USS LSM-338 was a LSM-1-class landing ship medium in the United States Navy during World War II. The ship was transferred to Thailand and renamed HTMS Phai (LSM-2) (Thai: เรือหลวงไผ่).
 HTMS Phai
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | LSM-338 |
| Builder | Pullman Co., Chicago |
| Laid down | 14 August 1944 |
| Launched | 5 December 1944 |
| Commissioned | 10 January 1945 |
| Decommissioned | 28 July 1946 |
| Honors and awards | See Awards |
| Fate | Transferred to Thailand, 14 October 1946 |
| History | |
 Thailand | |
| Name | Phai |
| Namesake | Phai Island |
| Acquired | 14 October 1946 |
| Commissioned | 10 November 1947 |
| Decommissioned | 2004 |
| Identification | Pennant number: LSM-2 |
| Fate | Scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | LSM-1-class landing ship medium |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 203 ft 6 in (62.03 m) o/a |
| Beam | 34 ft 6 in (10.52 m) |
| Draft |
|
| Propulsion | 2 × Fairbanks-Morse (model 38D81/8X10, reversible with hydraulic clutch) diesels. Direct drive with 1,440 bhp (1,074 kW) each @ 720 rpm, twin screws |
| Speed | 13.2 knots (15.2 mph; 24.4 km/h) |
| Range | 4,900 nmi (9,100 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h) |
| Capacity | 5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVTs, or 9 DUKWs |
| Troops | 2 officers, 46 enlisted |
| Complement | 5 officers, 54 enlisted |
| Armament | 6 × 20 mm AA gun mounts |
| Armour | 10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station |
Construction and career
editLSM-338 was laid down on 14 August 1944 at Pullman Co., Chicago, Illinois. Launched on 5 December 1944 and commissioned on 10 January 1945.
During World War II, LSM-338 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater. She took part in the occupation service in the Far East from 20 September 1945 to 20 July 1946.[1]
LSM-338 was decommissioned on 28 July 1946 and later transferred to Thailand on 14 October, later that year.[2]
She was struck from the Navy Register.
The ship was commissioned into the Royal Thai Navy on 10 November 1947 and renamed HTMS Phai (LSM-2). She was used as spare parts for her sister ship, HTMS Kut.[3][4]
The ship was then sold for scrap and her conning tower is on display at the Royal Thai Naval Training Base.[1]
Awards
editLST-338 have earned the following awards:
Citations
edit- ^ a b "Landing Ship Medium LSM". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "USS LSM 338 (LSM 338) of the US Navy - American Medium landing ship of the LSM class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "PANTIP.COM : E4722851 เรื่องราวของ "เรือหลวงคราม" เรือจมใต้น้ำ ณ เกาะไผ่ [ท่องเที่ยวไทย]". topicstock.pantip.com. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "เรือหลวงไผ่(ลำที่ 2) – Seafarer Library". Retrieved 1 January 2022.
Sources
edit- United States. Dept. of the Treasury (1962). Treasury Decisions Under the Customs, Internal Revenue, Industrial Alcohol, Narcotic and Other Laws, Volume 97. U.S. Government Printing Office.
- Moore, Capt. John (1984). Jane's Fighting Ships 1984-85. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710607959.
- Saunders, Stephen (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710628886.
- Fairplay International Shipping Journal Volume 222. United Kingdom: Fairplay Publishing Limited. 1967.