The US. Navy’s ex LSM-380 has come home to the Columbia River at Astoria, Oregon, with the hope of being restored to its original haze gray. The 928-ton Landing Ship, Medium has taken the long route and a long time to return to its home port.
Launched in January 1945, LSM-380 served in the Pacific for only six months before World War II ended. Then, she repatriated thousands of surrendered Japanese troops to their homeland. Then LSM-380 was sent to the reserve fleet at Suison Bay, California.
In February of 1948 Portland-based salvage expert Fred Devine bought the 928-ton LSM.
With her bow doors welded shut and part of her stern lopped off, the ex-LSM was re-launched as M/V Salvage Chief. Her twin 1,440 horsepower Fairbanks-Morse engines turning at 720 rpm, and six salvage winches, allowed her to pull anything free. In 1949, she freed SS Pine Bluff Victory, aground in the Columbia River. In 1952, she rescued the 10,000-ton former Liberty ship SS Yorkmar. In 1989, she helped transit the supertanker Exxon Valdez from Prince William Sound, Alaska to San Diego.
Fred Devine died in 1971, and M/V Salvage Chief, was buried at sea. The ship, too, was retired but then bought by the Salvage Chief Foundation in 2016. The foundation is incorporated – not as a nonprofit – but as a Public Benefit Corporation, sponsored by the City of Astoria. A public benefit corporation pays taxes but may also earn a profit. This is different from a nonprofit such as the 501c3 Amphibious Forces Memorial Museum.
A bill has been suggested by Oregon State Senator Brian Boquist, a Republican from Dallas. SB 678 would request $1.9 million in public funds to restore the Salvage Chief back to the original LSM-380. Sponsors of the proposed bill claim an “emergency,” to pass the bill before the current legislature adjourns on July 1, 2019! The Legislature does permit such an “emergency” consideration, but only for the “immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety.” More often, an “emergency” clause is inserted to stifle opposition to a proposal. Passage of SB 678 before the end of the current session could free up the $1.9 million in taxpayer dollars for the Salvage Chief Foundation.
The USS LSM 380 served in the Pacific during the last six months of WWII. Navsource photo.
FLOYD E HOLCOM
Thank You for your posting. here is some research we have conducted that may help your readers understand the USS LSM380’s involvement during and right after ww2. She turns 80 this year. Floyd Holcom, Owner.
Below is a detailed exploration of LSM380’s America’s Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in China and the U.S. Navy’s activities in Taku (Tianjin/Tangku), China, in 1946, based on available historical context and my knowledge up to February 20, 2025.
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The USS LSM-380 was a Landing Ship Medium (LSM) of the LSM-1 class, built by the United States Navy during World War II. Below is a detailed account of its involvement in the war and its mission to China between 1945 and 1947, based on available historical records.
### World War II Involvement
The USS LSM-380 was constructed by Brown Shipbuilding Co. in Houston, Texas. It was laid down on December 23, 1944, launched on January 13, 1945, and commissioned on February 10, 1945, under the command of Lt. John K. Ullrich. As a medium landing ship, its primary role was to support amphibious operations by transporting troops, vehicles, and supplies to shorelines, particularly in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, where it was assigned during the war.
Although the ship entered service relatively late in the conflict—just months before Japan’s surrender on September 2, 1945—its deployment to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater positioned it to participate in the final stages of the war and the immediate postwar efforts. LSMs like the USS LSM-380 were designed for versatility, capable of carrying tanks, vehicles, or cargo and equipped with modest armament (initially six 20mm anti-aircraft guns, later adjusted to include a 40mm gun in place of two 20mm guns on some ships). However, specific combat engagements involving LSM-380 are not well-documented, likely due to its late commissioning and the winding down of major amphibious assaults by mid-1945. Instead, its wartime service transitioned quickly into occupation duties following Japan’s capitulation.
### Mission to China (1945–1947)
After the end of World War II, the USS LSM-380 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East, a period spanning from July 18, 1946, to November 24, 1946. This mission was part of the broader U.S. Navy effort to support postwar occupation operations and stabilize the region, particularly in China, where civil war between the Nationalist government (Kuomintang) and Communist forces was escalating.
During this period, LSM-380 operated in the Asiatic-Pacific region under LSM Flotilla Fourteen (commanded by LCDR W. R. McCaleb), LSM Group Forty (commanded by LCDR O. J. Heggem), and LSM Division Eighty. Its specific role in China likely involved transporting personnel, equipment, or supplies to support U.S. military presence and allied operations. The U.S. maintained a significant naval presence in Chinese waters during 1945–1947 to assist the Nationalists, deliver humanitarian aid, and facilitate the repatriation of Japanese troops and civilians following the war. Ports such as Shanghai, Tsingtao (Qingdao), and others along the Chinese coast were key hubs for these activities.
The ship’s service in China ended on November 24, 1946, after which it departed for Guam in December 1946. From there, it sailed to Pearl Harbor in January 1947 and completed its journey across the Pacific to San Francisco. Upon arrival, it joined the mothball fleet at Suisun Bay, marking the end of its active naval service in the region.
### Post-China Service and Decommissioning
The USS LSM-380 was decommissioned on February 19, 1948, and sold to Devine Salvage Co. on February 27, 1948, for conversion into a civilian salvage vessel. Renamed MV Salvage Chief, it was struck from the Navy Register on March 12, 1948. As a salvage ship, it gained notable postwar fame, including assisting in refloating the SS Pine Bluff Victory in 1949 after it ran aground in the Columbia River. Remarkably, the LSM-380 is considered the last known surviving LSM of World War II still in existence, a testament to its durability and postwar utility.
### America’s Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in China in 1946
The OSS, the wartime predecessor to the CIA, was America’s first centralized intelligence agency, established in 1942 to coordinate espionage, sabotage, and intelligence-gathering efforts during World War II. In China, the OSS operated primarily under the Sino-American Cooperative Organization (SACO), a joint effort with the Nationalist Chinese government led by Chiang Kai-shek, formalized by the SACO Treaty in 1942. The OSS’s mission in China was to support the war against Japan by gathering intelligence, training guerrilla forces, and conducting special operations.
#### OSS Activities in China During WWII
By 1945, the OSS had established several detachments in China, notably Detachment 202, which operated independently of SACO after late 1944 under the command of Lt. Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer, the U.S. theater commander in China. Detachment 202 included Operational Groups (OGs) that trained Chinese commandos—the first paratrooper units in the Nationalist army—Special Operations (SO) teams that led guerrilla forces behind enemy lines, and Secret Intelligence (SI) units that reported on Japanese movements. These efforts resulted in significant successes, such as the destruction of infrastructure and the deaths of thousands of Japanese troops.
#### The OSS in 1946: Dissolution and Transition
After Japan’s surrender in August 1945, the OSS’s role in China shifted. President Harry S. Truman ordered the agency’s dissolution on October 1, 1945, via Executive Order 9621, with its functions split between the War and State Departments. In China, OSS personnel began winding down operations by late 1945, with most activities ceasing by early 1946. The Strategic Services Unit (SSU), created under the War Department in October 1945, absorbed many OSS assets and personnel to preserve wartime capabilities during this transition period.
In 1946, the OSS’s formal presence in China had ended, but its legacy persisted through the SSU and the eventual formation of the Central Intelligence Group (CIG) in January 1946, a direct precursor to the CIA. Some SACO-trained Nationalist guerrillas continued operations against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during the escalating Chinese Civil War (1946–1949), though these were no longer under direct U.S. command. By mid-1946, the SSU in China focused on intelligence handovers and the repatriation of personnel, with remaining OSS-related efforts folding into broader U.S. military and diplomatic missions.
#### Key Observations for 1946
– **End of Combat Role**: With WWII over, the OSS no longer conducted active combat or sabotage missions in China by 1946. Its focus shifted to closing bases and transferring intelligence assets.
– **SACO’s Legacy**: The SACO agreement officially dissolved in 1946, though its training programs left a lasting impact on Nationalist forces. General Dai Li, SACO’s Chinese director and head of Chiang’s secret police, died in a plane crash in March 1946, further diminishing the organization’s influence.
– **Civil War Context**: As the Chinese Civil War intensified, former OSS personnel and their Chinese trainees became entangled in anti-communist efforts, though this was no longer an official OSS operation.
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### The U.S. Navy in Taku, China, in 1946
Taku (often spelled Tangku or Tanggu), near Tianjin, was a key port in northern China on the Bohai Gulf, critical for U.S. naval operations in the post-WWII period. In 1946, the U.S. Navy, particularly the Seventh Fleet, was heavily involved in North China as part of Operation Beleaguer, a mission to disarm and repatriate Japanese troops, protect American interests, and support the Nationalist government against the growing communist threat.
#### Background: Post-WWII Naval Presence
Following Japan’s surrender, U.S. naval vessels entered Chinese ports to facilitate the occupation and repatriation process. Tangku was a primary entry point for U.S. forces in North China. On September 30, 1945, shortly after the war’s end, U.S. Navy ships arrived at Tangku, and the port became a hub for the 1st Marine Division, part of the III Amphibious Corps (IIIAC), tasked with securing Tianjin, Peking (Beijing), and the surrounding railway lines.
#### U.S. Navy Operations in Taku in 1946
In 1946, the U.S. Navy’s role in Taku evolved as the China Theater was inactivated on May 1, 1946, shifting responsibilities to the Seventh Fleet under Admiral Charles M. Cooke Jr. Specific activities in Taku included:
1. **Logistical Support**:
– The Navy controlled and operated Tangku’s harbor facilities from late 1945 through early 1947, supporting the movement of troops, supplies, and repatriated Japanese personnel. By spring 1947, these functions were relinquished to Chinese authorities.
– Ships stationed at Tangku facilitated the transport of Nationalist troops, such as the 52nd Army, redeployed from southern China and Indochina to the north between March and May 1946, to counter communist advances.
2. **Marine Support**:
– The 1st Marine Division, stationed in the Taku-Tientsin-Peking corridor, relied on Navy vessels at Tangku for supply lines and evacuation readiness. By mid-1946, Marine withdrawals began, with forces concentrated at major ports like Tangku, though small guard details remained into 1947.
3. **Diplomatic and Strategic Role**:
– The Seventh Fleet, with Tangku as a key anchorage, served a diplomatic function, signaling U.S. support for Chiang Kai-shek amid the civil war. Admiral Cooke viewed the Navy’s presence as a counterbalance to Soviet influence in the region, particularly at Lushun (Port Arthur).
4. **Challenges**:
– By late 1946, communist hostility toward U.S. forces increased, with ambushes on Marine convoys and tension near Tangku. The Truman administration, wary of deeper involvement in the civil war, began reducing the naval and Marine presence, though ships remained to protect American citizens and interests.
#### Key Developments in 1946
– **Fleet Reorganization**: On January 8, 1946, Cooke was promoted to full admiral and later redesignated Commander U.S. Naval Forces, Western Pacific, reflecting the Navy’s shift from wartime to postwar diplomatic and advisory roles.
– **Withdrawal Pressure**: Despite Cooke’s push to maintain a strong presence (e.g., increasing Marines at Tsingtao from 2,000 to 6,000), the State Department favored withdrawal. By the end of 1946, Marine forces were pulled back from inland areas to ports like Tangku, with full withdrawal from North China completed by mid-1947.
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The USS LSM-380 was a Landing Ship Medium (LSM) of the LSM-1 class, built by the United States Navy during World War II. Below is a detailed account of its involvement in the war and its mission to China between 1945 and 1947, based on available historical records.
### World War II Involvement
The USS LSM-380 was constructed by Brown Shipbuilding Co. in Houston, Texas. It was laid down on December 23, 1944, launched on January 13, 1945, and commissioned on February 10, 1945, under the command of Lt. John K. Ullrich. As a medium landing ship, its primary role was to support amphibious operations by transporting troops, vehicles, and supplies to shorelines, particularly in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, where it was assigned during the war.
Although the ship entered service relatively late in the conflict—just months before Japan’s surrender on September 2, 1945—its deployment to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater positioned it to participate in the final stages of the war and the immediate postwar efforts. LSMs like the USS LSM-380 were designed for versatility, capable of carrying tanks, vehicles, or cargo and equipped with modest armament (initially six 20mm anti-aircraft guns, later adjusted to include a 40mm gun in place of two 20mm guns on some ships). However, specific combat engagements involving LSM-380 are not well-documented, likely due to its late commissioning and the winding down of major amphibious assaults by mid-1945. Instead, its wartime service transitioned quickly into occupation duties following Japan’s capitulation.
### Mission to China (1945–1947)
After the end of World War II, the USS LSM-380 was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East, a period spanning from July 18, 1946, to November 24, 1946. This mission was part of the broader U.S. Navy effort to support postwar occupation operations and stabilize the region, particularly in China, where civil war between the Nationalist government (Kuomintang) and Communist forces was escalating.
During this period, LSM-380 operated in the Asiatic-Pacific region under LSM Flotilla Fourteen (commanded by LCDR W. R. McCaleb), LSM Group Forty (commanded by LCDR O. J. Heggem), and LSM Division Eighty. Its specific role in China likely involved transporting personnel, equipment, or supplies to support U.S. military presence and allied operations. The U.S. maintained a significant naval presence in Chinese waters during 1945–1947 to assist the Nationalists, deliver humanitarian aid, and facilitate the repatriation of Japanese troops and civilians following the war. Ports such as Shanghai, Tsingtao (Qingdao), and others along the Chinese coast were key hubs for these activities.
The ship’s service in China ended on November 24, 1946, after which it departed for Guam in December 1946. From there, it sailed to Pearl Harbor in January 1947 and completed its journey across the Pacific to San Francisco. Upon arrival, it joined the mothball fleet at Suisun Bay, marking the end of its active naval service in the region.
### Post-China Service and Decommissioning
The USS LSM-380 was decommissioned on February 19, 1948, and sold to Devine Salvage Co. on February 27, 1948, for conversion into a civilian salvage vessel. Renamed MV Salvage Chief, it was struck from the Navy Register on March 12, 1948. As a salvage ship, it gained notable postwar fame, including assisting in refloating the SS Pine Bluff Victory in 1949 after it ran aground in the Columbia River. Remarkably, the LSM-380 is considered the last known surviving LSM of World War II still in existence, a testament to its durability and postwar utility.
### Synthesis: OSS and Navy Intersection in 1946
While the OSS and U.S. Navy operated in overlapping regions of China, their activities in 1946 were largely distinct due to the OSS’s dissolution:
– **World War II Involvement**: Commissioned in February 1945, the USS LSM-380 served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, likely supporting late-war logistics and preparations rather than direct combat, given its timing.
– **Mission to China (1945–1947)**: From July 18 to November 24, 1946, it participated in Occupation and China service, aiding U.S. efforts to stabilize the region, support the Nationalist government, and manage postwar transitions.
– **Postwar Fate**: After returning to the U.S. via Guam and Pearl Harbor in early 1947, it was decommissioned in 1948 and repurposed as the MV Salvage Chief, remaining a rare survivor of its class.
This account reflects the ship’s documented history, emphasizing its role in the broader context of U.S. naval operations during and after World War II. Specific daily logs or detailed mission reports for LSM-380 are not widely available in public sources, so its exact activities in China remain somewhat generalized within the scope of U.S. postwar efforts in the region.
– **OSS Legacy**: The SSU, as the OSS’s successor, likely maintained some intelligence coordination with naval forces,
– **Navy Focus**: The Navy’s mission in Taku was operational—logistics, troop support, and strategic presence—rather than intelligence-driven, though it indirectly supported former OSS-trained Nationalist units fighting communists.