Builder: Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas
Commissioned: 15 February 1943
Decommissioned: N/A
Disposition: Lost in action on Omaha Beach, 6 June 1944
Length: 158' 6" oa
Beam: 23' 3"
Draft: 2' 8" (forward), 5' 3" (aft -- beaching condition)
Displacement: 216 tons (light); 234 tons (beaching condition); 389 tons (full load)
Propulsion: 8 x GM diesels; twin shafts (4 diesels per shaft); 1,600 hp; twin variable-pitch propellers
Range: 4,000 @ 12 knots
Top Speed: 15.5 knots
Complement: 3 officers, 21 enlisted
Troops: 188
Cargo capacity: 75 tons
Initial armament: 4 x 20mm (single-mount): 1 forward, 1 amidships, 2 aft; 2 x .50 caliber; 2" plastic splinter armor on gun shields, conning tower, and pilot house.
Commanding Officers
LT Robert M. Salmon, USCGR
History: Flotilla 4 / 10, Group 29, Division 58
The Coast Guard-manned LCI(L)-92 was commissioned on 15 February 1943 under the command of LT Robert M. Salmon, USCGR. She proceeded to Norfolk, Virginia, for a shakedown cruise and to take aboard additional equipment and supplies. From Norfolk she proceeded to North Africa, via Bermuda, and arrived a few days after the Tunisian invasion. She anchored near Lake Bizerte where the other 24 ships of the LCI(L) Flotilla 4, all Coast Guard-manned, were anchored. Taking on troops at Lake Bizerte, the Flotilla transported them to Sicily where they participated in the original invasion of Licata, Sicily, on July 9, 1943, and the Salerno landings on the Italian peninsula on September 9, 1943.
She left Italy in December 1943. Early in January 1944 part of Flotilla 4 (now renamed Flotilla 10), including the LCI(L)-92, went to Falmouth, England on maneuvers, landing troops in mock invasions on the beaches nearby. On January 15, 1944, she reached Dartmouth, England, flotilla headquarters for. the pre-invasion months. On February 10, 1944, the first rehearsal for the French invasion was staged, mock landings being made at Slapton Sands, near Dartmouth. On February 20th another invasion was staged In which British rocket-LCIs were used for the first time. Two other mock invasions followed the last one being three weeks before the actual "D" day. The final preparations then began for "D" day, June 6,1944.
The 92 participated in the landings at Omaha Beach on "D" day and was damaged beyond repair by enemy fire. She was abandoned on the beach. An article published in the July 1952 issue of the Coast Guard Magazine (p. 26) noted:
"The Coast Guard-manned LCI(L)-92 arrived at the rendezvous area off Omaha Beach as part of Task Force 124 on scheduled time. At 0710, on the 6th of June, 1944, she left the rendezvous area for Dog White Beach in order to land 192 troops on board. The approach to the beach was heavily obstructed. The LCI(L)-91, which had beached half an hour earlier, was in flames, and it was decided to beach to the left of the 91 and in lee of her smoke, which could be used as a screen. At 0810 she passed through the first row of obstacles and cleared the outer three rows successfully. When apparently clear, however, a terrific explosion on the port side rocked the ship, setting the No. 1 troop compartment in flames and spraying the entire forward deck with burning fuel. At about the same time a shell exploded close aboard to starboard. The engines were ordered ahead but she was unable to move over the runnel.
Unloading over the starboard side was begun, but heavy rifle and machinegun fire caused a shift to port side unloading. In the meantime the ship's crew began to fight the fire and flames. After all the Army personnel had left, an attempt was made to retract, but the high tide obscured the mines and made it advisable to remain at the beach. The fire gained headway and the order was finally given to 'abandon ship' about 1400. There were no casualties to the ship's crew."
The LCI(L)-92 earned four battle stars for her service in World War II. All LCI(L)s of Flotilla 10 were retroactively awarded the Coast Guard Unit Commendation for their service in the invasion of Normandy.
Sources
LCI(L) file, Coast Guard Historian's Office.
United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard At War. V. Transports and Escorts. Vol. 2. Washington: Public Information Division, Historical Section, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, May 1, 1949, pp. 117-130.