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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AF-39 Palisana

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Adria Class Stores Ship:
  • Laid down, 28 August 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (R1-M-AV3) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract at Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc, Beaumont, TX.
  • Launched, 21 October 1944
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 22 March 1945
  • Commissioned USS Palisana (AF-39), 16 April 1945
  • Decommissioned, circa April-May 1946
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 22 May 1946 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 19 June 1946
  • Leased by the Maritime Commission for commercial service, to the Alaska Steamship Co., renamed Spirit
  • Purchased by an unknown company in Tacoma, WA., in 1957
  • Friend Ships obtained Spirit, 2 October 1985 for humanitarian purposes
  • Spirit is still in service as of 2005 (See web site link)
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,139 t.(lt) 6,240 t.(fl)
    Length 338'
    Beam 50'
    Draft 21' 1" (lim)
    Speed 11.5 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 10
    Enlisted 76
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Cargo Capacity 3,170 DWT
    Refrigerated 114,580 Cu ft.
    Non-refrigerated 47.610 Cu ft.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    six single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 6,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Nordberg, TSM Diesel engine
    three Diesel-drive 250Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 1,700shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Palisana 62k ex-Palisana (AF-39) in commercial service as the Friend Ship Spirit under tow, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo         		Sondra Tipton
    View the Palisana (AF-39)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Dietrich, G. S.16 April 1945 - 1945
    02LT. Weber, R.1945 - 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Friend Ships Cargo Vessels Spirit and Spirit of Grace
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Stores Ship (AF) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 19 February 2010