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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 - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
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
  • 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
  • USS Bitterbush received one battle star for World War II service
    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 65k USS Bitterbush (AN-39) underway, date and location unknown. Courtesy Glen Paulson ex RM2/c USS Anaqua
    Bitterbush 72k USS Bitterbush (AN-39) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from the collections of the US Navy Memorial.    		 Stan Svec
    USS Bitterbush (AN-39)
    DANFS history at 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 11 November 2011