WWII Floating Gun Platform: LCS & LSMR Rocket Ships

[meltdownman1]

My dad was on LSM 215 as an Electrician's Mate. His battle station was the smoke generator. During the battle for Okinawa the battle stations alarm would constantly go off. During one raid he was asleep in his bunk for only short time when he heard the last of the gongs. When he awoke he saw no one was around. Continued...

[meltdownman1]

@meltdownman1 He got to his station late and got yelled at by an officer asking where the hell he had been. He was told to light up the smoke generator the officer prepared only it was set incorrectly. A Jap Kamikaze was overhead at the time.

When he lit the smoke generator there was an explosion and knocked him out. It signed his hair and eyebrows and blinded him for a while.

Later he found out the Jap plane backed off thinking the huge flash was a set of big guns opening up. LOL



[meltdownman1]

@meltdownman1

Interesting note: The Landing Ship Mediums (LSM's) were just over 200 feet long. Two hundred feet was where the Navy made the cut off for designating ships either " landing ships" or " landing craft". A little interesting fact to know.

[Sarabelle58]

Wow. My dad was gun captain on the aft twin 40 mm onboard the USS LCS [L] 75 - ''The Fighting Sixbits'. Thanks for posting this video.

[BazeInAustin]

This is the ship (LSMR-402) my Dad served on. Very cool.