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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

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 - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Defense Service Medal (with "A" device) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2)
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Fourth Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (1) - Vietnam Service Medal (1)
Fifth Row - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - United Nations Service 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. Colin D. Headlee USN 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, 19 March to 22 June 1943 and 23 June to 9 July 1943     		Invasion of Southern France, 5 August to 25 September 1944

  • Decommissioned, 30 March 1947, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 1 November 1950, CAPT. Charles E. Harrison USN in command
  • 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 1955, 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), CDR. Elliott, C. Olson USN in command
  • 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
  • USS Delta earned two battle stars for World War II service, one battle star for Korean War service and one campaign star for Vietnam War service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Sold for scrapping by the Maritime Administration, 19 July 1983, to Sabine Towing & Transportation Co. & Schnitzer Steel Products Co.
  • Withdrawn from reserve at Bremerton, 4 August 1983
  • Final Disposition, towed to Chi Shuu Hua Steel Co., LTD. Taiwan for dismantling, Scrap completed 1 November 1983
    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 63k USS Delta (AK-29) arriving at the Cramp Shipbuilding Co., 8 July 1942, for conversion to a repair ship. She operated as a cargo ship for almost a year and was then placed in commission in ordinary at the Philadelphia Navy Yard before being moved to Cramp's. The Matson Navigation Company's design for this class of C-3 size cargo ships included a flush deck and seven pairs of kingposts.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo # 19-N-31379 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    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, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 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
    09250924    		 338k USS Delta (AR-9) crew putting on a variety show while underway, circa 1945
    Photo thanks to Dee Wesner    		 Bob Canchola
    LST-691
    1016069122     		295k USS Delta (AR-9) drydocked, circa 1946, location unknown. Jeffrey Davis
    Delta 28k USS Delta (AR-9), moored pierside, circa 1950, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    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, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 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 Yarnall (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, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Delta 107k USS Delta (AR-9) underway in 1961, location unknown.
    US Navy photo from 1966/67 Edition of "Jane's Fighting Ships"    		 Robert Hurst
    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
    USN 1142733    		 244k USS Delta (AR-9) underway in April 1969, location unknown.
    US Navy photos now in the collections of the National Archives
    US National Archives Catalog # USN 1142733 Port side aerial view
    US National Archives Catalog # USN 1142734 Port quarter aerial view
    US National Archives Catalog # USN 1142735 Port bow aerial view
    US National Archives Catalog # USN 1142736 Starboard quarter aerial view    		 Mike Green
    Delta
    USN 1142734    		 271k
    Delta
    USN 1142735    		 288k
    Delta
    USN 1142736    		 369k
    Delta 32k USS Delta (AR-9) at Sasebo, Japan , circa 1969. Floyd Farrar SEM2 USS Inflict (MSO 456) February 1950 to August 1962
    Delta 24k USS Delta (AR-9) at Sasebo, Japan, circa 1969. 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.
    USS Delta (AK-29 / AR-9)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Headlee, Colin DeVere, USN (USNA 1917)19 June 1941 - 13 April 1944
    02CDR. Swanson, Clarence Floyd, USN (USNA 1920)13 April 1944 - 5 September 1945
    03CAPT. Rogers, Edward Brien, USN (USNA 1917)05.09.1945 26 August 1946
    04LCDR. Metzger, John Kurtze, USN26 August 1946 - 30 March 1947
     Decommissioned 30 March 1947 - 1 November 1950
    05CAPT. Harrison, Charles Edward (Shakey), USN (USNA 1927)1 November 1950 - September 1952
    06CAPT. Weatherwax, Hazlett Paul, USN (USNA 31) :RADMSeptember 1952 - September 1953
    07CAPT. McCornock, Samuel Aldo, USN (USNA 1933)September 1953 - January 1955
    08CAPT. Parsons, George Evald Theodore, USN (USNA 1934)January 1955 - 1 December 1955
     Decommissioned 1 December 1956 - 31 October 1959
    09CDR. Olson, Carl Elliott, USN (USNA 1942)31 October 1959 - 1960
    10CAPT. Bowers, John Michael, USN (USNA 1938)1960 - 17 May 1962
    11CAPT. McClure, Huston Burns, USN17 May 1962 - 24 August 1963
    12CAPT. Kiefer, Edwin Herman, USN24 August 1963 - July 1964
    13CAPT. Wilbur, Charles Clarence, USNJuly 1964 - 1965
    14CAPT. Guest Jr., Frank Benjamin, USNR :RADM1965 - 12 August 1966
    15CAPT. Belt, Richard Wheeler, USN (USNA 1943)12August 1966 - June 1968
    16CAPT. Nott, Hugh Good, USNJune 1968 - 1969
    17CAPT. Smith Jr., Lloyd Stanford, USN (USNA 1946)1969 - 23 April 1970
    18CDR. Saunders, Wesley Whitin, USN (USNA 1955)23 April 1970 - 20 June 1970
    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
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 29 March 2024