USS Clarion River


USS Clarion River was an LSM-401-class medium-type landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for the Clarion River in west central Pennsylvania, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.

Service history

World War II

The ship was originally laid down on 26 January 1945 at the Charleston Navy Yard. Launched on 18 February 1945 and commissioned as USS LSM-409 on 16 May 1945.
She was decommissioned on 6 February 1947 at San Diego, California and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

Korean War

LSM-409 was recommissioned on 5 October 1950 for Korean War service. She was assigned to LSMR Squadron Five and participated in the following campaigns:
During her Korean War service, enemy aircraft attacked her in 1953, but did not damage her.
Renamed USS Clarion River on 1 October 1955, the ship was again decommissioned on 26 October of that year at Astoria, Oregon and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group.

Vietnam

Clarion River was recommissioned on 18 September 1965 at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, Hunters Point. Reclassified as an "Inshore Fire Support Ship" USS Clarion River on 1 January 1969, she participated in the following campaigns:
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
  • Tet Counteroffensive
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
  • Tet 69/Counteroffensive
  • Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
  • Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
Decommissioned for the last time on 8 May 1970 at Yokosuka, Japan and struck from the Naval Vessel Register, she was sold for scrap in November 1970 to the Nissho-Iwai American Corporation of Sasebo, Japan.

Awards