USS Oceanside (LSM-175)

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Career
USS Oceanside (LSM-175) underway, date and location unknown.
Laid down:	11 July 1944
Launched:	3 August 1944
Commissioned:	25 September 1944
Decommissioned:	1 February 1961
Fate:	Unknown
Struck:	1 February 1961
General characteristics
Displacement:	520 tons (light), 743 tons (landing), 1,095 tons (fully-loaded)
Length:	203 ft 6 in
Beam:	34 ft 6 in
Draft:	3'-6" forward, 7'-8" aft (light), 6'-4" forward, 8'-3" aft (fully-loaded)
Propulsion:	Two General Motors (non-reversible with airflex clutch) diesels; direct drive with twin screws
Speed:	13.2 knots
Complement:	5 officers, 54 enlisted men
Troop capacity:	2 officers, 46 enlisted men
Vehicles / Boats:	5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVTs, or 9 DUKWs
Armament:	One single bow-mounted 40mm gun, four single 20mm gun mounts
Armor:	10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning station

The USS Oceanside (LSM-175) was one of 558 LSM-1-class landing ship medium (a form of amphibious assault ship) built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for the town of Oceanside, California, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Originally laid down as LCT (7)–1675 on 11 July 1944 at the Charleston Naval Shipyard; launched 3 August 1944; sponsored by Miss Emily V. Jackson; and commissioned 25 September 1944. Following a Chesapeake Bay shakedown, LSM–175 departed the east coast, transited the Panama Canal, and continued on to San Diego, arriving 1 December. From San Diego, she proceeded to San Francisco, then to Pearl Harbor and the Solomon Islands. Arriving at Florida Island 20 February, she trained for her first campaign, Okinawa. She departed the Solomons 12 March, staged at Ulithi, then steamed west, arriving off the Hagushi beaches on western Okinawa 1 April. As the assault forces streamed ashore, LSM–175 unloaded transport & and cargo vessels. At 0910 an enemy plane was taken under fire. In the course of the fight antiaircraft projectiles struck in the LSM’s well deck, wounding 9 embarked marines and 2 "bluejackets". On the 6th, she again turned her guns on an enemy plane and assisted in splashing it 600 yards off the starboard bow. On 20 April she got underway for Ulithi, whence she steamed to Leyte, arriving 28 May.

For the remainder of the War LSM–175 carried rolling stock and mixed cargo to the Marianas and amongst the Philippines, returning to Okinawa in mid-August. Through September she operated in the Philippines and in October shifted to Japan for brief duty with the occupation forces. Arriving in Tokyo Bay 8 October she sailed for the United States in late November. On 26 December she arrived at San Diego, then, in February, 1946 steamed to San Francisco where she decommissioned 11 July 1946. Reactivated four years later, LSM–175 was recommissioned 8 September 1950. Homeported at San Diego, she trained marines and seabees in amphibious operations until 30 June 1955. Transferred to the 11th Naval District on that date, she was decommissioned and placed in service on 30 October. Disarmed and with a reduced crew, the LSM then took up logistic support of the islands in that district. Homeported at Long Beach in October, 1956 and renamed USS Oceanside (LSM-175) on 14 October 1959 she served the 11th Naval District until 1961. On 1 February of that year she was placed out of service and struck from the Naval List.

The ship was transferred to the custody of the Republic of Vietnam on 1 August 1961 to serve in the Vietnam People's Navy as RVNS Huong Giang (HQ-404). The Fall of Saigon resulted in RVNS Huong Giang (HQ-404) escaping on 30 April 1975 to Subic Bay, where custody was transferred to the Republic of the Philippines on 17 November 1975 The Philippine Navy renamed her BRP Batanes (LP65); the ship was disposed of in 1989. Her final fate is unknown.

LSM–175 received one battle star for World War II service.

[edit] References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

Oceanside. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved on April 9, 2007.
LSM-175 Oceanside. Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved on April 9, 2007.