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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Bridge (AF-1)
ex
USS Bridge (1917 - 1920)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Sierra - Foxtrot NESF

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - World War I Victory Medal (with Transport clasp) - American Defense Medal (with Fleet clasp) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal

Bridge Class Stores Ship:

Laid down, 12 June 1915, at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.

Launched, 18 May 1916

Commissioned USS Bridge, 2 June 1917, LCDR. William K. Riddle in command

Designated Provisions Stores Ship (AF-1), 17 July 1920

During World War II USS Bridge was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaign**
Campaign and Dates
Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 8 to 22 May 1945

Following WWII USS Bridge was assigned to Occupation service from 25 October 1945 to 27 June 1946

Decommissioned, 27 June 1946, at Sasebo, Japan

Turned over to the State Department, Foreign Liquidation Commission for disposal, 22 December 1947

Sold to Madrigal Shipping Co., Manila, P.I., 22 December 1947, renamed SS Don Jose

Final Disposition, scrapped in Japan by Kudamatsu in March 1953

USS Bridge received one battle star for her World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 5207 tons (Displacement rose in 1945 to 9,500 tons)
Length 423' 11"
Beam 55' 2"
Draft 22' 9"
Speed 14 kts.

Complement 1945

Officers 21

Enlisted 261

Cargo Capacity 3,170 DWT

non-refrigerated 86,757 Cu ft

refrigerated 4,300 Cu ft

Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.

Armament
As Built
four single 5"/51 gun mounts
one 3/50" AA gun mount
Armament August 1942
two original 5"/51s aft
original 3/50" AA gun mount
one quadruple 1.1" AA gun mount forward
eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
Armament February 1945
one twin 40mm AA gun mount which replaced the 1.1" mount forward
one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount aft, which replaced the original two 5"/51s
four single 3'/50 dual purpose gun mounts

Propulsion

two Boston Navy Yard triple expansion steam engines

two White Forester boilers, 200psi Sat°
Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 50Kw 120V D.C.
one Diesel-drive 30Kw 120V D.C.

two propellers 5,000shp

Size	Image Description	Source
141k	*Namesake* Horatio Bridge (1806-98) was born Augusta, Maine, and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1826. He was admitted to the bar in 1828 and practiced law until 1838 when he entered the Navy as a Purser. In 1854 he was named Chief of the Bureau of Provisions and Clothing. He was the first in the Navy to employ the idea of comprehensive fleet supply which was carried out with conspicuous success during the Civil War. He retired 8 April 1868 and was advanced to Pay Director with the relative rank of Commodore on the Retired List 3 March 1871. He died in 1898 at Athens, Pa. (Text from DANFS)	Bill Gonyo and Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
138k	Program for the keel laying of *Supply Ship No. 1, 12 June 1915. The event was significant since it represented the first major steel vessel to be constructed by the Boston Navy Yard. Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10540*	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
249k	Building Slip (Shipways 1), looking forward, 12 June 1915. Note the keel blocks awaiting the start of construction of the still-unnamed *Supply Ship No. 1.* US Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10536	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
123k	Crowds gather for the keel laying of *Supply Ship No. 1, 12 June 1915. US Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10537*	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
114k	The “Amateur Riveting Gang” for the 12 June 1915 keel laying of *Supply Ship No. 1* consisted of the children of officers assigned to the Boston Navy Yard. US Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10537	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
149k	This progress photo of *Supply Ship No. 1* was taken on 6 July 1915, 19 days after keel laying, shows the inner bottom framing looking aft. US Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10536	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
221k	*Supply Ship No. 1, 6 January 1916, 208 days after keel laying, work was underway on the main and superstructure decks. This view looks forward. US Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10536*	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
26k	General Order No. 212 issued a little more than two weeks before her scheduled launching, *Supply Ship No. 1* was named USS Bridge by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels.	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
137k	Preparations are underway for the launching of USS Bridge, 18 May 1916. This view was taken from the same vantage point as the 6 Jan. 1916 image above. US Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10538	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
104k	The ship’s sponsor, Mrs. Granville Searcy Fleece, a grandniece of the ship’s namesake, christens USS Bridge, 18 May 1916. US Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10538	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
126k	USS Bridge slides into Boston Harbor following her launch on 18 May 1916. US Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10538	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
387k	USS Bridge launching at Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, 18 May 1916.	Courtesy Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.
538k	The propellers of USS Bridge are seen in this view of the ship taken in Dry Dock 2 at Boston Navy Yard, 21 March 1917. US Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10536	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
101k	USS Bridge at the Boston Navy Yard on 6 June 1917, four days after her commissioning. US Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10534	Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
78k	USS Bridge at Queenstown, Ireland, while wearing pattern camouflage, circa 1918. Possibly taken from *USS Melville* (Destroyer Tender # 2)**. The original photograph is printed on post card stock. US Navy photo # NH 104459, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007.	Robert Hurst
42k	*USS Bridge* (AF-1)** at anchor, location unknown, 27 December 1918 US Navy photo	USS Bridge (AOE-10) web site
15k	*USS Bridge* (AF-1)** at anchor, location unknown in January 1920 US Navy photo	USS Bridge (AOE-10) web site
67k	*USS Bridge* (AF-1) with ARD-1** under tow in Colon Harbor, Panama Canal Zone, 28 October 1934. US National Archives photo # 80-G-455970, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Michael Mohl
50k	*USS Bridge* (AF-1)** underway, circa, 1936, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
133k	*USS Bridge* (AF-1)** off Mare Island Navy Yard, 12 January 1942. The ship still has its pre-World War II armament of 4-5"/51 but now also has two 3"/50 guns just aft of the short kingposts forward and raised positions for eight .50 caliber AA machine guns (not installed). All of her gun positions have splinter protection (low bulwarks). Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo.	Mike Green
46k	*USS Bridge* (AF-1)** underway, 8 August 1942, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.

USS Bridge (AF-1)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Riddle, William King	2 June 1917 - 5 August 1918
02	LCDR. Lyons, David	5 August 1919 - July 1921
03	CAPT King, Ernest, Joseph :FADM	July 1921 - July 1922
04	CDR. McCullough Richard P.	25 September 1923 - 12 May 1925
05	CAPT. Soulé Jr., Charles Carroll	13 May 1928 - 24 June 1930
06	CDR. Shaw, Charles Harlan	24 June 1930 - ?
07	CDR. Griswold, Ralph Mancill	1923 - ?
08	CAPT. Bradley, Willis Winter, Jr.	July 1931 - June 1933
09	CAPT. McClain, John Franklin	30 June 1934 - 23 March 1936
10	CDR. Comfort, Roland Marcy	23 March 1936 - ?
11	CDR. Twomey, John Joseph	1938 - ?
12	CDR. Noble, Julian Bennett	1940 - ?
13	CAPT. Graham, Roy William Montrose :RADM	June 1941 - August 1941
14	CDR. Jackson, William Bennett, Jr.	August 1941 - 1942
15	CDR. Sherman, Eugene Proctor	1942 - 1943
16	LCDR. Stevens, Robert R.	1943 - 1944
17	CDR. Saul, T. N.	1944 - 1945
18	LT. Wickre, Orville G.	1945 - ?


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves. Photos courtesy Bill Gonyo

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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 3 May 2012

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Bridge (AF-1)ex USS Bridge (1917 - 1920)

USS Bridge (AF-1)
ex
USS Bridge (1917 - 1920)