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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Kilo - Zulu
NBKZ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (1)
Bottom Row - Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)


Shenandoah Class Destroyer Tender:
  • Laid down, date unknown, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C. (the last ship to be built by the yard)
  • Launched, 7 March 1946
  • Commissioned USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36), 15 September 1950, CAPT. Raymond M. Gerin, USN in command
  • During the Korean War USS Bryce Canyon participated in the following campaign:

    Korean War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952, 11 and 12 September 1952
  • Decommissioned, 30 June 1981, at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, HI.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 30 June 1981
  • USS Bryce Canyon earned one battle star for Korean War service
  • Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, for disposal
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, to National Metal & Steel, Terminal Island, CA., 6 April 1982
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,165 t.(lt) 16,900 t.(fl)
    Length 492'
    Beam 69' 6"
    Draft 27' 6" (lim)
    Speed 18.5 kts (trial).
    Complement
    Officers 59
    Enlisted 918
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 16,105Bbls
    Diesel 4,415Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Westinghouse geared turbine
    two Foster & Wheeler D-type boilers, 435psi 740°
    double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gear Ship's Service Generators
    four turbo-drive 750Kw 450V A.C.
    two turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    single propeller, 8,500shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Bryce Canyon 102k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) underway near Charleston, S.C., shortly after commissioning in September 1950.
    US National Archives RG-19-LCM, photo # 19N-135885, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Robert Hurst
    Bryce Canyon 200k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) with USS Montrose (APA-212) and USS Henry W. Tucker (DD-875) alongside at Sasebo, Japan in September 1952. Bruce Campbell courtesy Military Locators
    Bryce Canyon 510k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) ship's newspaper "Call of the Canyon", Vol 3 Issue 11, 14 September 1953, page 1. Change of Command, CAPT. Dureya relieves CAPT Williamson. Bruce Campbell
    Bryce Canyon 71k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) 11 September 1959, location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Bob Hall
    Bryce Canyon 75k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) and USS Hamul (AD-20) anchored at Naval Station Long Beach, circa 1960s. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Bryce Canyon 77k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) under way, date and location unknown. 1960s configuration.
    US Navy photo
     
    Bryce Canyon 280k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) under way, off San Diego, 23 September 1960.
    US Navy photo
    Mike Smolinski
    Bryce Canyon 88k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Bob Hall
    Bryce Canyon 67k
    The Oriskany Fire - of 26 October 1966

    "Its a rare sight to see a Destroyer Tender alongside an Aircraft Carrier. As a matter of fact, no one here knows whether it has ever happened before.
    Recently, however, at Subic Bay, in the Philippines, USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) wrote a new page in Western Pacific history by going alongside USS Oriskany (CVA-34). The event was occasioned by a serious fire which had broken out in Oriskany while operating off the Vietnam coast. As soon as the ships were moored together, Bryce Canyon's repair personnel swarmed aboard the carrier, and commenced around-the-clock operations. First on the agenda was the immediate recharging of some 107 CO2 fire extinguishers, which had been used in fighting the blaze. At the end of six days, all repair work was completed. Every one of the seventy ventilation and heating systems, as well as all electric motors in the damaged area had been checked out and restored to order. During this period, working parties from the tender had also pitched in with Oriskany sailors and personnel from SRF Subic, in cleaning up the fire and smoke damaged areas to make them habitable. Elsewhere aboard the tender, skilled technicians worked on countless jobs not immediately associated with the fire damage, giving the carrier a tender availability the like of which she had never seen. On conclusion of work, Bryce Canyon's modern electronic accounting machine installation tallied the results of her 6-day effort. In all, a total of 6,019 manhours had been expended; the equivalent of a two week availability for four destroyers.
    As both ships got underway at the crack of dawn on the sixth day, Oriskany sent the following visual message to the tender: "Your outstanding service and voluntary assistance in removing our scars is greatly appreciated. The willingness to work and your speed and efficiency helped us leave Subic Bay in outstanding shape for our transit home. Well done to all men aboard Bryce Canyon!"
    Bruce A. Campbell USS Bryce Canyon
    Bryce Canyon 59k
    Bryce Canyon 62k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) moored pierside at Naval Base Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, circa 1966, with USS Norris (DD-859), USS Lowe (DE-325), unknown and USS O'Brien (DD-725) alongside. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Bryce Canyon 40k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) moored pierside, probably, at Naval Base Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, circa 1966, with USS Wallace L. Lind (DD-703), USS Lloyd Thomas (DD-764) and USS Goldsborough (DDG-20) alongside. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Chicago
    04011137
    5.3m Photo taken from the USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) while on her 1966-1967 WestPac deployment. USS Chicago (CG-11), with the assistance of Satago (YTM-414) and Tensaw (YTM-418), along with 11 pusher boats (due to 30 knot winds), attempts to moor at berth 8, Yokosuka, Japan, 25 November 1966. USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) and USS Henry B Wilson (DDG-7) are in the background. Note the top of one of the AN/SPG-55B Fire Control Radars for the Terrier Missile systems aboard Kitty Hawk at the bottom of the photo.
    From the collection of AG3 Don Fitzgerald.
    Bob Canchola
    Bryce Canyon 92k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) drydocked at Todd Shipyards, Terminal Island, San Pedro, CA., July 1967.
    Photos courtesy of Arthur Willenbrecht, QM1 USS Bryce Canyon
    Bruce Campbell USS Bryce Canyon.
    Bryce Canyon 185k
    Bryce Canyon 81k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) at Pearl Harbor, HI, December 1968,
    with USS Nicholas (DD-449) alongside
    © Richard Leonhardt
    Bryce Canyon 58k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) and USS Wiltsie (DD-716) at anchor in the harbor at Hong Kong, BCC, April 1971. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Bryce Canyon 99k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36)'s crew man the rail as she enters port, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.
    Robert M. Cieri
    Bryce Canyon 97k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36)'s crew man the rail as she enters port, date and location unknown.
    ©Marine Photos, San Diego, CA.
    Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Bryce Canyon 47k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36)'s crew man the rail as she enters port, date and location unknown.
    ©Marine Photos, San Diego, CA.
    Mike Smolinski
    Bryce Canyon 47k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, December 1974.
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Bryce Canyon 57k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) at anchor off Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, in February 1977.
    Photo by Gary Wiles.
    Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Bryce Canyon 363k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) moored at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, HI., October 1979. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Bryce Canyon 120k USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) being moved after decommissioning by Neodesha (YTB-815), probably at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, HI., after 30 June 1981.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, December 1981.
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Bryce Canyon 204k Ex-USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) moored, November 1981, location unknown. Photo by Chris Howell, Southland Ship Stores Limited, Port of Bluff, N.Z.

    USS Bryce Canyon Additional Ships Patches
    Bryce Canyon
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski
    Bryce Canyon
    Contributed by Bruce A. Campbell
    Bryce Canyon
    Contributed by Daniel Keyes, MR3, R-2 Div
    Bryce Canyon
    Contributed by Bryce A. Campbell
    Bryce Canyon
    Contributed by Bryce A. Campbell


    For more photos and information about USS Bryce Canyon, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • Welcome Aboard pamphlet 1959-60 (9th Anniversary Edition)
  • Welcome Aboard pamphlet 1970-72
  • Chinese Art Treasures

  • Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Gerin, Marcel Raymond, USN (USNA 1928)15 September 1950 - 8 March 1952
    02CAPT. Williamson, Delbert Fred, USN (USNA 1927) :RADM8 March 1952 - 10 July 1953
    03CAPT. Duryea, Harold Edward, USN (USNA 1930)10 July 1953 - 24 July 1954
    04CAPT. Hamm, Mann 24 July 1954 - 19 July 1955
    05CAPT. Davis, James White, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM19 July 1955 - 28 October 1955
    06CAPT. Ovrum Jr., Allan. Alfred, USN (USNA 1932)28 October 1955 - 26 September 1956
    07CAPT. Shilson, James Starr, USN (USNA 1934) 26 September 1956 - 30.January 1958
    08CAPT. Archer, Stephen Morris, USN (USNA 1932)30 January 1958 - 7 February 1959
    09CAPT. Steinmetz, Everett Hartwell, USN (USNA 1935)7 February 1959 - 9 December 1959
    10CAPT. Moore, Elmer, USN9 December 1959 - 6 December 1960
    11CAPT. Crutcher, William Rolston, USN (USNA 1934) 6 December 1960 - 4 December1961
    12CAPT. Salzer, Robert Samuel, USN :VADM 4 December 1961 - 23 January 1963
    13CAPT. Compton, Oliver Doty, USN23 January 1963 - 9 July 1964
    14CAPT. Davis Jr., Lewis Edwin, USN 9 July 1964 - 27 September 1965
    15CAPT. Galvani, Amadeo Henry, USN (USNA 1942)27 September 1965 - 2 March 1967
    16CAPT. Ferguson, William Prather, USN (USNA 1945)2 March 1967 - 8 November 1968
    17CAPT. Friedman, Robert F., USN8 November 1968 - 1 June 1970
    18CAPT. Ward, Raymond Edward, USN1 June 1970 - 29 August 1972
    19CAPT. Warriner, Victor Gordon, USN29 August 1972 - 31 May 1974
    20CAPT. Baker, James Gilbert (Jim), USN 31 May 1974 - 18 June 1976
    21CAPT. Stevens, Jack Donald, USN18 June 1976 - 15 June 1978
    22CAPT. Sullivan, John Grover, USN 15 June 1978 - 29 October 1979
    23CAPT. Rieder, Albert Eugene, USNR :RADM29 October 1979 - 30 June 1981
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36) Contact
    Bruce A. Campbell, Acting President
    USS Bryce Canyon AD-36 Association
    3162 Isadora Drive, San Jose, CA 95132-1920
    408-729-6088
    Email: bluejacket411@gmail.com
    Email: AD36BC@gmail.com


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    Last Updated 28 April 2023