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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Great Sitkin (AE-17)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - India - Delta
NUID
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Bottom Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba) - Vietnam Service Medal (2) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Mount Hood Class Ammunition Ship:
  • Laid down (date unknown), as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-AJ1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1706) at North Carolina Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, N.C.
  • Launched, 20 January 1945
  • Commissioned USS Great Sitkin (AE-17), 11 August 1945, at Charleston, S.C., LCDR. William F. Smith in command
  • During the Vietnam War USS Great Sitkin participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    1 to 12 May 1968
    25 May to 8 June 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    23 September to 4 October 1968

  • Decommissioned (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 2 July 1973
  • Final Disposition, sold by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service for scrapping, 1 March 1974 to US Ship Co., Camden, N.J. for $152,666,60, dismantled, March to October 1974.

    Specifications:
    Displacement 13,910 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 28' 3"
    Speed 16 kts.
    Complement 267
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    two twin 3"/50 gun mounts
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    eight twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion geared turbine, single propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Great Sitkin 63k USS Great Sitkin (AE-17) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine August 1959    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Great Sitkin 77k USS Great Sitkin (AE-17) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine October 1962    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Great Sitkin 69k USS Great Sitkin (AE-17) is left behind as USS Lester (DE-1022) pulls away after an underway replenishment of ammunition, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine October 1962    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Springfield 275k USS Great Sitkin (AE-17) delivers ammunition to USS Springfield (CLG-7) during an underway replenishment in the Mediterranean Sea during 1965 William C. Swisher
    Great Sitkin 87k USS Great Sitkin (AE-17) underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Great Sitkin 78k USS Great Sitkin (AE-17) underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Great Sitkin 160k USS Great Sitkin (AE-17) underway in the Mediterranean Sea in May 1967. Photo by Jim McCoy
    View the USS Great Sitkin (AE-17)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Commanding Officers
    LCDR. Smith, William P. 11.08.1945 - 21.02.1946
    LCDR. Perry, Emil B. 21.02.1946 - 23.07.1946
    CAPT. Catterton, Martin L. 23.07.1946 - 00.07.1947
    CAPT. Hindman, Joseph Aloysius E. 00.07.1947 - 00.06.1948
    CAPT. Busck, Vilhelm Klein, 00.06.1948 - 00.07.1949
    CAPT. Watson Jr., William Henry, 00.07.1949 - 00.07.1950
    CAPT. King, George Edward, 00.07.1950 - 00.07.1951
    CAPT. Butler Jr., William Clayton, RADM 00.07.1951 - 00.01.1952
    CAPT. Phillips, George Lincoln, 00.01.1952 - 10.01.1953
    CAPT. Whitfield Jr., James Dickson, 10.01.1953 - 14.12.1953
    CAPT. Wolseiffer, Frederick D. 14.12.1953 - 00.07.1955
    CAPT. Gage, Norman Dwight, 00.07.1955 - 28.06.1956
    CAPT. Brock, James Ward, RADM 28.06.1956 - 09.08.1957
    CAPT. Hahn, Harry Barrett, 09.08.1957 - 21.09.1958
    CAPT. Schlech Jr., Walter Frederick, RADM 21.09.1958 - 09.09.1959
    CAPT. Stebbins, Edgar Erwin, 09.09.1959 - 15.08.1960
    CAPT. Manning, William James, 15.08.1960 - 21.07.1961
    CAPT. Weinel, John Philip, ADM 21.07.1961 - 18.07.1962
    CAPT. Burley Jr., Thomas Grover, 18.07.1962 - 12.07.1963
    CAPT. Boyle Jr., John Earl, 12.07.1963 - 14.07.1964
    CAPT. English Jr., Elbert Hartwell, 14.07.1964 - 16.07.1965
    CAPT. Esler Jr., Clifford Myers, 16.07.1965 - 00.07.1966
    CAPT. Boice, Grant E.00.07.1966 - 4.09.1967
    CAPT. Riehl Jr., Julian William, 14.09.1967 - 23.12.1968
    CAPT. Hermann, Edward Paul, 23.12.1968 - 30.01.1970
    CAPT. Gerhard Jr., Harry E. RADM30.01.1970 - 26.10.1970
    CAPT. Rohrer, Paul W. RADM26.10.1970 - 16.07.1972
    CAPT. Buchwald, Robert Dale, 16.07.1972 - 23.03.1973
    LCDR. La Pean Sr., James W. 23.03.1973 - 02.07.1973
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Great Sitkin Association
    "AE" Sailors Association
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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 3 December 2008