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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Wrangell (AE-12)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Whiskey - Foxtrot
 NUWF
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 (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Second Row - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia 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:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    22 to 28 February 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    22 March to 18 April 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
  • During the Vietnam War USS Wrangell (AE-12) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    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, Fort Eustis, VA., 29 April 1971, under temporary custody of the Maritime Administration (MARAD)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1976
  • Permanent custody assigned to the Maritime Administration
  • Final Disposition, disposed of by MARAD, 1 November 1986, fate unknown
  • USS Wrangell earned two battle stars for her World War II service and a five campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    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
    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
    Cargo Capacity 400,000 Non refrigerated
    Fuel Oil Capacity 10,935 Bbls, NFSO
    Ship's Service Generators three turbo 360Kw 120/240V D.C.
    Propulsion
    one General Electric geared turbine
    three Combustion Engineering header type boilers 450psi 750°
    double General Electorial Main reduction gear
    single propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source/
    Contributed By
    Wrangell 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
    Wrangell 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.
    Wrangell 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
    Wrangell 35k USS Wrangell (AE-12) underway in the South China Sea, 1966.
    US Navy photo.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Wrangell 72k USS Wrangell (AE-12) underway off the coast of Vietnam, 16 March 1966. © Richard Leonhardt
    Wrangell 228k USS Wrangell (AE-12) line swings 1968-69 (Replenishment) Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    View the USS Wrangell (AE-12)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    US Navy Ammunition Ship USS Wrangell AE-12
    "AE" Sailors Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Ammunition Ship (AE) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 13 February 2009