Landing Craft Support
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| USA |  |
|---|---|
| Builders: | George Lawley & Sons, Commercial Iron Works and Albina Engine Works |
| Preceding class: | LCI(G) |
| Commissioned: | 1944 |
| Ships in Class | |
| Ships in class: | 130 |
| Ships in active service: | 0 |
| Ships out of service: | 130 |
| Preserved ships: | 1? |
| General Characteristics | |
| Class type: | Amphibious assult ship |
| Displacement: | 250 long tons (254 t) |
| Length: | 158 ft 6 in (48.3 m) |
| Beam: | 23 ft 3 in (7.1 m) |
| Draft: | 5 ft 10 in (1.7 m)(aft, loaded) |
| Propulsion and power: | eight Gray Marine diesel engines, twin screws |
| Speed: | 16.5 knots (30.5 km/h) |
| Range: | 5500 miles |
| Complement: | 3–6 officers, 55–68 men |
| Armament: | single 3"50, twin 40 mm or single 40 mm bow gun; 2 twin 40 mm deck guns (one forward, one aft); 4 20 mm cannons; 4 .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns; ten MK7 rocket launchers |
| Armor: | 10-lb. STS splinter shields |
The Landing Craft, Support (Large) — later reclassified Landing Ship Support, Large — class of amphibious assault ships were used by the United States Navy in World War II in the Pacific. They were primarily used to close support before landing forces on beaches. They also performed radar picket duty and fire fighting. They were nicknamed the "Mighty Midgets".
The original designation for the ships was LCS(L)(3), which stood for Landing Craft Support (Large)(Mark 3). In 1949 the class was reclassified to LSSL, Landing Ship Support, Large.
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[edit] Design and Manufacture
A total of 130 were made. Three different ship building yards did the construction: Lawley & Sons, George (Neponset, MA); Commercial Iron Works (Portland, OR); and Albina Engine Works (Portland, OR).
The hull was the same as the Landing Craft Infantry ships. The were 158 ft 6 in (48.3 m) long, displaced 250 long tons (254 t), 23 ft 3 in (7.1 m) wide and drew 5 ft 10 in (1.7 m) when fully loaded. The flat bottom and skegs between and on either side of the twin screws allowed the ships to safely beach. The anchor is at the stern of the ship so be used to help pull the ship off the beach if necessary.
The twin variable pitch screws were each driven by a bank of four Grey Marine (later General Motors), with a total power for all eight engines of 1600 Hp. These engines gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.5 km/h), but normally the ships sailed at 12 knots (22.2 km/h). The ships had a range of 5500 miles.
Amour for the gun mounts, pilot house and conning tower was provided by 10-lb. STS splinter shields.
The ships could be built in as little as 10 days, and final fitting out would take a further few weeks.
Three guns and 10 rocket launchers were the main armaments. The bow gun was a 3"/50 caliber gun, a single 40 mm gun or a twin 40 mm gun. The forward and aft deck guns were twin 40 mm gun. The 10 mark 7 rocket launchers were situated between the bow and forward deck guns. Four 20 mm cannons were also mounted and other arms stowed.
The ships had a Smoke Generator which was used to obscure landing craft approaching the beach.
The ships also made very good fire fighting ships. A fire fighting manifold was fitted infront of the bow gun and two monitors with pumps fitted just forward of the aft gun.
[edit] Operations
The Battle of Tarawa showed a gap in Navy resources for close in support of landing troops. The time interval between the end of shelling from the large ships and the arrival of the landing craft on the beach allowed the defenders to regroup. The Landing Craft Support was designed to fill this void.
The first Landing Craft Support ships arrived in the Pacific Theater in time for the landings at Iwo Jima.
After providing close in support during the landings at Okinawa, many Landing Craft Support ships were placed on the radar picket stations as Anti-aircraft platforms. When not on a picket stations, the would create smoke to hide the fleet at anchor and perform "skunk patrol" screening for suicide boats.
In the Borneo Campaign, Landing Craft Support was used in landings in Tarakan and Balikpapan.
[edit] Post War
At the end of the war, surviving ships returned to the United States. Some were restored to action for the Korean war. Many were transferred to Japan, France (and on to Vietnam), Greece, and other nations.
Only two ships are know to still exist. One has been highly modified as a fish boat. The second is in Thailand and is very similar to its original configuration. The National Association of USS LCS(L) 1–130 are looking at having it returned to the United States and put on permanant public display.
[edit] References
- NavSource photo archive page for the LSSL/LCS(L) class
- HyperWar US Navy Landing Ships/Craft
- Construction Records and Disposition summaries
- French Riverine Craft, where some of the LSSL ended up
- Vic Smeed's Model Maker Annual, 1963. No ISBN.
- Mighty Midgets — Official website of the National Association of USS LCS(L) 1–130
