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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 (2) - 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:
  • Built, circa late-1940-early 1941, 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. Headlee 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
  • During World War II USS Delta was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    European-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North African occupation
    Tunisian operations, June to July 1943     		Sicilian occupation, July 1943

  • Decommissioned, 5 March 1947, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 1 November 1950
  • During the Korean War USS Delta participated in the following campaign:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    10 September to 15 October 1952

  • 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)
  • During the Vietnam War USS Delta participated in the following campaign:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    29 June to 27 July 1969

  • 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 two battle stars for World War II service, one battle star for Korean War service and one campaign star for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,975 t.(lt) 14,500 t.(lim)
    Length 490' 6"
    Beam 69' 6"
    Draft 23' 6"
    Speed 16.5 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 40
    Enlisted 884
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 15,760 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Newport News steam turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers 450psi 750°
    double Newport News Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    five Diesel-drive 350Kw 350V A.C.
    single propeller, 8,500shp
    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 106k USS Delta (AR-9) off Crump Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA, 2 March 1943, after conversion to a Repair Ship.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-041743 RG-19-LCM, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo, taken by Crump Shipyard, now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 CAPT. Jerry Mason, USN (Ret) and Robert Hurst
    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 178k USS Delta (AR-9) underway circa 1950 to1955. Her large crane is clearly visible, as is the nearly complete deck added above her main deck during her repair ship conversion.
    US Navy photo # USN 1045380 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.    		 Robert Hurst
    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 158k USS Delta (AR-9) underway, circa 1960, probably after recommissioning in 1959. She appears to have lost her 5" gun on the stern, although she retains her four 3" guns.
    US Navy photo # unknown from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.    		 Robert Hurst
    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 70k USS Delta (AR-9) at Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1967 with USS Sproston (DD-577) alongside. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Delta 42k USS Delta (AR-9) underway, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    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 History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    CDR. Headlee, Colin DeVere (17)19 June 1941 - 1944
    CDR. Swanson, Clarence Floyd (20)1944 - ?
    Decommissioned 5 March 1947 - 1 November 1950
    CAPT. Weatherwax, Hazlett Paul :RADM (31)September 1952 - September 1953
    Decommissioned 1 December 1956 - 31 October 1959
    CDR. Olson, Carl Elliott31 October 1959 - 1962
    CDR. Robinson, William Moody (42)1962 - 1965
    CAPT. Guest, Frank B. Jr. :RADM1965 - 1966
    CAPT. Nott, Hugh Good1968 - 1969
    CAPT. Smith Jr., Lloyd Stanford (46)1969 - ?
    CDR. Saunders, Wesley Whitin (55)? - 20 June 1970
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 19 March 2010