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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by NAFTS

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Kittiwake (ASR-13)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Lima - Whiskey NULW

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (4) - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (6)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2)

Chanticteer Class Submarine Rescue Ship:

Laid down, 5 January 1945, at Savannah Machinery and Foundry, Co., Savannah, GA.

Launched, 10 July 1945

Commissioned USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), 18 July 1946, LT. L. H. Collier in command

Decommissioned, 30 September 1994

Struck from the Naval Register, 30 September 1994

Title transferred to MARAD, 31 March 2000, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Withdrawn from National Defense Reserve Fleet, 18 February 2010, and towed to Dominion Marine, Norfolk, VA. to prepare her for reefing

Final Disposition, to be reefed, 5 January 2011, in the Cayman Islands as a dive site

Specifications:
Displacement 1,780 t.(lt) 2,141 t.(fl)
Length 251' 4"
Beam 42'
Draft 14' 10" (lim)
Speed 14.5 kts.

Complement

Officer 6

Enlisted 96

Largest Boom Capacity 20 t.

Armament

two single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts

eight single 20mm gun mounts

four depth charge tracks

Fuel Capacity Diesel-1,785 Bbls

Propulsion

four General Motors model 12-278A Diesel engines
Ship's Service Generators
two GM Diesel 8-268A Diesel-drive 200Kw 120V D.C.
one GM Diesel 3-268A drive 60Kw 120V D.C.

single propeller, 3,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
	255k	*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** under way in 1953. Note 3" gun on 01 level, and 20mm in front of bridge	John Hummel
	116k	*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13) moored astern of USS Orion (AS-18)** at Naval Station Norfolk, 30 September 1955. US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Mike Green
	109k	*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13) under way off NOB Norfolk, VA. July-August 1964. In the foreground is USS Rankin (AKA-103)**.	© Richard Leonhardt
09321327	292k	*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** underway in Hampton Roads, VA., 19 December 1969. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # K-80394	Robert Hurst
	120k	*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** underway in a Mediterranean port, date unknown. US Navy photo from 1966/67 edition of "Jane's Fighting Ships".	Robert Hurst
	178k	*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** under way, in the North Atlantic during the summer of 1978.	© Richard Collins
	261k	*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** underway in the roadstead at Hampton Roads, 23 July 1988. Defense Visual Information Center photo # DN-ST-88-08285 by Don S. Montgomery.	Bill Gonyo
09375140	3272k	U.S. Navy salvage ship *USS Grasp* (ARS-51), foreground, and USS Kittiwake (ASR-13)** maintain position astern of the vessel M/V Greenpeace to prevent that vessel, which was operated by the environmental organization of the same name, from attempting to disrupt the U.S. Navy's test launch of a Trident II D-5 submarine-launched ballistic missile off the coast of Florida on 4 December 1989. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Identifier 6452768	Robert Hurst
	50k	*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** under way, date and location unknown.	National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors)
	28k	*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** under way, date and location unknown.	Courtesy Harry Jaeger and The National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
	129k	*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Tom Langford
09321326	343k	Oil Painting by artist A.L. Street of *USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13) and USS Cutlass (SS-478)** conducting a submarine rescue exercise, circa 1950s-1960s.	Terry Gillispie
MARAD James River Group Reserve Fleet
	188k	Ex-*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13) between ex-USNS Harkness (T-AGS-32) and ex-USS Escape (ARS-6)** in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, in April 2005.	Photo by Ed Zajkowski
	166k	Ex-*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** moored in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, in April 2005. View of Oil Purifier in ships engine room.	Photo by Ed Zajkowski
	133k	Ex-*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** moored in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, in April 2005. View of hand painted Engineering Dept. logo on engine room deck.	Photo by Ed Zajkowski
	87k	From left to right; ex-*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13), ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6) and ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22)**, laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 8 April 2009	Photo Mike Hibbard
	87k	From right to left; ex-*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13), ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), and ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22)** laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 9 April 2009	Photo Mike Hibbard
	102k	From left to right; ex-*USS Cape Cod* (AD-43), ex-USNS Harkness (T-AGS-32), ex-USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6), and ex-USS Ortolan (ASR-22)** laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 9 April 2009	Photo Mike Hibbard
	111k	From left to right; ex-*USS Cape Cod* (AD-43), ex-USNS Harkness (T-AGS-32), ex-USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), ex-USCGC Escape (WMEC-6)** laid up in reserve in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 9 April 2009	Photo Mike Hibbard
	99k	Ex-*USS Kittiwake* (ASR-13)** under tow on the Elizabeth River, 18 February 2010, from the James River National Reserve Fleet to Dominion Marine, Norfolk, VA., where she will be cleaned of toxic materials. The ship will then be towed to the Cayman Islands where she will be sunk in about 65 feet of water as an artificial diving reef.	Mabel Clark

USS Kittiwake Additional Ships Patches

For more photos and information about USS Kittiwake, see;
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
MARAD Vessel History Database
National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
Photos and Articles about ex-Kittiwake Grand Caymen Islands Reefing

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Collier, Leland H., USN	18 July 1946 - 1948
02	LT. Hurst III, Thomas Charles, USN (USNA 1943)	1948 - 1950
03	LT. Wilson, Walter Kenneth, USN (USNA 1943)	1950 - 1952
04	LT. Rogers, Paul Russell, USN	1952 - 1954
05	LT. Coulburne, Thomas Edward, USN	1954 - 1954
06	LCDR. Buckee, William Denver, USN	1954 - 1956
07	LCDR. Hibbs, William Hough, USN	1956 - 1958
08	LCDR. Scott, William Milton, USN	1958 - 1960
09	LCDR. Powell Jr., Perry O., USNR	1960 - 1962
10	LCDR. Kutzleb Sr., Robert Eugene, USN	1962 - 1964
11	LCDR. Langford, George Randolph, USN	1964 - 6 September 1966
12	LCDR. Scranton, Herbert H., USN	6 September 1966 - 1968
13	LT. James, Robert Francis, USN	1968 - 1970
14	LCDR. Mullaly, William Joseph, USN	1970 - 11 December 1971
15	LCDR. McNease Jr., Sollie, USN	11 December 1971 - 1974
15	CDR. Duffy, Francis Kevin<, USN (USNA 1960)	1974 - January 1977
17	CDR. Schery, Ferdinand Michael, USN (USNA 1963)	January 1977 - 16 March 1979
18	CDR. Fawcett, Peter Formanek, USN	16 March 1979 - 1981
19	CDR. Martin, Thomas James, USN	1981 - 1983
20	CDR. Norris, Rick Joseph, USN	1983 - 15 October 1985
21	LCDR. Erwin, Troy James, USN	15 October 1985 - 8 October 1988
22	CDR. Trotter, James Sheldon, USN (USNA 1974)	8 October 1988 - 1991
23	CDR. Stewart, William James, USN	1991 - July 1993
24	CDR. Zehner, Stanley Norman	July 1993 - 29 September 1994


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 7 July 2023