USS LSM-87

Selected Entries from the Ship's Official Deck Log

1944:

15 October 0800 Ship moored port side to T.C.I. docks, Houston Ship Channel.
0900 Lt. Commander John McMasters USNR representing Com 8 came on board for commissioning exercises.
0923 Lt. Commander McMaster ordered Lt.(jg) George E. B. McDevitt USNR prospective commanding officer by authority of ComPhibTraLant dispatch #192106 of April 1944 to read his orders. Lt.(jg) McDevitt read his orders and assumed command. The ship was placed in full commission in accordance with US Navy Regs 637-638-1-821. The watch was set. The following officers reported aboard in accordance with ComPhibTraLant dispatch #192106 of April 1944 and were assigned as follows: Lt.(jg) Charles R. Rounds USNR, Executive Officer, Ensign Edward F. Kurzinski USNR, Engineering Officer, Ensign Jesse H. Burr USNR, Gunnery Officer, Ensign James L. McDonald USNR for duty.
0928 Lt. Commander McMaster left the ship.
1024 Captain McDevitt went ashore.
1051 Captain returned aboard ship.		  
19 October 1250 Lt. Commander Skinner, USCG pilot, aboard.
1300 made all preparations for getting underway.
1329 underway to Sinclair Refueling Dock, Houston Texas.
1401 commenced fueling ship.
1559 completed fueling ship having received onboard 15,700 gallons fuel oil. (this was the first underway evolution for USS LSM-87--Mark Kurzinski, webmaster)		  
20 October 0711 underway for Jacinto Ordnance Depot. 0913 moored starboard side to San Jacinto Ordnance Depot. Received aboard 84½ cases (352 rounds) 40MM AA ammunition. 66 cases (11,880) rounds 20MM ammunition and 25,950 rounds of small arms ammunition and a quantity of flares.
1156 underway for Galveston, Texas, Pier 42.
1850 moored starboard side to Pier 42. As ship approached Pier 41, LSM-87 collided with S.S. Ancil F. Haines on our port quarter to her starboard quarter with apparent little damage.

 


 Photo of Ancil F. Haines
from Liberty Ships

 

22 October 1626 first simulated beaching on Dillard Beach 500 ft. stern anchor cable out.  
31 October 1028 Man Overboard, ABRAMS, W.R., F1c, USNR.
1031 ABRAMS, W.R. rescued, no injuries.
1703 Underway to Galveston Channel in formation with group.
1804 collided with Nun Buoy 2A, Galveston Bay Channel starboard Bow to, no damage.		  
4 November 1654 underway for Todd's Galveston Dry Docks.
1810 LSM-87 hit LSM-82 port bow punctured.

 


 LSM-82 and LSM-28 beached at Okinawa along with other LSMs in 1945. Courtesy of Navsource

 

10 November 0038 moored portside to pier 5 (fueling pier) Galveston, Bay.
0100 received 70,478 gallons diesel oil.		  
11 November 0721 underway for Gulfport, Mississippi.  
13 November 0902 moored port side to West Dock Gulfport Mississippi. Loading operations in progress.
The following was placed aboard for U.S. Navy Fray-166; 2 pcs. Scrapers Carryall (1 Letourneau) (1 Carwood), 3 pcs. Graders Tractor (Model 124), 35 pcs. pile, wood, treated; 80 pcs. piling, wood; 176 drums asphalt, total weight 437,506 lbs.		  
14 November 0812 underway for Panama.  
16 November 1131 Dead in water off Cape San Antonio, Cuba.
1246 underway. (This stop was for a swimcall--Mark Kurzinski--Webmaster)

 


 L to R: Ens. Kurzinski and Ens. Burr enjoying a swimcall. Date and place unknown. Photo by Purl Allan Ferrier.

 

19 November 2318 entered Panamanian waters.
2337 anchored in Colon Harbor, Canal Zone.		  
20 November 0658 underway from anchorage to Pier No. 1, Coco Solo, Canal Zone. Navy Pilot aboard.
0736 moored port side Pier No. 1.

    
L to R: Skipper McDevitt enjoys some fishing and Ens. McDonald gets some sun during the swimcall. Photos by Purl Allan Ferrier.

22 November 1232 Pilot Wilson, C.O., aboard to take us through Panama Canal.
1336 entered first lock.
2053 entered international waters. Enroute to San Diego, California.		  
24 November 1600 swimming party called. Off Point Gwonas.
1650 recalled swimming party.

 

    
L to R: Photos of Ens. Kurzinski and Ens. Burr. Date and place unknown. Photos by Purl Allan Ferrier.

 

3 December 1912 moored port side to LSM-179 of repair base, San Diego, California.  
8 December 0810 all lines hauled aboard underway for San Francisco.  
10 December 0620 all back emergency full (Liberty Ship passed across port bow ignoring right of way and running lights.)
0933 passed under Golden Gate Bridge entering San Francisco Bay.
1035 moored portside to LSM-88, North Pier, Treasure Island, California.		  
25 December 0800 holiday routine
1230 Christmas Dinner		  
28 December 0911 all lines cast off, being towed by tug YTM476 to Moore's Dry Dock, Marine Way #1, Oakland, California.  

1945:

2 January 1408 underway with tug YTB261 to Treasure Island.  
10 January 0200 commenced receiving oil from YOL 1.
0645 completed taking oil having received 39,018 gallons.
0940 warmed up main engines and tested equipment.
1130 Compass adjusters: Obodor and Einarsson aboard.
1133 cast off all lines underway to adjust compass.
1152 passed underneath Treasure Island- Oakland span.
1311 moored portside to LSM-85, Berth B5-6 North Pier, Treasure Island.
1605 32 cases of Beer brought aboard for beaching parties ONLY, stored as cargo.
1655 1166 gallons of lube oil brought aboard.

 


 Newspaper clipping of LSM-85

 
11 January 1132 underway with USN YT 162.1255 maneuvering at various courses and speeds conforming with channel in company with LSM's 89 (Guide), 88, 87, 86, 85.
1315 passed Alcatraz Island abeam to starboard.
1321 passed through net opening in San Francisco Bay entrance.
1329 passed underneath Golden Gate Bridge.
1434 left point of departure on course 241° T destination, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.		  
20 January 1415 set all special sea detail on approaching entrance to channel.
1600 Maneuvering at various courses and speeds to conform with channel.
1711 moored starboard side to LSM-89 Iroquois Point, Pearl harbor.		  
23 January 2230 the following supplies and ammunition were brought aboard and were inspected as to quantity by Ensign McDonald, OOD: 7  50 Cal. Guns, 4 Batteries 6 volt 175 Amp, 70 Boxes Ammo, 7 50 Cal. gun mounts, Mk 21 with covers.  
27 January 2031 moored portside to YOB-6 off Destroyer Base Pier 3. Taking on fuel.
0350 Fueling completed - took aboard 18,997 gallons of diesel oil.		  
30 January 2100 took aboard 1,642 gallons of #9250 lube oil.
2200 83 cases of Coca-Cola were brought aboard.		  
31 January 1230 Army detail aboard. Organization - 93rd AAA Gun Battalion.  
1 February Army group loading supplies and equipment consisting of trucks, ammunition, 90 M/M AA Guns, 1 Officer and 41 Enlisted Men.2100 all Army cargo and equipment aboard.  
3 February 0817 cast off all lines.0851 passed net in Pearl Harbor channel enroute to Eniwetok Atoll.  
9 February 0000 crossed International Date line. Date advanced one day to 10 February 1945.  
13 February 1804 anchored with 600 feet of cable out to the stern anchor in berth C-3, Eniwetok Harbor.  
15 February 0622 ship underway for Guam.  
20 February 0800 moored portside to LSM-86 in berth C-3 with LSM-85 moored to our starboard side: Guam Harbor.  
23 February 0800 ship underway for Ulithi.  
24 February 1054 entering East (Mugai) passage to Ulithi.
1209 anchored in Ulithi Harbor.
1720 ship underway for Kossol Roads.		  
27 February 0800 anchored in Kossol Roads. One half of guns manned.  
1 March 0941 ship underway for Leyte, Philippine Islands.   
4 March 1954 anchored, San Pedro Bay, Leyte, PI.
2038 movie held on well deck for all personnel.
2157 movie secured.		  
6 March 1243 underway for beaching area.
1344 beached north of Dulag Village, Leyte PI.
1400 commenced unloading cargo.		  
24 March 0828 ship underway for Okinawa.  
31 March 0745 anchored off of Koba Island, Okinawa Gunto.  
3 April 1645 ship underway for Kerama Retto.

 


 Columns of troop-packed LCI's trail in the wake of a Coast Guard-manned LST en route for the invasion of Cape Sansapor, New Guinea. The deck of the LST is closely packed with motorized fighting equipment. 1944 Courtesy of National Archives
(Note the two columns of LSM's on either sides of the LCI's. LSM-87 did not take part in this invasion)

 
13 April 0830 National Ensign at dip - death of President.  
14 April 0800 Shell fire observed.
1126 anchored off Kerama Retto, Okinawa.
2200 heavy artillery fire of portside.		  
15 April 1838 two Jap planes shot down off starboard.
1908 heavy AA fire.		  
17 April 0400 underway in channel at various courses and speeds to clear ships in bay.
0454 proceeding through several LST's anchored off Point Bolo, Okinawa. Collided with LST893 which was at anchor. Our starboard side amidships collided with her stern - cause running to close to anchored ship. No serious damage to operation of ship. No damage to personnel. Considerable damage done to starboard side of conning tower and pilot house level torn open - deck in Radio Shack buckled. Captain was on conn at the time of collision in general control of ship.
0613 anchored off Ie Shima.
0800 underway.
1445 received orders to report to Commander LST Group 87.
1541 receiving orders from O.T.C. by flag hoist.
2232 anchored near Motabu Peninsula


Illustration of an LST. Courtesy of LST-454
18 April 1200 underway, maneuvering off Ie Shima in preparation for beaching.
1300 started into beach following pilot boat.
1310 backing out of channel due to blasting on beach.
1530 ran aground while following control boat.
1552 LCVP alongside.
1650 stern anchor placed aboard LCVP - in order to carry out anchor. Bow of LCVP dropped under - due to weight of scope of cable and weight of anchor - LCVP sunk in 18' of water. Boat crew rescued by passing boats. None of crew injured.

 
19 April 0719 underway for beach.
0755 beached.
0757 Army started to unload equipment.
1145 sounded emergency sea detail; drifting off beach due to shifting wind. Crashed into LSM-88 several times.
1920 sniper fire hitting ship.

 


 LSM-88 and an unidentified LSM at anchor, date and place unknown. Courtesy of Navsource
The unidentified vessel in the background could very well be LSM-87. (Mark Kurzinski - Webmaster)

 
23 April 1950 set special sea detail. Prepared to hit Red T-4 beach Ie Shima.
2010 beached Red T-4 between LSM 220 and 186

 


 LSM-220 beached on Ie Shima. Courtesy of LSM-220

 
3 May 2220 Flash Red, General Quarters. Enemy planes in vicinity.
2235 All Clear, secured from General Quarters.		  
6 May 0831 General Quarters - Fired 110 incendiaries and 55 tracers.
0833 enemy plane sighted identified as "Kate" - guns 2 and 5 scored numerous hits which downed plane - verified by Army personnel and ships in vicinity.		  
13 May 0815 Catholic church party ashore.
1000 Protestant church party ashore.

 


 Church service on Ie Shima - Isle in background is Okinawa. Padre McDonald 5th officer in picture. Photo courtesy of Vicki Ferrier.

 
20 May 1123 LSM-235 pulled away from beach - to our starboard - loaded with Jap civilians off island.
1832 Enemy plane shot down off starboard.
1839 Enemy plane shot down astern.
1851 Enemy plane suicides into LST-808 - 300 yards off our port quarter.

 


 LST-808 grounded and burning at Ie Shima after being torpedoed by a Japanese kamikaze. From Navsource

 
28 May 0122 Underway for APA-179.
0310 Moored portside to APA-179, Okinawa anchorage - nine tenths loaded with fog oil.
0339 General Quarters - heavy AA firing overhead.
0510 Enemy plane shot down bearing 350şT.		  


USS Lauderdale (APA-179) Haskell class attack transport. From Naval Historical Center
18 June 0300 Underway from IE Shima, Ryukus to Leyte, Philippine Islands - no cargo aboard - sailing in convoy with LSM's 56, 84, 26, 62, 72, 82, 136, 172, 221, 265, 277, 326, 11, 30, 134, 235, 137, LSM(R)198, LSM(R) 199, ATR 77 with escorts of DE 34, AM 64, SC 1312.  Our position is second ship in starboard outboard column astern LSM 30.  
19 June 1000 Captain held mast and assigned punishments as follows: SAUTMAN, T.L., RM3c, RAYNOCK, PAUL T., RM3c, BUCHERT, GEORGE S. Jr. RM3c; failure to obey orders - six hours extra duty.  
22 June 1126 Anchored in San Pedro Bay, Philippine Islands. LSM 134 moored alongside to starboard.  
29 June 2010 movie on well deck "Stand by for Action" starring Robert Taylor and Charles Laughton.  
23 July 0730 Underway from San Pedro Bay, Leyte, PI to Subic Bay, PI in convoy with LSM's 186, 144, 134, 234, 235, 90, 256, 56, 180, 29, 120, 289, 369.
1500 Passed Corregidor Island abeam to starboard.		  
     

 Revised 10/07/07 by Mark R. Kurzinski