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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-246


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - Echo - Golf
 NVEG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

USS LSM-246 was transferred to the Republic of China
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:
  • Laid down, 1 August 1944, at Western Pipe and Steel Company, San Pedro, CA.
  • Launched, 17 September 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-246, 9 November 1944, LTjg. Frederick W. Morrisey USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-246 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Eight, CDR. H. Doe USN (23);
     LSM Group Twenty-Four, (flagship) LCDR. B. H. Lindman USNR;
     LSM Division Forty-Six and participated in the following campaign;

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 29 April 1945

  • Decommissioned, 30 May 1946, at NOB Subic Bay, P.I.
  • Struck from the Naval Register , date unknown
  • USS LSM-246 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Sold, 13 February 1948, to the Republic of China
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
    Length 203' 6" (ovl)
    Beam 34' 6"
    Draft
    light, 3' 6" forward, 7' 8" aft
    fully loaded, 6' 4" forward, 8' 3" aft
    Speed 13.2 kts. (max.), (928 tons displacement)
    Complement
    5 officers
    54 enlisted
    Armament
    one twin bow mounted 40mm gun
    four single 20mm gun mounts
    Vehicle/Boat Capacity 5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVT's, or 9 DUKW's
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,225 Bbls
    Troop Accommodations
    2 officers
    46 enlisted
    Armor 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station
    Endurance 4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement)
    Propulsion
    two General Motors (model GM 16-278A, reversible with hydraulic clutch) Diesel engines, direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm
    Ship's Service Generators
     two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
     one Diesel-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
    twin propellers, 2,800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS LSM-246
    LSM-246 64k USS LSM-246, two unidentified LSMs and USS LSM-162 beached at Guadalcanal, date unknown. Robert Oellerich to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-246 68k USS LSM-246 under way, date and location unknown. Robert Oellerich to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    ROCS
    LSM-246
    101424603    		 177k Ex-USS LSM-246 in Republic of China service, circa 4 October 1945. The ship was off the coast of Orchid Island (aka Lanyu, aka Botel Tobago). The island is to the SE of Taiwan and the ship was there as part of the Wells Expedition associated with the American Museum of Natural History. The local tribe is called the Yami (aka T'au) and were not settled by Chinese or Japanese; in fact, the island was kept as an "anthropological reserve" until 1945 by the Japanese. JD Pletsch was there to work on malaria and Mrs. (Zetta) Carveth Wells was married to Grant Carveth Wells, a traveler and adventurer. They produced movies and books about their adventures.
    101426403 - H.H. Chen and D.J. Pletsch on LSM 246 [Landing Ship Medium] 4 Oct 53
    101424604, 101424605, 101424606 - conning tower
    101424607 - Mrs. (Zetta) Carveth Wells
    101424608 - Expedition Group returns from Lanyu: 4 Oct 53 left to right: H. Chen, Mrs. Wells, Cmdr. Han, Paul Feng, D.J Pletsch Zetta Wells (Explorers Club flag)     		Michael Jacobson
    LSM-246
    101424604    		 117k
    LSM-246
    101424605    		 230k
    LSM-246
    101424606    		 590k
    LSM-246
    101424607    		 85k
    LSM-246
    101424608    		 206k
    The history extract for USS LSM-246 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Morrisey, Frederick W. USNR9 November 1944 - March 1945
    02LTjg. Lathrop, Robert A. USNRMarch 1945 - 1945
    03LTjg. Clemente, Elmo Michael USNR1945 - 30 May 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest

    Documents and photos from the LTjg. Elmo M. Clemente Collection contributed by Nick Clemente;
  • Navigational Chart with notations by LTjg. Elmo M. Clemente CO USS LSM-246
  • Little Creek crew photo, crew list and ports of call
  • Documents and photos
  • Naval Certificates
  • Flag and CPO uniform
    • Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Ship Medium (LSM) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 18 July 2025