User:James Sutter/USS LSM-45

USS LSM-45 is the last known survivor of the Landing Ship Medium class in its original configuration. The ship is currently located at Marine base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. It was donated to the Museum of the Marine by the now defunct Amphibious Ship Museum under the understanding that it would be put on display at the museum, and was towed to North Carolina in 2004 from Omaha Nebraska The museum decided in 2007 that the ship will not be a part of the museum and is looking for another home for the ship. There have been reports that the Museum is considering scrapping or sinking the ship as an artificial reef

Naval History
USS-LSM 45 was laid down, 6 June 1944, at Brown Shipyard Co, in Houston Texas and was launched 30 June 1944

Commissioned USS LSM-45, 31 July 1944, LT. Charles D. Freight USNR, in command During World War II USS LSM-45 was assigned to the Pacific Theater and saw service in the Philippines Decommissioned, 27 March 1947 at Green Cove Springs, FL. Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs Transferred, 3 Nov 1958 to Greece, and served in the Greek Navy under the name Grigoropoulos (L-161)

AMA Ownership
In early 1998, the Amphibious Museum of the Americas (AMA) found the former USS LSM 45 in Greece, half sunk. The AMA raised and restored the Ship and had it towed back to America. A press release stated, "We have found USS LSM 45 in the Grecian Isles and she is being returned to the United States to be placed in the National Naval Museum at Freedom Park, Omaha, Nebraska, right on the Missouri River." Getting the LSM-45 ready for towing to New Orleans took a month in the Greek naval base's repair yard.

In August 1998, the ship came under full control of the USS LSM-LSMR Association, made up of former shipmates who served on LSMs and similar ships from 1944 to 1970.

Intermarine of New Orleans LA., volunteered its services to the Landing Ship, Medium (LSM) Association of America and committed to deliver the WWII amphibious landing ship over 7000 miles, from Greece to Omaha, Nebraska

The LSM departed Hellenic Naval Base, Skaramanga, Greece on September 9 1998 under tow of the chartered Russian tug, OST. After a stop at Tenarife, in the Canary Islands for fuel, the tug made way across the Atlantic Ocean heading directly west on course 270 at a speed of 7.2 knots. Rounding the Florida keys, the OST and her tow then headed up through the Gulf and arrived at the Port of New Orleans on October 20th.

Intermarine assumed the responsibility as agents for the LSM Association and Freedom Park, managing all registration and berthing efforts upon the LSM's port of entry arrival. Additional port services were arranged with gracious vendors and many volunteers who donated their services.

These include Seagull Marine Services, Crescent River Port Pilots Association and Morrill Drydock and Repair. While in New Orleans the LSM-45 was berthed at Morrill Drydock and Repair on the Harvey Canal.

The timing of the tow from New Orleans to the nation's heartland at Omaha Nebraska was the next big hurdle primarily because the Missouri river was closing to navigation traffic around mid-November. Barge and tow Operators are usually busy getting their equipment out of the rivers before the winter freeze.

Towing from New Orleans, up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, was made possible by American Commercial Barge Lines. Blaske Marine then provided the AMA a dedicated towboat to push the LSM-45 up the Missouri river from St. Louis to a permanent riverfront berth at Freedom Park, arriving on Monday November 23, 1998.

While in Omaha, restoration work was done by volunteers. The bulk heads below deck were lined with rows and rows of walnut plaque's with hundreds of names of those individuals that had given of their time and money to restore and save the LSM. There is evidence on every deck, in every compartment, from the galley to the engine room that many hours of restoration had taken place by dedicated workers.

Donation to Museum of the Marine
The Amphibious Ship Museum, comprised of former military members who served on LSMs during World War II and the Korean War, were unhappy with the maintenance and upkeep of the LSM-45 at Freedom Park and began looking for a new home for the ship. Museum representatives contacted Headquarters Marine Corps' historical branch, which put them in touch with the Marine Corps Museum of the Carolinas. The Amphibious Ship Museum agreed to turn over rights to the ship and its artifacts to the Marine Corps Museum of the Carolinas once the ship anchored at Mile Hammock Bay, near Camp Lejeune North Carolina.

On December 11, 2003 the State Department granted approval for the moving of the LSM-45. The ship was towed to the Museum of the Marine in Jacksonville, North Carolina in April 2004. Once docked behind the museum, it was to be opened to the public and the ship's deck was to be filled with equipment used during World War II.

After nearly three years, the Museum of the Marine announced it was pulling anchor on the donated World War II ship and looking for someone who could better afford its preservation.

Initially, the museum planned to incorporate the 500-ton vessel into a site plan that, at the time, focused on waterfront property on the New River next to Jacksonville's proposed civic center. Location prospects fizzled, though, along with the civic center plans.

Now ready to break ground sans water, the Museum of the Marine rethought its ability to keep the ship afloat. The museum's announcement to break ties with the ship came shortly after members of the USS LSM/LSMR Association - an organization closely tied to the ship's donors - began questioning the fate of the ship after learning of the museum's plans to build in the landlocked Lejeune Memorial Gardens.

By May of 2003, the Museum of the Marine has identified several organizations as a suitable home for the vessel and hoped to share transportation costs with the benefactor.

Reports of plans to scrap
By late 2008 reports had begun to surface that the Museum of The Marine had not found a suitable home for the ship, and that due to a request by the Coast Guard for the return of the pier where it was moored, were considering scrapping the ship, or sinking it as an artificial reef. The ship was also closed to visitors, although members of the restored USS LST-325 were able to visit and tour the ship in February 2009 by making contact with the museum.

Status as last known survivor
USS LSM-45 was one of three known survivors along with LSM-333 and LSM-469 which were owned by the Thai Navy.

On 1 February 2003, LSM-469 was sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Pattaya, Thailand

On September 17, 2006 The Royal Thai Navy sunk LSM-333 off the coast of Thailand at Pattaya, leaving LSM-45 as the last known survivor in original Naval configuration. Other LSM have been converted to commercial use.