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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Delphinus (AF-24)
ex
 USS San Mateo (AF-24) (1942)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Tango - Papa
 NBTP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Delphinus Class Stores Ship:
  • Built in 1915 as SS San Mateo at Workman Clark and Co., Ltd., Belfast, Ireland
  • Chartered from the Maritime Commission for operation by Munargo Line, Inc. for United Fruit Co., 21 May 1942
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 8 August 1942, at Oakland, CA.
  • Commissioned USS San Mateo 11 August 1942, LT. Olaf M. Mikkelsen, USNR, in command
  • Renamed USS Delphinus (AF-24), 22 August 1942
  • During World War II, USS Delphinus was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Decommissioned, 9 May 1946, at New Orleans, LA., returned to the Maritime Commission, and delivered to Manargo Line, Inc. the same day
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration by Manargo Line, Inc.., 25 July 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Mobile, AL.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 6 February 1948, to Pinto Island Metals Co.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,300 t.(lt) 6,000 t.(fl)
    Length 328'
    Beam 44' 2"
    Draft 23'
    Speed 11.5 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 14
    Enlisted 93
    Largest Boom Capacity 5 t.
    Cargo Capacity 2,995 DWT
    refrigerated 102,870 Cu ft.
    Armament
    one single 4"/50 cal gun mount
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    six single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 5,230 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Workman Clark vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
    three single-ended cylindrical Scotch boilers, 200psi Sat.
    three recip-drive 35Kw 110V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Delphinus 69k USS Delphinus (AF-24) underway at San Francisco, 6 September 1942.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, photo # 19-N-35044, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Delphinus 55k USS Delphinus (AF-24) underway, looking forward from the bridge area, date and location unknown. Submitted by Jim Hanley
    Photos by his Father James Hanley,Machinist's Mate USS Delphinus
    Delphinus 33k USS Delphinus (AF-24) moored, date and location unknown. Submitted by Jim Hanley
    Photos by his Father James Hanley, Machinist's Mate USS Delphinus
    Delphinus 84k USS Delphinus (AF-24) underway in San Francisco Bay circa late 1945 or early 1946.
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 82182, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Delphinus 513k USS Delphinus (AF-24) crew photo, date and location unknown. Rene White for his father Rene White Sr. Radioman US Delphinus
    USS Delphinus (AF-24)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Mikkelsen, Olaf M., USNR11 August 1942 - 29 December 1942
    02LT. Buckner, Eugene H. F. USNR29 December 1942 - 4 August 1943
    03LCDR. Armstrong, George Louis, USNR4 August 1943 - 1 February 1944
    04LCDR. Armbrust, Carl Raymond1 February 1944 - January 1946
    05LCDR. Kupbens, Harry Joseph, USNJanuary 1946 - 9 May 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Stores Ship (AF) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 2 August 2019