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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Wakefield (AP-21)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Delta - Golf NWDG

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 30 January 1942, Singapore)
Second Row - American Defense Service Medal (with "A" device) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Defense Medal
Personnel Awards

Purple Heart (5-KIA, 9-WIA, Singapore, 30 January 1942)

USS Wakefield (AP-21) was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II

Wakefield Class Transport:

Laid down, 6 December 1930, at New York Shipbuilding Co, Camden, N.J., as SS Manhattan for the United States Lines

Launched, 5 December 1931

Acquired by the Navy, 14 June 1941, at New York, N.Y.

Commissioned USS Wakefield (AP-21), 15 June 1941, CDR. W. N. Derby, USCG, in command

During World War II USS Wakefield operated in both the Europe-Africa-Middle East and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters

Decommissioned due to fire damage, 14 September 1942, at Boston

Recommissioned, 10 February 1944, at Boston, MA., with a Coast Guard crew

Decommissioned, 16 June 1946, at New York

Laid up as part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, at New York in 1954

Declared surplus, 7 June 1957, and transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Hudson River Group

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1959

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by MARAD, 25 May 1964, to Union Minerals (PD-X-665) for $263,000.00, to Luria Brothers, Kearny, N. J.

Specifications:
Displacement 22,559 t.(lt) 33,560 t.(fl)
Length 705'
Beam 86'
Draft 30' 9"
Speed 21.5 kts.

Complement

Officers 46

Enlisted 888

Troop Capacity

Officers 361

Enlisted 6,659

Largest Boom Capacity 25t.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

three single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four quad 40mm AA gun mounts

eight .50 cal machine guns

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 31,400 Bbls

Diesel 300 Bbls

Propulsion

two New York Shipbuilding steam turbines

six Babcock and Wilcox A-type boilers 400psi 695°

single Falk Main Reduction Gears

four turbo-drive 500Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

two propellers, 30,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
Merchant Service United States Lines
092202133	74k	Photo Caption - "The steamship Manhattan, the largest merchant vessel ever built in the United States photographed yesterday. as she slid into the waters of the Delaware River at Camden, N.J. Mrs Edith Kermit Roosevelt, widow of President Roosevelt had broken a bottle of water collected from 48 states a few minutes before on the huge prow of the ship. The ship Manhattan will be commanded by Capt. George Fried, hero of many sea rescues. A.P. Photo" The Sunday Star, Washington, D.C. December 6, 1931-Part 1, page A5"	Michael Mohl
Aero Service 13970	240k	United Sates Lines passenger liner SS Manhattan launching, 5 December 1931, at New York Shipbuilding, Camden, N. J. The cruiser in background is *USS Indianapolis* (CA-35)**. Photos are from ISM, Aero Service Collection 13970 and 15221. Used for educational and non-commercial purposes.	John Chiquoine
Aero Service 15221	204k		John Chiquoine
	195k	United Sates Lines passenger liner SS Manhattan departing New York Shipbuilding on Saturday, 23 July 1932 for her first trial trip. The Gailey Davis Red Star tug *Newcastle* is on the port bow with *Hercules* behind her. *Manhattan* was billed as the largest merchant vessel built at that time.	Ron Reeves
	105k	First day postal cover celebrating the inaugural cruise of SS Manhattan from New York to Queenstown, Plymouth, Le Havre and Hamburg.	Tommy Trampp
	564k	Pre-war advertisement for trans-Atlantic travel aboard SS Manhattan	Tommy Trampp
	74k	SS Manhattan in merchant service for the United States Lines prior to World War II. German tobacco card series C, Saba-Schiffsbilder cigarettes.	Tommy Trampp
	56k		Tommy Trampp
	264k	Post card image of SS Manhattan in merchant service for the United States Lines prior to World War II.	Tommy Trampp
	220k	SS Manhattan in merchant service for the United States Lines prior to World War II. Photo from "Passenger Liners of the World Since 1893" (1970) by Nicholas T. Cairis.	Tommy Trampp
	144k	SS Manhattan in merchant service for the United States Lines prior to World War II. Note *USS Los Angeles* (ZR-3)** flying overhead.	Tommy Trampp
USS Wakefield (AP-21)
092202108	91k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) underway, 11 May 1942, near Philadelphia Navy Yard. She is emerging from an overhaul in which three of her four 5"/51 guns were removed and the other was moved to a centerline position at the stern. The lattice radar mast was probably also added at this time along with some smaller antiaircraft guns. *Wakefield* is wearing camouflage scheme 12R U.S. National Archives Photo No. 19-N-29517, U.S. National Archives, RG-19-LCM, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the U.S National Archives. Courtesy Shipscribe.com	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret. and Lars McKie
	45k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) on fire at sea in the Atlantic Ocean, circa 3-12 September 1942. USS Wakefield was US bound carrying 850 passengers, mostly American construction workers when the fire broke out. US Navy photo from Acme. Photo from the collections of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History	Bill Gonyo
	153k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) stopped as clouds of smoke pour out of the burning American transport. The fires were eventually extinguished and she was towed to Halifax, NS. Photo from "United States Destroyer Operations in World War II," by Theodore Roscoe.	Robert Hurst
	87k	USS Wakefield (AP-21)'s civilian construction workers crowd the decks aft waiting to abandon ship. Note cargo nets have been placed over the side. Photo from "United States Destroyer Operations in World War II," by Theodore Roscoe.	Robert Hurst
	60k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) under tow from Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2 October 1942, after being virtually destroyed by fire in September 1942. The unblemished mottling of her paint can be seen on the forward hull and on her after end. US National Archives photo # 80-G-16505, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	104k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) under tow in November, 1942, entering Boston Harbor for fire damage repair and rebuilding. United States Navy, 1st Naval District	Mike Green
	162k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) dry docked in November 1942 for fire damage repair and rebuilding at Boston Navy Yard. United States Navy, 1st Naval District	Mike Green
	169k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) being stripped of fire damage at Boston Navy Yard in early 1943. The ship is being rebuilt from damage from a fire that started on 3 September 1942, plus a capsizing while under temporary repair at Halifax Harbor. Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection	Mike Green
	114k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) under way off Boston Navy Yard in March, 1944, one month after being recommissioned after her rebuild. Boston Public Library, courtesy Leslie Jones Collection	Mike Green
092202134	201k	*USS Wakefield* (AP-21)** underway, circa 1944, after the devastating fire that gutted the ship and required months of restoration work. In the foreground is a North American SNJ-5 Texan (BuNo 90667). U.S. Coast Guard photo. U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service 210104-G-G0000-1002.	Robert Hurst
	11k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) under way, date and location unknown.	Robert Hurst
	107k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) "COAST GUARD TRANSPORT HEADS INTO BOSTON. . . . . . .The Coast Guard-manned troop transport, USS Wakefield, arrived in Boston this morning loaded down with more than 8,100 fighting Yanks, from Naples, Italy. Also aboard the transport were Brig. Gen. Raymond E. S. Williamson, of Falmouth, Mass., of the 91st Infantry Division, seven American Red Cross; and six UNRRA members, one of whom was Miss Barbara Johnston of Morson, Mass. The passenger list also included seven members of OWI, one of the OSS, and under heavy guard, six Japanese Diplomats whose status as former representatives to the European Axis was not revealed."; 22 August 1945. US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the Office of the Coast Guard Historian.	Mike Green
	94k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) arriving at Boston, 22 August 1945. US Coast Guard photo from the collections of the Office of the Coast Guard Historian.	Mike Green
	98k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo # No. V4-W215-1.	Robert Hurst
	110k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) under way, 10 August 1944, location unknown. US National Archives photo 80-G-244853, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Tracy White
	80k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) under way, date and location unknown.	Capt Jerry Mason, USN
	77k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) underway, date and location unknown.	Capt Jerry Mason, USN
	81k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) under way silhouetted against the setting sun. The photo was taken after USS Wakefield was recommissioned. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, August 1945 issue.	CAPT. Jerry Mason, USN (Ret)
	59k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) under way, location unknown, 1945 US Navy photo.	Courtesy, Chuck Ulrich, coordinator/historian AP Transport Group
	65k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) under way date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Jim Kurrasch Battleship Iowa Pacific Battleship Center
	162k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) at sea. Two crewmen of Scottish decent play the bagpipes while entertaining the troops, circa 1942-45.	Tommy Trampp
	375k	USS Wakefield (AP-21) crew photo, 7 April 1946. William John Gill is in the close up, lower photo, last Marine on the left.	William Michael Gill in honor of his father William John Gill USMC USS Wakefield
	219k

USS Wakefield (AP-21)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Derby, Wilfred Neville :RADM (USCG)	15 June 1941 - 17 August 1941
02	CDR. Scammell, William Kirk :RADM (USCG)	17 August 1941 -15 May 1942
03	CDR. Bradbury, Harold Gardner (USCG) :RADM	15 May 1942 - 14 September 1942
	Decommissioned	14 September 1942 - 10 February 1943
04	CAPT. Raney, Roy Livingston (USCG) :VADM	10 February 1943 - January 1944
05	CAPT. Thiele, Edward H. (USCG) :RADM	January 1944 - 11 April 1946
06	CDR. Grey, James R. (USCG)	11 April 1946 - 16 June 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Wakefield Bomb Damage, January 30, 1942 (Hyperwar)

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Last Updated 23 February 2024