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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LSM-455

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, 14 November 1944, at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Pedro, CA.
  • Launched, 27 December 1944
  • Commissioned USS LSM-455, 12 March 1945, LT. Robert A. Hamilton, USNR in command
  • During World War II USS LSM-455 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LSM Flotilla Fourteen, LCDR. W. R. McCaleb;
     LSM Group Forty-One;
     LSM Division Eighty-Two
  • Following World War II USS LSM-455 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    11 to 25 September 1945 
    25 May 1946 to 6 October 194625 May 1946 to 6 October 1947
  • Decommissioned, 25 March 1949, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Placed in service, 13 November 1951
  • Placed out of service, 13 March 1959
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, sold in 1959 for conversion to a barge, renamed Sandpiper, fate unknown

    Specifications: 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-455
    LSM-455 48k USS LSM-455 under way, date and location unknown. USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-455 66k USS LSM-455 under way in San Francisco Bay, date unknown. Samuel Morrison to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-455 101k USS LSM-455 at anchor with an unidentified LSM, date and location unknown. Photo Courtesy Jim Tusing LSM-372,
    Editor "Alligator Alley" The Newsletter
    of the USS LSM - LSMR Association
    LSM-455 84k USS LSM-455 under way, date and location unknown. Samuel Morrison to the USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Merchant Service
    LSM-455 77k ex-USS LSM-455 in merchant service as the Jones Sand Co. barge Sandpiper moored at Martinez, CA. In the background is the Benecia Bridge which crosses the Carquinez Straits, February 1995. USS LSM / LSMR Association courtesy Frank Post USS LSM-4
    LSM-455 70k Sandpiper moored at Martinez, CA., February 1995. USS LSM / LSMR Association courtesy Frank Post USS LSM-4
    LSM-455 85k Sandpiper at Martinez, CA. February 1995. USS LSM / LSMR Association courtesy Frank Post USS LSM-4
    LSM-455 36k Sandpiper moored mid-stream, place unknown, February 1995. USS LSM / LSMR Association courtesy Frank Post USS LSM-4
    The history extract for USS LSM-455 is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1997. (ISBN 1-56311-389-9).
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    Commanding Officers / Officer in Charge
    01LT. Hamilton, Robert A., USNR12 March 1945 - December 1945
    02LTjg. Berger, Sidney E., USNRDecember 1945 - March 1946
    03LTjg. Gallagher Jr., Hugh Francis, USNMarch 1946 - September 1946
    04LT. Perkins Jr., James William, USNSeptember 1946 - 1947
    05LTjg. Milham, Colvin Ellis, USN1947 = ?
     Decommissioned25 March 1949 - 13 November 1951
    06LTjg LT. Ryan, Donald Wayne, USNR (O-in-C)1956 - 10 September 1957
    07LT. Sellers, John William, USN (USNA 1954) (O-in-C)October 1957 - June 1958
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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 2 January 2026