USS Mallard (AMCU-30)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Mallard.

USS Mallard (AMCU-30) was a LCI(L)-351-class large landing craft of the United States Navy, later converted to a AMCU-7-class coastal minesweeper.

History
United States
Name	USS Mallard
Builder	Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas
Laid down	25 February 1944
Launched	20 March 1944
Commissioned	16 May 1944, as USS LCI(L)-963
Decommissioned	1946
Recommissioned	June 1952, as USS Mallard (AMCU-30)
Decommissioned	July 1954
Reclassified	LSIL-962, 28 February 1949 AMCU-30, 7 March 1952 MHC-30, 1 February 1955
Stricken	1 January 1960
Identification	IMO number: 5000653
Honors and awards	4 battle stars (World War II)
Fate	Sold, 30 June 1960
General characteristics
Class and type	LCI(L)-351-class large landing craft
Displacement	246 long tons (250 t) light 264 long tons (268 t) landing 419 long tons (426 t) loaded
Length	158 ft 6 in (48.31 m)
Beam	23 ft 3 in (7.09 m)
Draft	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Propulsion	8 × GM diesel engines (4 per shaft), 1,600 bhp (1,193 kW) 2 × variable pitch propellers
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) maximum 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) maximum continuous
Troops	6 officers, 182 enlisted
Complement	4 officers, 24 enlisted
Armament	5 × single 20 mm AA guns (2 forward, 1 amidships, 2 aft)

The ship was laid down on 25 February 1944 by the Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas, launched on 20 March 1944, and commissioned on 16 May 1944 as USS LCI(L)-963.

World War II Pacific Theatre operations

After shakedown in the Gulf of Mexico, the new large infantry landing craft headed for the Pacific via the Panama Canal. Following amphibious training, LCI(L)-963 reached the war zone in time to help return General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines with the landings on Leyte on 20 October 1944. She next participated in the Ormoc Bay landings on 7 December, and the invasion of Mindoro a week later. On the last day of January 1945, she lifted units of the 11th Airborne Division to the Batangas Province, Luzon. There the objective was Nasugbu, terminus of a road network radiating from Manila. In February, she assisted in the liberation of Palawan, whence she proceeded back across the Sulu Sea to fight in the Visayans.

LCI(L)-963 remained in the South Pacific until Japan capitulated. She then returned home, decommissioning and entering the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Green Cove Springs, Florida, in 1946. While berthed in Florida, late in 1948, or early 1949, she was redesignated and named USS Mallard (AMCU-30).

Post-war reactivation

Reactivated at Charleston, South Carolina, during the Korean War in June 1952, Mallard operated on the United States East Coast as an underwater mine detector until after the s:Korean Armistice Agreement was signed in July 1953.

Final decommissioning

Decommissioning again in July 1954, she again entered the Reserve Fleet, where, as before, she was reclassified, now to MHC-30. Struck from the Navy List on 1 January 1960, Mallard was sold to Randolph Mattson on 30 June 1960.

LCI(L)-963 received four battle stars for her World War II service.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Mallard (LCI(L)-963/LSIL-963 - AMCU-30/MHC-30) at NavSource Naval History