USS LCI(L)-326

USS LCI(L)-326 was an LCI(L)-351-class landing craft infantry built for the United States Coast Guard during World War II. Like most ships of her class, she was not named and was known only by her designation. She participated in numerous battles throughout the war, and successfully landed troops through the Mediterranean, European, and Pacific Theaters.^[1]

USS LCI(L)-326 during training for D-Day
History
United States
Name	USS LCI(L)-326
Builder	Brown Shipbuilding, Orange, Texas
Laid down	22 December 1942
Launched	2 February 1943
Commissioned	15 February 1943, as USS LCI(L)-326
Decommissioned	May 1946
Stricken	1946
Honors and awards	4 battle stars & Coast Guard Unit Commendation (World War II)
Fate	Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, 2 February 1948
General characteristics
Class and type	LCI(L)-351 class large landing craft
Displacement	216 long tons (219 t) light 234 long tons (238 t) landing 389 long tons (395 t) loaded
Length	158 ft 5.5 in (48.3 m)
Beam	23 ft 3 in (7.1 m)
Draft	Light : 3 ft 1.5 in (0.95 m) mean Landing : 2 ft 8 in (0.81 m) forward 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m) aft Loaded : 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) forward 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) aft
Propulsion	8 General Motors diesel engines, 4 per shaft, 1,600 bhp (1,193 kW) Twin variable-pitch propellers Fuel Capacity 130 tons, lube oil 200 gal.
Speed	15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph)
Range	4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) loaded 500 nmi (930 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Capacity	75 tons cargo
Troops	188
Complement	4 Officers, 24 Enlisted
Armament	5 × single 20 mm guns 2 × .50 cal machine guns
Armor	2-inch (51 mm) plastic splinter protection on gun turrets, conning tower and pilot house

Service history

After launching from Austin, Texas, LCI(L)-326 aided in the Occupation of Tunisia in June of 1943, and shortly thereafter participated in both Operation Husky and Operation Avalanche, landing troops in Sicily and Salerno from July to September of 1943.^[2] The next six months were spent preparing for the Normandy Landings of June 6, 1944, when the ship and its crew successfully landed troops of the VII Corps on Utah Beach. After making multiple landings under constant enemy fire and securing the Cotentin Peninsula, the Landing Craft's commanding officer Lieutenant Samuel W. Allison was granted a Silver Star.^[3] After repairs and a change of crew LCI(L)-326 was used to create smoke screens and deliver messages during the Battle of Okinawa in Japan from May to September of 1945.^[4]

After returning to the United States in March of 1946, the landing craft received four Battle Stars and a Coast Guard Unit Commendation before being decommissioned later that year and sold for disposal in 1948.^[5]

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

	Four Battle Stars, World War II
	Combat Action Ribbon
	American Campaign Medal
	European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
	World War II Victory Medal
	Navy Occupation Service Medal (Asia)

Individual Honors

	Silver Star, Lt. Samuel W. Allison, 6 June 1944 at Normandy

References

1. "HyperWar: The Coast Guard at War--5.2: Transports". www.ibiblio.org. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
2. "Landing Craft Infantry LCI(L)-326". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
3. "LT Samuel Whips Allison". www.militaryhallofhonor.com. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
4. "USS LCI(L)-326". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
5. The Coast Guard At War. V. Transports and Escorts. Vol. 2 (2nd ed.). Washington: Public Information Division, Historical Section, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters: U.S. Coast Guard. May 1, 1949. pp. 117–130.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)