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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Delta (AR-9)
ex
 USS Delta (AK-29) (1941 - 1942)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Golf - Kilo
 NWGK
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (3) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Korean Service Medal (3) - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Delta Class Repair Ship:
  • Laid down (date unknown) as SS Hawaiian Packer a Maritime Commission type (C3) hull under a Maritime Commission contract at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA.
  • Launched in 1941
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 16 June 1941
  • Converted for Naval Service and commissioned USS Delta (AK-29), 16 June 1941, CDR. C. D. Headee in command
  • Redesignated a Repair Ship, 1 July 1942
  • Placed in reduced commission for conversion at Cramp Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA
  • Placed in full commission and redesignated (AR-9), 3 March 1943
  • Decommissioned, 5 March 1947, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 1 November 1950
  • Decommissioned, 1 December 1956, at Tacoma, WA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • In a dual ceremony at Bremerton Naval Shipyard on 31 October 1959 USS Kermit Roosevelt (ARG-16) was decommissioned as her crew simultaneously recommissioned USS Delta (AR-9)
  • Decommissioned, 20 June 1970, at Bremerton Naval Shipyard
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1977
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Final Disposition, sold by the Maritime Administration, 19 July 1983, fate unknown
  • USS Delta received three battle stars for World War II service, one for Korean War service and one for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,975 t.
    Length 490' 6"
    Beam 69' 6"
    Draft 23' 6"
    Speed 18 kts.
    Complement 903
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    Propulsion system unknown
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Delta (AK-29)
    Delta 23k USS Delta (AK-29) at anchor, date and location unknown. Capt. Jerry Mason, USN
    USS Delta (AR-9)
    Delta 119k USS Delta (AR-9) off Crump Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA, 2 March 1943, after conversion to a Repair Ship. CAPT. Jerry Mason, USN
    Delta 50k USS Delta (AR-9), underway, circa 1944, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    BB-41 Mississippi 268k A painting by the artist Wayne Scarpaci entitled "South Pacific Advanced Base" depicting USS Mississippi (BB-41) in floating drydock USS ABSD-2 in 1944. Next to her is USS Delta (AR-9). Drawing courtesy of artbywayne.com.
    Delta 354k USS Delta (AR-9) underway during the 1950s, location unknown. Note the crew appears to be at General Quarters, the gun crews are wearing helmets and life jackets.
    US Navy photo from the USS Delta AR 9 Photo Lab.    		 David Buell
    Delta 292k USS Delta (AR-9) moored in the harbor at Sasebo, Japan in April 1955 while tending destroyers (inboard to outboard):
    USS McDermut (DD-677),
    USS Yarnell (DD-541),
    USS Tingey (DD-539),
    USS Boyd (DD-544), and
    USS Horace A. Bass (APD 124)    		 Mike Cary for his father James H. Cary SFCM USN Ret. USS Delta
    Delta 45k USS Delta (AR-9) at anchor, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Delta 56k USS Delta (AR-9) at anchor, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Delta 32k USS Delta (AR-9) at Sasebo, Japan in the summer of 1960. Floyd Farrar SEM2 USS Inflict (MSO 456) February 1950 to August 1962
    Delta 24k USS Delta (AR-9) at Sasebo, Japan in the summer of 1960. Floyd Farrar SEM2 USS Inflict (MSO 456) February 1959 to August 1962
    Delta 196k USS Delta (AR-9) Welcome Aboard pamphlet cover. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    View the USS Delta (AK-29 / AR-9)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship Photo Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index Back To The Repair Ship (AR) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 6 June 2008