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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-432

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:

Laid down, 18 December 1944, at Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, DE.

Launched, 5 February 1945

Commissioned USS LSM-432, 1 March 1945, LT. Donald W. Alexander USNR in command

During World War II USS LSM-432 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
LSM Flotilla Fourteen, LCDR. W. R. McCaleb;
LSM Group Forty-One (flagship);
LSM Division Eighty-Two

Following World War II USS LSM-432 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following period:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
11 September to 21 December 1945	11 September to 21 December 1945

USS LSM-432 ran aground, 11 January 1947, off the east coast of Babuyan Island, Philippines

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

Final Disposition, grounded on the north coast of Babuyan Island, about 70 miles north of the north tip of Luzon, Philippines, in December 1946. Declared a total loss and abandoned in August 1947

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

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
44k	*LSM-432* launch at Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, DE., 5 February 1945.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
80k	USS LSM-432 under way in San Diego Bay in 1945. A Ted Stone photo.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
50k	USS LSM-432 under way in Chinese waters in 1945.	Robert Bennett to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
150k	USS LSM-432 moored alongside of another LSM at Tientsin, China, 1945	Steve Franklin
89k	USS LSM-432, USS LSM-457 and *LSM-433* nested at Tientsin, China, 1945.	USS LSM / LSMR Association
68k	USS LSM-432 moored inboard of USS LSM-115 along with an unidentified destroyer moored pierside at southside pier one, Tsingtao, China in 1945.	Robert Morris, CO USS LSM-115

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Alexander, Donald W., USNR	1 March 1945 - March 1946
02	LTjg. Rietz, Charles F., USNR	March 1946 - May 1946
03	LTjg. Moore Jr, Jas M., USNR	May 1946 - ?


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
A History by CAPT. Douglas Stahl USN, - Rescue of USAT Fairfield and USS LSM-432 crews

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 22 August 2025