USS Saint Croix River ( LSM ( R ) - 524 ) USS " Saint Croix River " ( LSM ( R ) - 524 ) was a Rocket - equipped Landing Ship of the United States Navy during World War II . " Saint Croix River " was laid down a few days before the end of the Second World War on 5 May 1945 . Build in Houston , Texas , the " Saint Croix River " was launched on 9 June , and initially commissioned on 14 August as USS " LSMR - 524 " before being awarded the name of the St . Croix River between Maine and Canadian New Brunswick in 1955 . Despite earning the American and World War II campaign decorations , the " Saint Croix River " never saw action nor traveled further than Chesapeake Bay or the Gulf Coast of the United States , and was sold in 1961 , with its subsequent fate unknown to the US Navy . Career . The " Saint Croix River " was laid down on 5 May 1945 in Houston under the contact of the Brown Ship Building Company based there . Construction took a mere four weeks , and she was launched on 9 June along with her 143 - man crew recently arrived from the training courses in Little Creek , Norfolk , Virginia . Commissioned " LSMR - 524 " on 14 August 1945 during a ceremony at the Southern Pacific Docks in Houston , she was given to Lieutenant Stephen A . Humsjo of the United States Navy Reserve , had her previously absent 5 " SS rocket launchers installed , and underwent her shakedown cruise along the Gulf Coast of the United States and off the coast of Virginia in September 1945 . She then sailed to Florida , practicing live fire exercises of her all weapons en route to joining the Atlantic Reserve Fleet . She also engaged in similar training during a subsequent journey to Chesapeake Bay before returning to Florida . Two log reports from January and March 1946 survive : Moored at Berth Oak 31 , St . John ' s River , Green Cove Springs , Fla . in 14 feet of water , mud bottom , with 35 fathoms of chain to bow anchor , 300 feet of cable to the stern anchor and moored port side to the USS LSM ( R ) 523 moored to the starboard side , the starboard side to the USS LSM ( R ) 525 moored to the port , port side to , USS LSM ( R ) 527 moored to the USS LSM ( R ) 525 , USS LSM ( R ) 526 moored to LSM ( R ) 527 , USS LSM ( R ) 519 moored to starboard side of USS LSM ( R ) 526 on the following Bridge bearing 166 ( T ) , North End of bridge 068 ( T ) , tower 219 ( T ) with the following machinery in operation # 1 ship service generator , # 1 boiler , # 2 refrigerator , # 2 fresh water pump , # 2 fire and flushing pump , # 2 air compressor . Moored in Birth Oak 31 , St . Johns River Green Cove Springs . Fla . Anchorage in 14 feet of water , mud bottom with 65 fathoms of chain to bow anchor and 495 feet of cable to the stern anchor . Nested with LSM ( R ) type ships : 523 , 530 , 533 , 520 , 534 , 535 , 536 , 531 , 522 , 528 , 521 , and 529 , moored to our starboard numbering from inboard to outboard . LSM ( R ) type ships : 525 , 527 , 526 , and 519 , moored to our port numbering from inboard to outboard , on the following bearing : bridge opening 180 . 5 ( T ) , signal tower 235 ( T ) , pt . of land 336 ( T ) . The following machinery in operation : # 1 generator , # 1 evaporator , # 2 fire & flushing pumps , # 2 fresh water pumps , # 2 refrigeration unit . She was decommissioned on 21 May 1946 , and remained laid - up in Florida until 1 October 1955 , where she was recommissioned with her full name , whereupon she continued serve in the US Navy ' s Reserve Fleet until being struck from the register on 1 October 1958 . She remained in dock until 1961 , whereupon she was sold to an unknown recipient . Notes . 3 . Pictures and ship log entries contribute to NavSource . org by Mark S McDonald . E - mail ffmcdonald260 @ aol . com . Father John A McDonald S / 1c served on the USS LSM ( R ) 524 from 14 August 1945 to 21 May 1946 .