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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Bitterbush (AN-39)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Tango - Romeo
 NBTR
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Ailanthus Class Net Laying Ship
  • Laid down, 30 November 1942, as Yard Net Tender Almond (YN-58), at Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Everett, WA.
  • Renamed Bitterbush (YN-58), 3 April 1943
  • Launched, 30 June 1943
  • Commissioned USS Bitterbush (YN-58), 15 January 1944, LT. Harry E. Horrocks, Jr., USNR, in command
  • Reclassified Net Laying Ship (AN-39), 20 January 1944
  • During World War II USS Bitterbush was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 20 February to 16 March 1945

  • Decommissioned, 4 January 1946, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Struck from the naval Register, 21 January 1946
  • USS Bitterbush earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 6 May 1947, for disposal
  • Sold for commercial service in 1948
  • Final Disposition, destroyed by fire off Puerto Rico, 27 May 1954
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,460 t.(fl)
    Length 194' 7"
    Beam 37'
    Draft 13' 6"
    Speed 12.1 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 4
    Enlisted 52
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Largest Boom Capacity 12 t.
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 760 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Busch-Sulzer BS-539 Diesel-electric engines
    two 60Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 1,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Bitterbush 72k USS Bitterbush (AN-39) at San Francisco, CA., 12 November 1944, after alterations. Her former searchlight platform has been fitted with a 20mm gun and raised above the top of the smokestack.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo No. 19-N-91554 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Photo - Stan Svec
    Caption - Mike Green
    Bitterbush 65k USS Bitterbush (AN-39) underway at San Francisco, CA., 12 November 1944, after alterations. Her former searchlight platform has been fitted with a 20mm gun and raised above the top of the smokestack.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photo    		 Courtesy Glen Paulson ex RM2/c USS Anaqua
    USS Bitterbush (AN-39)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    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
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    Last Updated 20 September 2014