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168:5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) forward
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686:LSM(R)-188-class landing ships medium
349:Gunto, from 26 March to 3 June 1945.
171:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) aft
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7:
401:for her actions off Okinawa and one
150:203 ft 6 in (62.03 m)
376:, after witnessing the sinking by
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112:Sold for scrap, 17 February 1948
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193:(24.4 km/h; 15.2 mph)
142:968 long tons (984 t) full
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319:Landing Ship Medium (rocket)
536:-class landing ships medium
235:5 officers, 76 enlisted men
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472:at NavSource Naval History
405:for World War II service.
71:Charleston, South Carolina
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482:Stewart, James M. (2003)
421:Okinawa Radar Picket Line
369:, rescued survivors from
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409:Life Magazine Centerfold
385:National Metal and Steel
343:Asiatic-Pacific Theater
317:was a LSM(R)-188 class
117:General characteristics
475:Sheftall, M.G. (2005)
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415:Iowa class battleships
399:Navy Unit Commendation
302:Navy Unit Commendation
158:34 ft (10 m)
479:New York: NAL Caliber
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337:During World War II,
247:5-inch/38-caliber gun
341:was assigned to the
67:Charleston Navy Yard
484:90 Day Naval Wonder
132:Landing Ship Medium
323:United States Navy
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380:rocket aircraft.
327:Battle of Okinawa
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284:Battle of Okinawa
88:12 September 1944
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397:was awarded the
373:Mannert L. Abele
96:15 November 1944
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389:Terminal Island
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333:Service history
213:3 heavy tanks,
104:31 January 1946
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491:John Lorelli
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466:Photo gallery
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46:United States
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139:Displacement
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93:Commissioned
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403:battle star
297:battle star
280:Operations:
691:1944 ships
680:Categories
650:LSM(R)-401
625:LSM(R)-199
618:LSM(R)-198
611:LSM(R)-197
604:LSM(R)-196
597:LSM(R)-195
590:LSM(R)-194
583:LSM(R)-193
576:LSM(R)-192
569:LSM(R)-191
562:LSM(R)-190
555:LSM(R)-189
548:LSM(R)-188
534:LSM(R)-188
470:LSM(R)-189
460:References
453:LSM(R)-194
439:LSM(R)-195
395:LSM(R)-189
366:LSM(R)-190
356:LSM(R)-188
339:LSM(R)-189
314:LSM(R)-189
232:Complement
178:Propulsion
127:LSM(R)-188
57:LSM(R)-189
451:USS
444:USS
437:USS
371:USS
364:USS
354:USS
209:5 medium
77:Laid down
446:LSMR-190
240:Armament
206:Capacity
134:(Rocket)
85:Launched
468:of USS
347:Okinawa
321:of the
290:Awards:
63:Builder
33:History
147:Length
129:-class
652:class
643:class
641:LSM-1
260:20 mm
253:40 mm
226:DUKWs
198:Range
191:knots
189:13.2
186:Speed
163:Draft
495:1994
378:Ohka
312:USS
262:guns
258:3 ×
255:guns
251:2 ×
245:1 ×
219:LVTs
155:Beam
109:Fate
55:USS
52:Name
682::
359:.
329:.
295:1
224:9
222:or
217:6
215:or
211:or
69:,
525:e
518:t
511:v
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