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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN Ret.- Popular Patch

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Wrangell (AE-12)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Whiskey - Foxtrot NUWF
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Mandate (A)lpha - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal
Second Row - Navy Occupation Medal (with Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (4-Lebanon, 1-Cuba)
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (5) - Philippine Liberation Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Mount Hood Class Ammunition Ship:

Laid down in February 1944, as SS Midnight, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-AJ1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1375) at North Carolina Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, N.C.

Launched, 14 April 1944

Acquired by the US Navy and converted to an Ammunition Ship at Newport Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, VA.

Commissioned USS Wrangell (AE-12), 10 October 1944, at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., CDR. Haskell C. Todd in command

During World War II USS Wrangell (AE-12) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 16 February to 1 March 1945	3rd Fleet operations against Japan, 9 July to 3 August 1945
Okinawa Gunto operation 5th and 3rd Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto operation, 15 March to 11 June 1945

Decommissioned, 19 November 1946, at Orange, TX.

Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange

Recommissioned, 14 November 1951, at Orange, TX., Capt. Olin P. Thomas in command

Following World War II USS Wrangell was assigned to Occupation service in Europe during the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal
20 January to 30 June 1953
9 October to 18 November 1953
8 June to 20 September 1954

During the Vietnam War USS Wrangell (AE-12) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnam War Campaigns
Vietnam Defense Campaign 17 to 24 November 1965 3 to 12 December 1965	Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase VI 4 to 12 December 1968 26 December 1968 to 4 January 1969 30 January to 7 February 1969 16 to 22 February 1969
Vietnam Counteroffensive 29 to 31 December 1965 15 to 27 January 1966 11 to 22 February 1966 6 to 17 March 1966 11 to 21 April 1966 3 to 4 May 1966	Tet69/Counteroffensive 23 February to 1 March 1969 10 to 19 March 1969 26 March to 9 April 1969
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase V 23 October to 3 November 1968 13 to 24 November 1968

Decommissioned, 21 December 1970, at Norfolk, VA.

Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Charleston Group, Charleston, S.C.

Moved to the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Norfolk, VA. in February 1971

Transferred to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA., 29 April 1971, under temporary custody of the Maritime Administration (MARAD)

Title transfer to MARAD, 1 July 1972

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1976

USS Wrangell earned three battle stars for her World War II service and a five campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Withdrawn by the Navy for stripping, 29 April 1982

Final Disposition, sold 1 August 1983, to Waterman Steamship Corp, simultaneously resold to Isaac Manuel Varela Davalillo for scrapping in Spain, scrapping completed, 15 December 1983

Specifications:
Displacement 15,296 t.(lim)
Length 459' 2"
Beam 63'
Draft 28' 3"
Speed 16.4 kts.

Complement

officers 23

enlisted 244

Largest boom capacity 36 tons

Cargo Capacity 7,700 DWT

non-refrigerated 400,000 Cu. ft.

Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

four 3"/50 gun dual purpose gun mounts

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts

ten single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Oil Capacity 10,935 Bbls, NSFO
Propulsion

one General Electric geared turbine

three Combustion Engineering header type boilers 450psi 750°

double General Electric Main reduction gear

three turbo-drive 360Kw 120/240V D.C. Ships' Service Generators

single propeller, 6,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source/ Contributed By
	228k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** starboard broadside view. Photographed from an aircraft from Naval Air Station, Norfolk, VA. Note She is painted in measure 32 design 13F camouflage. US National Archives photo # 80-G-285292, A US Navy photo received, 17 October 1944, and now in the collections of the National Archives.	Michael Mohl
	42k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** underway, date and location unknown. She is painted in measure 32 design 13F camouflage.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII web site
	320k	*USS Massachusetts* (BB-59) replenishing from USS Wrangell (AE-12). Wrangell then retired to San Pedro Bay, Leyte, for upkeep and repairs. Wrangell** subsequently returned to the open sea on 8 July 1945 and rendezvoused with TG 30.8 (the redesignated TG 50.8) on the 17th. From 20 July to 1 August 1945, she rearmed 35 ships and hit a high point of transferring 700 tons of ammunition in a single day.	USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Text courtesy of DANFS.
	70k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** moored pierside, circa 1946, location unknown. Photo Courtesy Derek Mercer, Esq) from "Jane's Fighting Ships 1954-55".	Robert Hurst
	108k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** moored pierside, circa 1954, location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	774k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** at anchor in the harbor at Genoa, Italy, 6 February 1955.	Photo by Carlo Martinelli
	88k	*US Wrangell* (AE-12) alongside USS Yorktown (CVA-10)** during an underway replenishment, date and place unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1955	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	81k	*US Wrangell* (AE-12)** entering the harbor at Malta during one of her Mediterranean deployments	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
09051226	377k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12) alongside USS Independence (CVA-62) having completed a Replenishment At Sea (RAS), 17 November 1962, in the Caribbean Sea. Note on the horizon USS Enterprise (CVAN-65)** with various unidentified U.S. Navy auxiliary ships Photos courtesy LCDR Bill Buc USN, VF-84	Bob Canchola
09051227	238k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12) after breaking away from being alongside USS Independence (CVA-62) after compleing a Replenishment At Sea (RAS), 17 November 1962, in the Caribbean Sea during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Note on the horizon USS Enterprise (CVAN-65)** with various unidentified U.S. Navy auxiliary ships Photos courtesy LCDR Bill Buc USN, VF-84	Bob Canchola
	411k	*USS America* CVA-66) pulls alongside USS Wrangell (AE-12)**, 31 March 1965, for her first ammo replenishment during her first deployment.	Thomas Becher
	618k		Thomas Becher
	349k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** under way off Norfolk, VA., date unknown. US Navy photo.	Mike Smolinski
	35k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** underway in the South China Sea, 1966. US Navy photo.	US Naval Historical Center
	72k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** underway off the coast of Vietnam, 16 March 1966.	© Richard Leonhardt
	228k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** line swings 1968-69 (Replenishment)	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	163k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** moored pierside while decked out in flags for a public open house, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	89k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** underway in New York Harbor, date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	63k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	71k	*USS Great Sitkin* (AE-17) and USS Wrangell (AE-12)** moored pierside, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	47k	*USS Wrangell* (AE-12)** laid up in reserve in the James River Reserve Fleet, at Lee Hall, VA., circa 1971.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.

USS Wrangell Additional Ships Patches
Contributed by Mike Smolinski	Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Wrangell (AE-12)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Guyon, Elmer Edward, USNR (Ferry Command Crew # 1)	28 May 1944 - 30 May 1944
	Decommissioned	30 May 1944 - 10 October 1944
02	CDR/CAPT. Todd, Haskel Clifford, USN	10 October 1944 - March 1946
03	LT. Anderson, Robert Andrew, USN	March 1946 - 19 November 1946
	Decommissioned	19 November 1946 - 14 November 1951
04	CAPT. Thomas Jr., Olin Perry, USN (USNA 1926)	14 November 1951 - January 1952
05	CAPT. Greytak, John Joseph, USN (USNA 1926)	January 1952- December 1952
06	CAPT. DeMetropolis, George, USN (USNA 1931) :RADM	December 1952 - March 1954
07	CAPT. Fulton, Raymond Lester, USN (USNA 1933)	1955- 27 August 1956
08	CAPT. Bright, Cooper Buck, USN	27 August 1956 - 14 February 1958
09	CAPT. Bontecou, Daniel, USN	14 February 1958 - 6 February 1959
10	CAPT. Bogart, Frank Lavon, USN (USNA 1938)	6 February 1959 - 3 February 1960
11	CAPT. Porter, William Baxter, USN (USNA 1933)	3 February 1960 - 24 March 1961
12	CAPT. Lyons, Francis Patrick, USN	24 March 1961 - 18 June 1962
13	CAPT. Miller, Gerald Edward (Jerry), USN (USNA 1942) :VADM	18 June 1962 - 1963
14	CAPT. Hill Jr., Clarence Arthur (Mark), USN (USNA 1944) :RADM	18 May 1964 - 11 May 1965
15	CAPT. Doran Jr., Homer Martin, USN (USNA 1943)	11 May 1965 - 1 July 1966
16	CAPT. Henderson, David William, USN (USNA 1944)	1 July 1966 - 21 July 1967
17	CAPT. O'Rourke, Gerald Gerrard (Gerry), USN (USNA 1945)	21 July 1967 - 19 June 1968
18	CAPT. Sellers, Harry Seagrove, USN	19 June 1968 - 28 June 1969
19	CAPT. Maulden, Hoyt Porter, USN	28 June 1969 - August 1970
20	LCDR. Brock, Virgil Eugene, USN	August 1970 - 21 December 1970


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves, Photos courtesy Bill Gonyo

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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
AE/AOE Sailors Association
MARAD Vessel History Database

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 16 February 2024