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Australian landing ship medium Harry Chauvel (AV 1353)

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History
United States
NameLSM-319
BuilderPullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Illinois
Commissioned10 August 1944
Decommissioned14 June 1946
Stricken14 June 1946
Fatesold to Australia
Australia
NameHarry Chauvel
NamesakeGeneral Sir Harry Chauvel
Commissioned16 July 1959
Decommissioned30 September 1971
Fatesold and foundered at sea while under tow
General characteristics
Class and typeLSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium
Displacement638 tons
Length203 ft (62 m)
Beam34 ft (10 m)
Draft6 ft (1.8 m) light, 5 ft (1.5 m) loaded
Propulsiontwo Fairbanks Morse 18 cylinder opposed piston diesels, each 1,900 hp (1,400 kW), twin screws
Speed14.5 knots (26.9 km/h)
Range5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi)
CapacityUp to 306 tons, including four Centurion tanks
Complement2 officers, 25 men
Sensors and
processing systems
Radar
Armament1 × 40mm gun, 4 × 20mm gun mounts
Armour10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station

The Australian landing ship medium Harry Chauvel (AV 1353) was a United States Navy landing ship medium which was later sold to Australia and operated by the Australian Army.

The ship was built by the Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company in Chicago, Illinois and was commissioned into the United States Navy (USN) as USS LSM-319 on 10 August 1944. She was assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations and saw action during the liberation of the Philippines during 1944 and 1945. Following the war she was decommissioned on 14 June 1946 and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

The ship was purchased by the Australian Army on 16 July 1959 and was named Harry Chauvel (AV 1353) in honour of the Australian World War I general Harry Chauvel. The ship was one of four LSMs operated by the newly formed 32nd Small Ship Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers and was refitted in Japan before she arrived in Australia on 31 December 1959. From 1960 to 1964 Harry Chauvel supported Australian Army exercises and operated in a survey role on two occasions. In May 1964 she sailed for Malaysia and briefly took part in the Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo. During the late 60s the ship supported Australian Army exercises in Australian, New Guinea and New Zealand and made three voyages to South Vietnam to support the Australian units deployed there.

Harry Chauvel was decommissioned on 30 September 1971 when the 32nd Small Ship Squadron was disbanded. She was sold to Pacific Logistics in September 1971 and was renamed Paclog Dispatch. The ship foundered while under tow from Sydney to the Philippines.

References

  • Gillett, Ross. "Australia's Medium Landing Ships. The Galloping Green Ghosts". Australian Warship Review (9/2001).
  • Priolo, Gary P. "Landing Ship Medium LSM-319". NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive. Archived from the original on 19 December 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-08.