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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Norman Nelson

USS Graffias (AF-29)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Uniform - Papa
 NWUP
Voice Call Sign: "Imperfect" (50-53)
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (8) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Taiwan Straits, 25-Quemoy-Matsu, 4-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (7)
Fourth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Hyades Class Stores Ship:
  • Laid down in 1943 as SS Topa Topa, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-E1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1610) at Gulf Shipbuilding Co., Chickasaw, AL.
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 19 February 1944
  • Fitted out as a Stores Ship at Bethlehem Steel Co., Baltimore MD.
  • Commissioned USS Graffias (AF-29), 28 October 1944 at Baltimore, MD., LCDR. B. P. Caraher in command
  • USS Graffias (AF-29) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during and after World War II
  • During th Korean War USS Graffias (AF-29) participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    27 September to 1 October 1950
    10 to 14 October 1950
    27 October to 1 November 1950     		UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    5 to 6 August 19
    23 to 27 August 1951
    30 September to 1 October 1951
    3 to 6 November 1951
    22 to 24 November 1951
    Communist China Aggression
    21 November to 4 December 1950     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    24 to 25 July 1952
    3 to 4 August 1952
    11 to 13 August 1952
    25 t0 26 August 1952
    7 to 8 September 1952
    5 to 6 October 1952
    17 to 19 October 1952
    1 to 3 November 1952
    15 to 19 November 1952
    First UN Counter Offensive
    3 to 17 March 19
    3 to 14 April 1951
    19 April 1951     		Third Korean Winter
    1 to 4 December 1952
    28 to 29 December 1952
    8 to 11 January 1953
    17 to 20 January 1953
    1 to 3 February 1953
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    18 to 25 May 1951
    7 to 10 June 1951
    22 to 27 June 1951     		Korea Summer-Fall 1952
    18 to 20 July 1953

  • During the Vietnam War USS Graffias (AF-29) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnam Defense
    4 to 14 November 1965
    23 to 29 November 1965
    13 to 16 December 1965     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    5 to 21 August 1968
    26 August to 5 September 1968
    3 to 14 October 1968
    25 October to 1 November 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    12 to 23 June 1966     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 9 to 18 November 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    2 to 6 July 1966
    21 to 29 July 1966
    6 to 23 January -1967
    1 to 11 February 1967
    16 to 24 February 1967
    		Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    28 June to 1 July 1969
    4 to 13 July 1969
    2 to 8 August 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    22 September to 5 October 1967
    13 to 30 October 1967
    12 to 26 November -1967     		 

  • Decommissioned in May 1970
  • Laid up, 20 May 1970, in the National Defense Reserve, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Permanent title transfer to the Maritime Administration, 15 May 1974
  • Struck from the Naval Register, May 1974
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 March 1974, to Dongkuk Steel Co., of America, delivered, 14 May 1974
  • Graffias earned eight battle stars for Korean War service and seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    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
    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 NFSO 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 Source
    Graffias
    19-N-73555    		 89k USS Graffias (AF-29) in the Chesapeake Bay off Bethlehem Key Highway Shipyard, 30 October 1944 after conversion for naval service.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, photo # 19-N-73555, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Robert Hurst
    Graffias
    19-N-73556    		 134k
    Graffias 122k USS Graffias (AF-29) underway, circa the late 1940s, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # USN 1044037, from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command    		 Robert Hurst
    Graffias 108k USS Graffias (AF-29) in bound passing through the Golden Gate while entering San Francisco Bay, circa 1947. David McGee
    Graffias 88k USS Graffias (AF-29) transfers food supplies to USS Missouri (BB-63) in the Sea of Japan, 17 December 1950. Each cargo net highlined between the two ships contains twenty boxes of potatoes, holding a total of 2000 pounds.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-424637, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Graffias 71k USS Graffias (AF-29) at anchor, date and location unknown. A US Navy photo now in the collections of the US Naval Institute Norman Nelson
    Graffias 151k USS Graffias (AF-29) underway, probably at Pearl Harbor, 11 December 1953.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, photo # 80-G-1078432, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Robert Hurst
    Graffias 67k USS Graffias (AF-29) underway off Yokosuka, Japan, 1962. Photo by Gary Callahan ET3 USN USS Haverfield (DER-393) Harold Newbill
    Graffias 114k USS Graffias (AF-29) at sea, 14 September 1963, just before replenishing USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63). Note the "Romeo" signal flag at the dip to port, indicating that replenishment operations are eminent on that side (the one used by carriers).
    US Navy photo # KN-8837 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command    		 Robert Hurst
    View the USS Graffias (AF-29)
    DANFS History entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Caraher, Brian Patrick28 October 1944 - 1945
    02CDR. Doolin Sr., Edward Hamilton1945
    03CAPT. Hadden Jr., Mayo Addison :RADMno date
    04CAPT. O'Toole Jr., Robert10 May 1961 - 15 July 1962
    07CAPT. Taylor Jr., Theron JackApril 1966 - August 1967
    08CAPT. Hayward, Thomas B. :ADMAugust 1967 - June 1968
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
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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 22 January 2010