Goldcrest II LCI

Goldcrest II

(LCI(L)-869: dp. 209; 1. 159'; b. 24'; dr. 5'8"; #. 14 k.;
epl. 21; a. 5 20mm.; cl. LCI (L)351)

LCI(L)-869 was laid down by the New Jersey S. B. Corp., Barber, N.J., 31 August 1944; launched 29 September 1944; and commissioned 7 October 1944, Lt. (j.g.) J. C. Smith in command.

With shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, the new large infantry landing craft departed Key West, Fla., 12 November for the Pacific, transited the Panama Canal on the 19th, and arrived San Diego 1 December. There she joined LCI Group 57, sailed for Hawaii 29 January 1945, and arrived Pearl Harbor 7 February.

LCI (L)-86'9 got underway for the war zone on the 15th, refueled at Johnston Island 5 days later, and reached the Palaus, via Majuro, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, and Guam, 7 April. There she joined a picket line which had been formed to seal off by-passed Japanese-held islands in the area from reinforcements and to protect American bases from invasion. While on picket station, LCI(U)869 repulsed a suicide swimming attack, sank several floating mines which threatened American ships, and heard countless mortar shells whine overhead.

On the afternoon of 2 September, the Japanese forces in the Palaus surrendered. With her mission accomplished, LCI (L)-869 returned to the United States, decommissioned at Norfolk in March 1947, and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.

The landing craft was named Goldcrest and redesignated AMc(U)-24 on 7 March 1952. Goldcrest was converted at the Charleston Navy Yard, assigned to the 6th Naval District, and operated out of Key West, Fla. She decommissioned at Charleston in March 1955 and reentered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Charleston. There she was reclassified a coastal minehunter and redesignated MHC-24. Goldcrest was struck from the Navy List 1 January 1960 and scrapped.