Landing Ship Medium

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.

1 LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium (Transport)
- 1.1 List of LSM-1 class ships
2 LSM(R)-188 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)
3 LSM(R)-401 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)
4 LSM(R)-501 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)
5 Gypsy Class Salvage Lifting Vessels
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium (Transport)

Main article: LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium

General characteristics
USS LSM-437 underway after World War II
Class and type:	LSM-1 class Landing Ship Medium
Displacement:	530 long tons (539 t) empty 900 long tons (914 t) loaded
Length:	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) aft
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:	5 × medium tanks or 3 × heavy tanks (150 tons max. payload, beaching) or 6 × LVTs or 9 × DUKWs
Troops:	54 troops
Complement:	4 officers, 54 enlisted
Armament:	• 2 × 40 mm AA guns • 4 × 20 mm AA guns

List of LSM-1 class ships

USS LSM-1
USS LSM-2
USS LSM-3
USS LSM-4
USS LSM-5
USS LSM-6
USS LSM-7
USS LSM-8
USS LSM-9
USS LSM-10
USS LSM-11
USS LSM-12
USS LSM-13
USS LSM-14
USS LSM-15
USS LSM-16
USS LSM-17
USS LSM-18
USS LSM-19
USS LSM-20
USS LSM-21
USS LSM-22
USS LSM-23
USS LSM-24
USS LSM-25
USS LSM-26
USS LSM-27
USS LSM-28
USS LSM-29
USS LSM-30
USS LSM-31
USS LSM-32
USS LSM-33
USS LSM-34
USS LSM-35
USS LSM-36
USS LSM-37
USS LSM-38
USS LSM-39
USS LSM-40
USS LSM-41
USS LSM-42
USS LSM-43
USS LSM-44
USS LSM-45
USS LSM-46
USS LSM-47
USS LSM-48
USS LSM-49
USS LSM-50
USS LSM-51
USS LSM-52
USS LSM-53
USS LSM-54
USS LSM-55
USS LSM-56
USS LSM-57
USS LSM-58
USS LSM-59
USS LSM-60
USS LSM-61
USS LSM-62
USS LSM-63
USS LSM-64
USS LSM-65
USS LSM-66
USS LSM-67
USS LSM-68
USS LSM-69
USS LSM-70
USS LSM-71
USS LSM-72
USS LSM-73
USS LSM-74
USS LSM-75
USS LSM-76
USS LSM-77
USS LSM-78
USS LSM-79
USS LSM-80
USS LSM-81
USS LSM-82
USS LSM-83
USS LSM-84
USS LSM-85
USS LSM-86
USS LSM-87
USS LSM-88
USS LSM-89
USS LSM-90
USS LSM-91
USS LSM-92
USS LSM-93
USS LSM-94
USS LSM-95
USS LSM-96
USS LSM-97
USS LSM-98
USS LSM-99
USS LSM-100
USS LSM-101
USS LSM-102
USS LSM-103
USS LSM-104
USS LSM-105
USS LSM-106
USS LSM-107
USS LSM-108
USS LSM-109
USS LSM-110
USS LSM-111
USS LSM-112
USS LSM-113
USS LSM-114
USS LSM-115
USS LSM-116
USS LSM-117
USS LSM-118
USS LSM-119
USS LSM-120
USS LSM-121
USS LSM-122
USS LSM-123
USS LSM-124
USS LSM-125
USS LSM-126
USS LSM-127
USS LSM-128
USS LSM-129
USS LSM-130
USS LSM-131
USS LSM-132
USS LSM-133
USS LSM-134
USS LSM-135
USS LSM-136
USS LSM-137
USS LSM-138
USS LSM-139
USS LSM-140
USS LSM-141
USS LSM-142
USS LSM-157
USS LSM-158
USS LSM-159
USS LSM-160
USS Kodiak (LSM-161)
USS LSM-162
USS LSM-163
USS LSM-164
USS LSM-165
USS LSM-166
USS LSM-167
USS LSM-168
USS LSM-169
USS LSM-170
USS LSM-171
USS LSM-172
USS LSM-173
USS LSM-174
USS Oceanside (LSM-175)
USS LSM-176
USS LSM-177
USS LSM-178
USS LSM-179

USS LSM-180
USS LSM-181
USS LSM-182
USS LSM-183
USS LSM-184
USS LSM-185
USS LSM-186
USS LSM-187
USS LSM-200
USS LSM-201
USS LSM-202
USS LSM-203
USS LSM-204
USS LSM-205
USS LSM-206
USS LSM-207
USS LSM-208
USS LSM-209
USS LSM-210
USS LSM-211
USS LSM-212
USS LSM-213
USS LSM-214
USS LSM-215
USS LSM-216
USS LSM-217
USS LSM-218
USS LSM-219
USS LSM-220
USS LSM-221
USS LSM-222
USS LSM-223
USS LSM-224
USS LSM-225
USS LSM-226
USS LSM-227
USS LSM-228
USS LSM-229
USS LSM-230
USS LSM-231
USS LSM-236
USS LSM-237
USS LSM-238
USS LSM-239
USS LSM-240
USS LSM-241
USS LSM-242
USS LSM-243
USS LSM-244
USS LSM-245
USS LSM-246
USS LSM-247
USS LSM-248
USS LSM-249
USS LSM-250
USS LSM-251
USS LSM-252
USS LSM-253
USS LSM-254
USS LSM-255
USS LSM-256
USS LSM-257
USS LSM-258
USS LSM-259
USS LSM-260
USS LSM-261
USS LSM-262
USS LSM-263
USS LSM-264
USS LSM-265
USS LSM-266
USS LSM-267
USS LSM-268
USS LSM-269
USS LSM-270
USS LSM-271
USS LSM-272
USS LSM-273
USS LSM-274
USS Portunus (LSM-275), later reclassified (ARC-1)
USS LSM-276
USS LSM-277
USS LSM-278
USS LSM-279
USS LSM-280
USS LSM-281
USS LSM-282
USS LSM-283
USS LSM-284
USS LSM-285
USS LSM-286
USS LSM-287
USS LSM-288
USS LSM-289
USS LSM-290
USS LSM-291
USS LSM-292
USS LSM-293
USS LSM-294
USS LSM-295
USS LSM-296
USS LSM-297
USS LSM-298
USS LSM-299
USS LSM-300
USS LSM-301, later reclassified (MMC-6)
USS LSM-302
USS LSM-303, later reclassified (MMC-7)
USS LSM-304
USS LSM-305
USS LSM-306
USS LSM-307
USS LSM-308
USS LSM-309
USS LSM-310
USS LSM-311
USS LSM-312
USS LSM-313
USS LSM-314
USS LSM-315
USS LSM-316
USS LSM-317
USS LSM-318
USS LSM-319
USS LSM-320
USS LSM-321
USS LSM-322
USS LSM-323
USS LSM-324
USS LSM-325
USS LSM-326
USS LSM-327
USS LSM-328
USS LSM-329
USS LSM-330
USS LSM-331
USS LSM-332
USS LSM-333
USS LSM-334
USS LSM-335, later reclassified (T-AG-335)
USS LSM-336
USS LSM-337
USS LSM-338
USS LSM-339
USS LSM-340
USS LSM-341
USS LSM-342
USS LSM-343
USS LSM-344
USS LSM-345
USS LSM-346
USS LSM-347
USS LSM-348
USS LSM-349
USS LSM-350
USS LSM-351
USS LSM-352
USS LSM-353
USS LSM-354
USS LSM-355

USS LSM-356
USS LSM-357
USS LSM-358
USS LSM-359
USS LSM-360
USS LSM-361
USS LSM-362
USS LSM-363
USS LSM-364
USS LSM-365
USS LSM-366
USS LSM-367
USS LSM-368
USS LSM-369
USS LSM-370
USS LSM-371
USS LSM-372
USS Lakeland (LSM-373)
USS LSM-374
USS LSM-375
USS LSM-376
USS LSM-377
USS LSM-378
USS LSM-379
USS LSM-380
USS LSM-381
USS LSM-382
USS LSM-383
USS LSM-384
USS LSM-385
USS LSM-386
USS LSM-387
USS LSM-388
USS LSM-389
USS LSM-390, later reclassified (MMC-8)
USS LSM-391
USS LSM-392, later reclassified (MMC-9)
USS LSM-393
USS LSM-394
USS LSM-395
USS LSM-396
USS LSM-397
USS Hunting (LSM-398), later reclassified (E-AG-398)
USS LSM-399
USS LSM-400
USS LSM-413
USS LSM-414
USS LSM-415
USS LSM-416
USS LSM-417
USS LSM-418
USS LSM-419
USS LSM-420
USS LSM-421
USS LSM-422
USS LSM-423
USS LSM-424
USS LSM-425
USS LSM-426
USS LSM-427
USS LSM-428
USS LSM-429
USS LSM-430
USS LSM-431
USS LSM-432
USS LSM-433
USS LSM-434
USS LSM-435
USS LSM-436
USS LSM-437
USS LSM-438
USS LSM-439
USS LSM-440
USS LSM-441
USS LSM-442
USS LSM-443
USS LSM-444
USS Catapult (LSM-445), later reclassified (YV-1)
USS Launcher (LSM-446), later reclassified (E-LSM-446) and again to (YV-2)
USS LSM-447
USS LSM-448
USS LSM-449
USS LSM-450
USS LSM-451
USS LSM-452
USS LSM-453
USS LSM-454
USS LSM-455
USS LSM-456
USS LSM-457
USS LSM-458
USS LSM-459
USS LSM-460
USS LSM-461
USS LSM-462
USS LSM-463
USS LSM-464
USS LSM-465
USS LSM-466
USS LSM-467
USS LSM-468
USS LSM-469
USS LSM-470
USS LSM-471
USS LSM-472
USS LSM-473
USS LSM-474
USS LSM-475
USS LSM-476
USS LSM-477
USS LSM-478
USS LSM-479
USS LSM-480
USS LSM-481, later reclassified (MMC-10)
USS LSM-482
USS LSM-483
USS LSM-484, later reclassified (MMC-11)
USS LSM-485
USS LSM-486
USS LSM-487
USS LSM-488
USS LSM-489
USS LSM-490, later reclassified (MMC-12)
USS LSM-491
USS LSM-492, later reclassified (MMC-13)
USS LSM-493, later reclassified (MMC-14)
USS LSM-494
USS LSM-495
USS LSM-496
USS LSM-497
USS LSM-498
USS LSM-499
USS LSM-500
USS LSM-537
USS LSM-538
USS LSM-539
USS Raritan (LSM-540)
USS LSM-541
USS LSM-542
USS LSM-543
USS LSM-544
USS LSM-545
USS LSM-546
USS LSM-547
USS LSM-548
USS LSM-553
USS LSM-554
USS LSM-555
USS LSM-556
USS LSM-557
USS LSM-558

LSM(R)-188 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)

General characteristics
USS LSM(R)-194 passing under the Cooper River Bridge, Charleston, SC, 2 December 1944
Class and 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) loaded
Length:	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) aft
Propulsion:	GM Cleveland diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, 2 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:	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

LSM(R)-401 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)

General characteristics
USS LSM(R)-409 underway off San Diego, California on 25 February 1954
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, 2 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:	• 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)

General characteristics
USS Pee Dee River (LSM(R)-517) underway in 1954
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, 2 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:	• 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

General characteristics
USS Gypsy (ARS(D)-1) underway at Houston, Texas, in 1946
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, 2 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

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

Modern naval ships

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Escort	Destroyer Guided missile destroyer Destroyer Escort Frigate Guided missile frigate Aviso Kaibokan Sloop Convoy rescue ship Armed merchant cruiser

Transport	Troopship Landing Ship Dock Landing Ship Tank Landing Ship Vehicle Landing Ship Infantry Landing Ship Logistics Landing Ship Heavy Landing Ship Medium Landing Ship Support, Large Amphibious transport dock Attack transport Liberty ship Victory ship

Patrol craft	Patrol boat Corvette Submarine chaser Cutter Armed boarding steamer Ocean boarding vessel Armed yacht Naval trawler Naval drifter Gunboat Torpedo boat Missile boat Fast attack craft Motor Torpedo Boat E-boat MAS Motor Gun Boat Steam Gun Boat Patrol Torpedo Boat Harbour Defence Motor Launch Examination vessel Coastal Motor Boat Q-ship Motor Launch

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Command and support	Command ship Auxiliary command ship Fast combat support ship Combat stores ship General stores issue ship Ammunition ship Oiler Collier Hospital ship Auxiliary repair dock Crane vessel Auxiliary crane ship Auxiliary ship Fleet tender Destroyer tender Submarine tender Depot ship Evacuation ship Dispatch boat Floating fuel station Net laying ship

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Miscellaneous	Monitor Breastwork monitor Barracks ship Training ship Guard ship