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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AS-12 Sperry

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Echo - Victor
NCEV

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

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

Fulton Class Submarine Tender:

Laid down, 1 February 1941, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.

Launched, 17 December 1941

Commissioned USS Sperry (AS-12), 1 May 1942, CAPT. R.H. Smith in command

Decommissioned, 30 September 1982

Struck from the Naval Register, 30 September 1982

Laid up in the Navy Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF) Bremerton, WA.

Title transfer to the Maritime Administration, 23 May 1998

Final Disposition, laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA; awaiting disposal

Specifications:
Displacement 9,250 t.(lt) 15,034 t.(fl)
Length 529' 6"
Beam 73' 4"
Draft 23' 6"
Speed 18.5 kts.
Complement 1,303
Armament four single 5"/38 gun mounts
Propulsion diesel electric, twin screws, 12,000hp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By /Source By
113k	Sperry (AS-12) keel laying at Mare Island Navy Yard, 1 February 1941. The official party is from left to right: Bottom row: CDR A. S. Pitre, USN (Shipbuilding Supt.), E. W. Buel (Chief Clerk, Supply), F. T. Machiel (Procurement Clerk, Public Works), N. E. Hanson (Chief Clerk, Public Works); on the keel above are CDR E. B. Keating (CEC), USN (Asst. Public Works Officer) and Capt G. P. Shamer, USN, (Supply Officer). Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 309-41.	Darryl Baker
132k	Sperry (AS-12) ready for launching at Mare Island Navy Yard, 17 December 1941. US Navy photo.	Darryl Baker
111k	Sperry (AS-12)'s Sponsor, Mrs. Robert B. Lea, christens the ship at Mare Island, 17 December 1941. Pictured are from left to right: Miss Margot Dean (Maid of Honor), Mrs. Robert B. Lead (Sponsor), RADM W. L. Friedell (Shipyard Commandant), and Governor Culbert L. Olson of California. US Navy photo.	Darryl Baker
145k	Sperry (AS-12) at the end of the ways during her launching at Mare Island Navy Yard, 17 December 1941. US Navy photo # AS 12 3459-41.	Darryl Baker
135k	Sperry (AS-12) is waterborne for the first time after her launching at Mare Island Navy Yard, 17 December 1941. US Navy photo.	Darryl Baker
79k	Sperry (AS-12) is waterborne for the first time after her launching at Mare Island Navy Yard, 17 December 1941. US Navy photo.	Darryl Baker
48k	Sperry (AS-12) tending submarines, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	.
66k	Sperry (AS-12) tending submarines, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Courtesy Randy Guttery Tendertales web site
120k	Amidships looking aft plan view of Sperry (AS-12) at Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 27 April 1945. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3014-45.	Darryl Baker
88k	Broadside view of Sperry (AS-12) underway off Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 28 April 1945. *Sperry* was in overhaul at Mare Island from 7 March to 28 April 1945. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3092-45.	Darryl Baker
83k	Bows on view of Sperry (AS-12) departing Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 28 April 1945. Nereus (AS 17) is just visible in the background to the left of *Sperry. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3094-45*.	Darryl Baker
90k	Stern view of Sperry (AS-12) departing Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 28 April 1945. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3090-45.	Darryl Baker
87k	After port view of Sperry (AS-12) at San Diego in 1949 with two Submarine Squadron Three (SUBRON 3) boats alongside. Visible in the photo are the conning towers and periscope shears of the Blenny (SS-324) and Barbero (SS-317).	Ric Hedman TN(SS) USS Flasher and USS Cusk.
48k	Sperry (AS-12) probably at San Diego, circa 1949.	Ric Hedman TN(SS) USS Flasher and USS Cusk.
65k	Sperry (AS-12) underway, date and location unknown.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
41k	Sperry (AS-12) underway, date and location unknown.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
203k	Overhead photo of Sperry (AS-12) at San Diego, Ca., circa 1950. In the photo are Greenlet (ASR-10) at *Sperry*'s port bow with six of her squadrons submarines off her port side. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, June 1950.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
882k	Sperry (AS-12) outbound to sea exiting San Diego Bay off Point Loma, 18 April 1955 US Navy photo # USN 668277	David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN Ret. DCA USS Sperry 1968-69
1036k	Sperry (AS-12) underway, circa 1950s, location unknown. USN photo via the US Naval Institute.	David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN Ret. DCA USS Sperry 1968-69
73k	Sperry (AS-12) underway at San Francisco Bay in October 1957. Photo by ©Allied Photographers San Francisco.	Robert M. Cieri
68k	Sperry (AS-12) rides between her mooring buoys with most of the submarines of Squadron Three alongside, at San Diego, CA., date unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, March 1960	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
97k	Cover of Sperry (AS-12) Welcome Aboard pamphlet, circa 1968. Note she still carries MK 12/22 radar on her MK 37 gun director in this picture. Submarines alongside include, from inboard to outboard Atule (SS-403), *Bugara (SS-331)* and Sea Fox* (SS-402.*	David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell USN Ret. DCA USS Sperry 1968-69
101k	Sperry (AS-12) at anchor in San Diego harbor, 1976.	Darryl Baker
100k	Sperry (AS-12) at anchor in San Diego harbor, 1980.	Darryl Baker
73k	Sperry (AS-12) pierside, San Diego, CA., 1981.	Darryl Baker