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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Sims (APD-50)
ex
 USS Sims (DE-154) (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Xray - Sierra - Xray
 NXSX
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive - 18 and 24 May 1945) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Personnel Awards

Purple Heart (11 WIA, 24 May 1945)
Buckley Class Destroyer Escort / Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down, 7 September 1942, as Sims (DE-154), a Buckley Class Destroyer Escort at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth VA.
  • Launched 6 February 1943
  • Commissioned USS Sims (DE-154), 24 April 1943, LCDR. Charles G. Raible, USNR in command
  • During World War II Sims was initially assigned to the American and Europe-Africa-Middle East Theaters as a convoy escort
  • Converted at Boston Navy Yard to a Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport
  • Redesignated (APD-50) 7 September 1944
  • After conversion to a High-speed Transport USS Sims was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater as flagship for TransDiv One Hundred Five, CAPT. J. M. Kennaday USN and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 30 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS Sims was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 September to 29 November 1945
  • Decommissioned 1 June 1946, at Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Struck from the Naval Register 1 June 1960
  • USS Sims earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold 14 April 1961 for scrapping
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,400 t.(lt) 2,130 t.(fl)
    Length 306' (ovl)
    Beam 37'
    Draft 12' 7" (lim)
    Speed 23.6 kts (trial)
    Range 6,000 nautical miles at 12 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 15
    Enlisted 189
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 12
    Enlisted 150
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Boats 4 LCVP landing craft
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    three twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    one depth charge projector
    two depth charge tracks
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 2,216 Bbls
    Diesel 93 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Electric turbines, (turbo-electric drive)
    two D-type Express boilers, 435psi 750°
    two General Electric turbines, (turbo-electric drive)
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 300Kw 450V D.C.
     two turbo-drive 40Kw 120V D.C.
    two propellers, 12,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Sims 134k USS Sims (APD-50) at anchor, date and location unknown. Lela Lienhard Curtis, daughter of LCDR. Aloysius B. Leinhard, USNR, Commanding Officer USS Sims.
    Sims 110k USS Sims (APD-50) passing Guard Mail to USS William J. Pattison (APD-104) off the coast of Japan, 27 August 1945. Photo by James Ray Cannon USS William J. Pattison Cathy Petersen
    Sims 297k Presentation of awards to USS Sims (APD-50) crew members by CAPT. J. M. Kennaday USN, Commander TransDiv One Hundred Five at Hiro Wan, Honshu, Japan, 23 October, 1945 Lela Lienhard Curtis, daughter of LCDR. Aloysius B. Leinhard, USNR, Commanding Officer USS Sims.
    USS Sims (DE-154 / APD-50)
    Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Raible, Charles Grief, USNR24 April 1943 - 29 July 1943DE-154
    02LT. Moffett, James Andrew, USNR29 July 1943 - 11 January 1944DE-154 / APD-50
    03LT. Andrews Jr., Lewis Michael, USNR11 January 1944 - 26 May 1944APD-50
    04LCDR. Donahue, Frank Martin, USNR26 May 1944 - 6 October 1945APD-50
    05LCDR. Leinhard, Bernard Aloysius, USNR6 October 1945 - 24 April 1946APD-50
    06LTjg. Lavelle Edward D., USNR3 May 1946 - 1 June 1946APD-50
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To the Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Sims (DE-154) Page Back To The High-speed Transport (APD) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 30 June 2017