Landing Ship Medium (Rocket):  LSM(R)191  

          Navy Archives on LSM(R)191  (off-site link)      Story of the Dragon Lady          LSM Association  (off-site link)

     A total of five hundred fifty-eight Landing Ship Medium (LSM) and Landing Ship Medium (Rocket) (LSM(R)s were built during World War II. They serviced in the Asiatic-Pacific theater, and in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The LSM(R), Landing Ship Medium Rocket, were designed to support amphibious landings by providing close-in fire support using their primary battery of rocket launchers. The LSM(R) was a modified LSM, equipped with eight to ten twin 5 inch automatic, continuously fed. rocket launchers. Each launcher was capable of firing thirty spin stablilized rockets per minute. 

     During the rescue, LSM(R)191 picked up twenty eight USS Pringle survivors

      Photo1 (firing rockets)  Photo 2  (July 1945 at Pearl Harbor)   Photos 3 & 4  (taken from the 191 during the rescue)

     A good photo of LSM(R)194, one of LSM(R)191's sister ships  ~  LSM(R)194 off Okinawa      

• Displacement: 758 tons (light) 983 tons (attack) 1,175 tons (fully loaded)
• Length: 203'6"
• Beam: 34'
• Draft light: 5'4"  attack: 5'8"  fully loaded: 7'9"
• Speed: 13.2 kts
• Armament: one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, two 40mm guns, three 20mm guns,
      Rocket Launchers; seventy-five 4-rail MK36, thirty 6-rail MK 30, and eighty-five MK 51 automatic rocket launchers
• Complement: 5 officers, 76 enlisted
• 2 General Motors (non-reversible with airflex clutch) diesel engines, 
      Direct drive 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm, twin screws
• Endurance, 3,000miles @ 12kts
• Armor, 10-STS on conning tower, pilot-house, radio room, radar plot, and rocket control. 10-lb, 
     ASPP around 40   and 20mm mounts and directors