The Sandscrapers
 Griffin T. Garnett, Jr.
 (Reviewed by The Editor - Rebecca Brown)
 2003 Infinity Publishing
  ISBN: 0741401770

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The life & times of the unsung heroes of the LSMs serving in the Pacific during WWII.

Written as a novel, Griffin T. Garnett, Jr., tells the stories of his youth, of his great adventure during World War II when he was a commander of these ungainly, ugly craft that carried troops & materiel into battle all around the Pacific Theater.

We follow Greg T. Morgan (whose uncle fell at Brest, France in 1914) from The Shakedown Breakdown Cruise of USS LSM 460.5(Landing Ship Medium) to life Ashore where we meet the men's families & watch as their comraderie develops. Then on with this inexperienced untested crew into Training & Panama, where the answer to where they're going is revealed. From Balboa Through Bora Bora, onto Hollandia to The Philippines where all hell breaks loose. Finally they are sent to Balikpapan on to Korea until The Last Blast & Going Home.

The LSMs had no glamor & were rarely photographed, they are a forgotten amphibious force of landing vessels, so learning about these ubiquitous supply ships is a labor of respect & privilege, & Griffin T. Garnett, Jr. offers an exciting opportunity to set out to sea with these unsung Salts.

Throughout the pages of The Sandscrapers, we are privy to the poetry & letters of the men as well as the logs of maneuvers & mishaps, reports to the US Navy & all sorts of details only someone who was there could have known.

Within the covers of this unassuming, modest saga, you will meet brave & true men as they serve their country in extra-ordinary times. You will see patriotism in action, gruff & ready, tender & determined.

The Sandscrapers is a unique & fascinating addition to any military library!

For photos & information:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/14045.htm
Specifications:
• Displacement--520 t.(light), 743 t. (landing) 1,095 t.(fully loaded)
• Length--203' 6” oa
• Beam--34' 6”
• Draft--light, 3' 6” forward, 7' 8” aft, fully loaded, 64” forward, 8' 3” aft
• Speed--13.2 kts. (max.), (928 tons displacement)
• Complement--4 officers, 54 enlisted
• Armament--one single bow mounted 40mm gun, four single 20mm gun mounts
• Vehicle/Boat Capacity--5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVTs, or 9 DUKWs
• Troop Capacity--2 officers, 46 enlisted
• Armor--10-lb. STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house & conning station
• Propulsion--two Fairbanks Morse (model 38D81/8X10, reversible with hydraulic clutch) diesels. Direct drive with 1,440 BHP each @ 720rpm, twin screws
• Endurance--4,900 miles @ 12kts.(928 tons displacement).
(05/11/03)

Rebecca