USS LSM-236

USS LSM-236 was a LSM-1-class Landing Ship Medium of the United States Navy that saw active service in World War II and the Korean War.

History
United States
Name	USS LSM-236
Builder	Western Pipe and Steel Company, San Pedro, California
Launched	4 July 1944
Commissioned	2 September 1944
Decommissioned	15 July 1946
Recommissioned	8 September 1950
Decommissioned	17 October 1955
Honors & awards	1 battle star (Korea)
Fate	Transferred to the Philippines, 15 September 1960
Philippines
Name	RPS Batanes (L-65)
Acquired	15 September 1960
Fate	Scrapped, 1972
General characteristics
Class & type	LSM-1-class Landing Ship Medium
Displacement	520 long tons (528 t) light 743 long tons (755 t) landing 1,095 long tons (1,113 t) full
Length	203 ft 6 in (62.03 m) o/a
Beam	34 ft 6 in (10.52 m)
Draft	Light : 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m) forward 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) aft Fully loaded : 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) forward 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) aft
Propulsion	2 × General Motors diesel engines, 1,440 bhp (1,074 kW) each at 720 rpm 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 or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVTs, or 9 DUKWs
Troops	2 officers, 46 enlisted
Complement	5 officers, 54 enlisted
Armament	1 × single bow mounted 40 mm AA gun 4 × single 20 mm guns
Armor	10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station

Built by the Western Pipe and Steel Company, San Pedro, California, the ship was commissioned on 2 September 1944.

Service history

During World War II LSM-236 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, and following the war performed occupation duty in the Far East. Decommissioned on 15 July 1946 she was laid up in the Reserve Fleet.

LSM-236 was recommissioned on 8 September 1950 for service in the Korean War, and decommissioned on 17 October 1955 at Astoria, Oregon.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria, she was struck from the Naval Register, and transferred to the Philippines on 15 September 1960, serving as RPS Batanes (L-65). Batanes ran aground and declared a total loss in June 1971, and was scrapped in 1972.

Awards, citations and campaign ribbons

LSM-236 earned one battle star for Korean War service.

• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
• National Defense Service Medal
• Korean Service Medal
• United Nations Service Medal
• Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

References

• Photo gallery of USS LSM-236 at NavSource Naval History