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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. 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)

USS LSM-175 underway off Charleston Navy Yard in 1944
General characteristics
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	Up to 2 × 40 mm AA guns 4-6 × 20 mm AA guns (typically 4 if Bofors shipped)

List of LSM-1-class ships

In total, 558 LSM ships were launched. Some notable examples include:

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

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	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, 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	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)

• 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)

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	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. 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

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

Dates are launch dates.

• 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:

• Q2 1944: 74
• Q3 1944: 129
• Q4 1944: 132
• Q1 1945: 111
• Q2 1945: 58
• Q3 1945: 30
• Q4 1945: 15
• 1946: 9

Legacy

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.

Light Amphibious Warship (LAW)

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).

See also

• List of United States Navy Landing Ship Mediums
• Landing Ship, Infantry
• Mark 8 Landing Craft Tank

References

1. "Acquisition Costs of the Navy's Medium Landing Ship". Congressional Budget Office. 11 April 2024.
2. "Navy launches LSM contract competition". InsideDefense.com.
3. Eckstein, Megan (5 October 2022). "Marines, Navy near agreement on light amphibious warship features". Defense News.
4. "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.
5. ^ "Landing Ships, Medium - LSM, LSM(R), LSV". Shipbuilding History. 6 January 2018.
6. Shelbourne, Mallory (February 2023). "Marine Corps Requirements Call for 9 Light Amphibious Ships per Regiment". USNI News. United States Naval Institute.
7. 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

• 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

• Lists of ships of the United States
• Landing ships of the United States Navy
• Ship classes of the French Navy