User:Firejack007/USS LSM-362

LSM-362 somewhere in the Pacific , 1944-45
History
USA
Name	USS LSM-362
Builder	Brown_Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas
Laid down	18 November 1944
Launched	9 December 1944
Commissioned	11 January 1945
Recommissioned	14 October 1950
Decommissioned	18 December 1953
Motto	"Sandscraper"
Fate	Transferred to Republic of China, 3 May 1962
History
Republic of China
Name	ROCS "Mei-Lo" (LSM-356)
Acquired	3 May 1962
Decommissioned	1 June 2005
Renamed	(c1969-1973) LSM-637
Fate	Unknown
General characteristics
Class and type	LSM-1 class Landing Ship Medium
Displacement	520 long tons (528 t) empty 1,095 long tons (1,113 t) full load
Length	203 ft 6 in (62.03 m)
Beam	34 ft 6 in (10.52 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	2 Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines, 2,800 shp (2,088 kW), direct drive, 2 screws
Speed	13.2 knots (24.4 km/h; 15.2 mph)
Range	4,900 nmi (9,100 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Capacity	5 × medium tanks or 3 × heavy tanks or 6 × LVTs or 9 × DUKWs
Troops	2 officers, 46 enlisted
Complement	5 officers, 54 enlisted
Armament	• 1 × single 40 mm AA gun • 4 × single 20 mm AA guns

LSM-362 was the name of a amphibious assault ship built in World War II for the U.S. Navy. LSM being the acronym for Landing Ship Medium. The majority of these ships were given only numbers instead of names with a few exceptions. Many, including LSM-362 were used in the Korean War and well beyond by the United States and other governments.

Pre-War

Construction

USS LSM-362 was built by the Brown Shipbuilding Company of Houston, Texas. Her keel was laid 18 November 1944 and she was launched on 9 December 1944. The medium landing ship was placed in commission at Houston, Texas on 11 January 1945, Lieutenant James C. Duer, USNR, in Command

USS LSM-362 in dry dock

workers under the ship

Shakedown and Training

Shakedown was done in the Gulf of Mexico out of Galveston, Texas. She then arrived at New Orleans on 11 February 1945 to prepare for duty in the Pacific. She departed on 17 February 1945 and transited the Panama Canal on the way to San Diego where she arrived on 18 March 1945. She would move to the small specialized Wood Shipyard near Stockton, California for some repairs and then to San Francisco. She departed on 30 March 1945 and made the long journey to Pearl Harbor where she arrived on 7 April 1945. Along with the expected shore leave, the crew did amphibious training during this time at Hilo Bay.

World War II service

Deployment

On 12 June 1945, USS LSM-362 departed Hawaii for the Pacific Theater of Operations. A Landing Ship Medium such as the USS LSM-362 was not only used to land troops and equipment but also moved supplies to personnel at the different Pacific Islands. This would be anything from mail, food, and water to ammo, replacement parts and vehicles. Many Landing Ship Medium ships were used in initial landings as a part of Amphibious Warfare.

USS LSM-362 on it's maiden voyage carried supplies for Apra Harbor (13°27′12″N 144°39′12.56″E) in Guam located within the Mariana Islands. This would also include a short stop off at Eniwetok Atoll (11°46′62.59″N 162°18′93.67″W

) in the Marshall Islands. The ship and crew arrived in Guam on 29 June 1945.

Surrender of Japan

• 
  USS LSM-362 moored next to USS Missouri, 2 September 1945