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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Hyades (AF-28)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Tango - Bravo
 NWTB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia and Europe clasps)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2-Cuba & 1-Lebanon) - Philippine Liberation Medal
Hyades Class Stores Ship:
  • Laid down, 12 October 1942, as SS Iberville, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-E1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC 481) at Gulf Shipbuilding Co., Chickasaw, AL.
  • Launched, 12 June 1943
  • Placed in partial Commission for transit to her fitting out yard at Bethlehem Steel Co., Baltimore MD.
  • Completed as a Stores Ship and Commissioned USS Hyades (AF-28), 1 August 1944, CDR. M. C. Wheyland in command
  • During World War II USS Hyades was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS Hyades performed occupation duty in Europe and the Far East which included China service for the following periods:
    Navy Occupation Service Medal  and  China Service Medal (extended)
    Asia 9-20 September 1945China Service 15 November-3 December 1945Both 2 March-30 April 1946
    Asia 5-8 July 1947China Service 17 June-4 July 1947Both 5 December 1946-27 December 1947
    Europe 19 April-8 May 1949  
    Europe 10-28 July1949  
    Europe 29 September-5 October 1949  
    Europe 16 April-9 May 1951  
    Europe 8-20 October 1951  
    Europe 12 December 1951- 3 January 1952  
    Europe 2-12 July 1952  
    Europe 23 August-3 September 1952  
    Europe 16 October-7 November 1952  
    Europe 3-17 February 1953  
    Europe 2-12 July 1953  
    Europe 14 August-12 November 1953  
    Europe 27 January-6 February 1954  
    Europe 17 April-1 May 1954  
    Europe 10-21 June 1954  
    Europe 12 to 31 August 1954  
    Europe 14 March-18 April 1955  
    Europe 25 September-25 October 1955  
    Europe 25 September-25 October 1955  
  • Decommissioned, circa 1969
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.,18 March 1969
  • Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 1 September 1971
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1976
  • Final Disposition, disposed of by MARAD, 17 January 1984, exchange-trade-out scrap ship to Jacobson Metal Co., 13 October 1983
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,700 t.(lt) 15,300 t.(fl)
    Length 468' 8"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 28' (limiting)
    Speed 15.5 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 22
    Enlisted 230
    Largest Boom Capacity 25 t.
    Cargo Capacity 5,950 DWT
    non-refrigerated 171,275 Cu ft.
    refrigerated 183,555 Cu ft.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 9,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric steam turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boiler, 450psi, 750°
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gears
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Hyades 81k USS Hyades (AF-28) in Chesapeake Bay off the Bethlehem Fairfield shipyard, 9 August 1944 just after conversion. She is painted in camouflage scheme 32/6F.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, photo # 19-N- 70670, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Robert Hurst
    Hyades 38k USS Hyades (AF-28) underway, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Hyades 87k USS Hyades (AF-28) crew members, circa 1944-45, location unknown. Anthony M. Schulmeyer is the officer in the front row far right end. Wayne M. Schulmeyer for his father Anthony M. Schulmeyer USS Hyades
    Hyades 55k USS Hyades (AF-28) crew members, circa 1944-45, location unknown. Anthony M. Schulmeyer is the officer in the back row third from the left. Wayne M. Schulmeyer for his father Anthony M. Schulmeyer USS Hyades
    Hyades 62k Broadside view of USS Hyades (AF-28) moored pierside at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 6 May 1948 while undergoing Inclining Experiments.
    US Naval Shipyard Puget Sound photo # NY8-2241 now in the collections of the US National Archives, Seattle Branch.
    Additional photos of the 8 May 1948 Inclining Experiments can be found at USS Hyades (AF-28) Page Two    		 Tracy White
    Hyades 63k USS Hyades (AF-28) off New York City in September 1959.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 66855.    		 Robert Hurst
    Hyades 43k USS Hyades (AF-28) at anchor, circa 1952, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Hyades 171k USS Hyades (AF-28) underway in October 1959, location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Mike Smolinski
    Hyades 94k USS Hyades (AF-28) and USS Leyte (CV-32) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Robert Carey
    Hyades 107k USS Hyades (AF-28) underway opposite Pier 3 NOB Norfolk, VA, July 1964 with assistance of two tugs. © Richard Leonhardt
    Hyades 58k USS Hyades (AF-28) underway, date and location unknown. .
    Hyades 90k USS Hyades (AF-28) replenishing USS Worchester (CL-144), date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from DANFS    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Hyades 70k USS Hyades (AF-28) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Hyades 85k USS Hyades (AF-28) underway, date and location unknown.
    Photo courtesy Ing. Augusti Nani.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Hyades (AF-28)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Wheyland, Morgan Chisholm1 August 1944 - ?
    02LCDR. Doherty, F. B.1945
    03CAPT. Russell, Harry Francis1945 - 1947
    04CDR. Rommel Jr., Herbert Fox1962
    05CAPT. Smith, Joseph Grant1963 - 1964
    06CAPT. Lawrence, Stephen1964 - ?
    07CAPT. Fruin, Jack Leslie26 April 1965 - ?
    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
    USS Hyades (AF-28)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 6 May 2011