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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Catalpa (AN-10)
ex
 USS Catalpa (YN-5) (1942 - 1944)
 Catalpa (YN-5) (1941 - 1942)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Victor - Tango
 NAVT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal
Aloe Class Net Laying Ship:
  • Laid down, 24 October 1940, as Yard Net Tender (YN-5) at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 22 February 1941
  • Placed in service, as Catalpa (YN-5), for service in the 12th Naval District, LTjg F. J. George, USNR, in charge
  • Commissioned USS Catalpa (YN-5), 22 May 1942, at Alameda, CA., LTjg. F. J. George, USNR, in command
  • Reclassified Net Laying Ship (AN-10), 20 January 1944
  • During World War II USS Catalpa (AN-10) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Gilbert Islands, 20 November to 8 December 1943 Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944

  • Decommissioned, 21 October 1946, at Astoria, OR.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria, OR.
  • Recommissioned, 7 August 1950
  • Decommissioned, 7 October 1955, at New London, CT.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS Catalpa received two battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 700 t.(fl) 805 t.(lim)
    Length 162' 2""
    Beam 30' 6"
    Draft 11' 8" (lim)
    Speed 12.5 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 4
    Enlisted 44
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    two .50 cal machine guns
    one y-gun.
    Largest Boom Capacity 12 t.
    Propulsion
    one Enterprise DSG-6 Diesel-electric engine
    single Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears
    Ships Service Generators
    two Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 800shp
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 665 Bbls
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Catalpa (YN-5)
    Catalpa 10k Catalpa (YN-5) underway, date and location unknown. George Michael
    Catalpa 518k Catalpa (YN-5) original crew photo, circa early 1942, probably taken in the San Francisco Bay Area. (Reinhold Wetzel, standing, third row, second from the right end.) Larry Wetzel for his father Reinhold Wetzel Catalpa
    Catalpa 466k Catalpa (YN-5) at sea, dates and locations unknown. Larry Wetzel for his father Reinhold Wetzel Catalpa
    Catalpa 205k
    Catalpa 284k
    USS Catalpa (YN-5)
    Catalpa 368k USS Catalpa (YN-5) moored pierside, date and location unknown. Stan Svec
    USS Catalpa (AN-10)
    Catalpa/Orca 127k An annotated view of USS Catalpa (AN-10)'s rig showing the arrangement of her radar and other electronic antennas. Photographed at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, Hunters Point, CA, 21 December 1951. USS Orca (AVP-49) is shown in the background a week after being reactivated.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-445892, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
         		US Naval Historical Center
    Catalpa/Orca 141k An annotated view of USS Catalpa (AN-10)'s foremast showing the arrangement of her radar and other electronic antennas. Photographed at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, California, on 21 December 1951. Note the sailor climbing the mast. USS Orca (AVP-49) is shown in the background a week after being reactivated.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-445891, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    		 US Naval Historical Center
    View the USS Catalpa (YN-5 / AN-10)
    DANFS history entry located on the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Yard and District Craft Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Yard Net Tender (YN) Photo Index Back To Net Laying Ship (AN) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 4 January 2013