Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS San Clemente (AG-79)
ex
 USS Wright (AV-1) (1926 - 1945)
 USS Wright (AZ-1) (1921 - 1926)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Romeo - November
NIRN
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 - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Wright Class Aircraft Tender:
  • Laid down in 1920 under USSB contract (hull 680) as a Hog Island type "B" cargo vessel at American International Shipbuilding Corp, Hog Island, PA., for $1,885,411.52
  • Named Wright, 20 April 1920
  • Launched, 28 April 1920
  • Fitted out by Tiejten and Lang Dry Dock Co., Hoboken N.J., as a Lighter-than-Air Aircraft Tender
  • Commissioned USS Wright (AZ-1), 16 December 1921, CAPT. Alfred W. Johnson, in command
  • Reclassified Heavier-than-Air Aircraft Tender (AV-1), 2 December 1926
  • During World War II USS Wright was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Treasury-Bougainville operation
    Supporting air actions, 27 October 1943 to 1 May 1944     		Western New Guinea operations
    22 June to 16 July 1944

  • Reclassified Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG-79), 1 October 1944
  • Renamed USS San Clemente (AG-79), 1 February 1945
  • Following World War II USS San Clemente was assigned to Occupation duty and China service for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    11 to 12 April 19466 January to 8 April 1946

  • Decommissioned, 21 June 1946, at New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 12 September 1946, Hudson River Group, Jones Point, N.Y.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 20 July 1948, to Patapsco Scrap Corp. along with USS Melville (AD-2) and USS Wassuc (CMc-3), contract PDX-452, for $332,124.00
  • USS Wright (AV-1) earned two battle stars for her World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 12,142 t.(fl)
    Length 448'
    Beam 58' 3"
    Draft 23' (mean)
    Speed 15 kts. (max.)
    San Clemente Complement includes Troops
    Officers - 156
    Enlisted - 683
    Largest Boom Capacity 20 t.
    San Clemente Armament
    six single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    one twin 40mm AA gun mount
    two machine guns
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO - 7,400 Bbls
    Diesel - 1,470 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric turbine
    six Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 200psi sat
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gear
    three turbo-drive Ship's Service Generators, 200Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 3,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Wright (AZ-1)
    Wright 73k
    Namesake

    Orville Wright was born on August 19 , 1871 on 7 Hawthorn Street in Dayton, Ohio. He was the fourth child of Bishop Milton Wright and Susan Catharine Wright. Orville grew up in an atmosphere that was loving, and that nurtured all types of expression. The two libraries in the Wright house were especially encouraging of academic pursuits. Orville was the more mischievous of the two brothers, had a healthy childhood, and wasn't inclined to excessive study. He was also "a champion bicyclist and so the brothers went into the bicycle business, which gave full vent to their mechanical aptitude." His adventurous nature and drive to succeed combined with his brother Wilbur's research skills to achieve what is considered by many to be the greatest, most influential accomplishment of the 20th century. Their feat changed the way we live our lives, the way we see the world and "revolutionized both peace and war." Following Wilbur's death in 1912, Orville carried their legacy alone towards an exciting future. However, the hot new arena of aviation business proved volatile, and Orville sold the Wright company in 1916. He also stayed active in the public eye, promoting aeronautics, inventing, and the historic first flight that he made. April 29, 1936: Orville Wright was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences. January 30 1948: Orville Wright died in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 76, thus ending his 28 years as a member of the NACA. NASA was created from NACA 10 years after Orville's death. In his lifetime, the speed of the airplane had been increased from 0 mph to almost 1,000 mph. Digital ID: ppmsc 06102 Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division    		 Bill Gonyo
    Wright 54k USS Wright (AZ-1), port broadside view, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Submitted by Elaine C. Witty, Charpentier, photo from the collection of Gerald M. Charpentier
    USS Wright (AV-1)
    Wright 69k USS Wright (AV-1) transiting the Panama Canal, date unknown.  
    Wright 30k USS Wright (AV-1) underway, date and location unknown  
    Wright 30k USS Wright (AV-1) underway, date and location unknown  
    Wright 56k USS Wright (AV-1) bow and stern photos of USS Wright (AV-1) moored, date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Wright 52k
    Wright 62k USS Wright (AV-1), starboard aerial view
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-463531, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives         		Ray Meiser
    Langley" 71k USS Holland (AS-3) anchored in San Diego Bay, with USS Wright (AV-1) and USS Langley (CV-1) moored pierside at NAS North Island in the background, circa 1931-32.
    Photo by Teddy Krueger, USS Holland.    		 Rick Larson, MMCM(SS) Ret.
    Wright 55k USS Wright (AV-1) anchored at Sitka, AK., circa 26 July to 5 August 1936. Photo by Albert Weigandt F1/c USS Wright 1936-38
    Courtesy James Card QMC USN
    Wright 58k USS Wright (AV-1) tending a seaplane at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, circa 5 February to 23 February 1937. Photo by Albert Weigandt F1/c USS Wright 1936-38
    Courtesy James Card QMC USN
    Wright 67k USS Wright (AV-1) at anchor, circa 1936 to 1938. James D. Card QMC for his Grandfather Albert Weigandt F1/c USS Wright 1936-38
    Wright 33k USS Wright (AV-1) and USS Ranger (CV-4) moored at NAS North Island in San Diego bay, circa 1936-38. Photo by Albert Weigandt F1/c USS Wright 1936-38
    Courtesy James Card QMC USN.
    Wright 36k USS Wright (AV-1), at anchor, overhead view, date and location unknown. Bill Koonts AT2 VP56 1953-56
    Wright 60k USS Wright (AV-1) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    Photo by Albert Weigandt F1/c USS Wright 1936-38    		 Courtesy James Card QMC USN.
    Wright 14k USS Wright (AV-1) at anchor, date and location unknown. Russ Padden
    Wright 37k USS Wright (AV-1) underway, circa 1937, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Wright 574k USS Wright (AV-1) at anchor, 15 April 1939 in Narragansett Bay.
    Photo Caption reads;
    "WAITS WAR GAMES
    THE AIRCRAFT TENDER U.S.S. WRIGHT AT ANCHOR APRIL 15 IN NARRAGANSETT BAY OFF THE RHODE ISLAND COAST WHERE PLANES OF THE ARMY AND SHIPS AND PLANES OF THE NAVY AND THE COAST GUARD WILL COOPERATE NEXT WEEK.TO "DEFEND" THE INDUSTRIAL EAST FROM A THEORETICAL ATTACK."
    ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
    4-15-39 11:30PES LKM JO.    		 From the Michael Strout collection of AP photos, courtesy Jonathan Eno
    Wright 91k USS Wright (AV-1) (aft plan view) in a San Francisco shipyard, while conducting inclining experiments, 13 June 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 4348-43, 6/13/43    		 Darryl Baker
    Wright 125k USS Wright (AV-1) (amidships plan view) at San Francisco shipyard, 13 June 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 4346-43, 6/13/43    		 Darryl Baker
    Wright 124k USS Wright (AV-1) (aft plan view) at San Francisco shipyard, 8 July 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5000-43, 7/8/43    		 Darryl Baker
    Wright 174k USS Wright (AV-1) (amidships looking aft plan view) at San Francisco shipyard, 8 July 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5001-43, 7/8/43    		 Darryl Baker
    Wright 54k USS Wright (AV-1) (stern view) underway off Alameda CA, 13 July 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5117-43, 7/13/43    		 Darryl Baker
    Wright 53k USS Wright (AV-1) (broadside view) underway off Alameda CA, 13 July 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5119-43, 7/13/43    		 Darryl Baker
    Wright 75k USS Wright (AV-1) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from the collections of the US Navy Memorial.    		 Stan Svec
    USS Wright (AG-79)
    Wright 319k USS Wright (AG-79) crew photo, date unknown. Photo is believed to have been taken prior to name change to San Clemente (AG-79). Ray Meiser contributed this photo. His father, Gaelen George Meiser, was a crew member in Wright at the time of the name change
    USS San Clemente (AG-79)
    Wright 50k USS San Clemente (AG-79) moored to a buoy at Shanghai, China, March 1946. Warren Walker, EM3/c USS San Clemente
    Additional photos taken by Albert Weigandt F1/c USS Wright 1936-38

    For more photos and information about USS Wright, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • Commanding Officers
    • Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Wright Alumni Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship Type Index Back To The Lighter-than-Air Aircraft Tender (AZ) Photo Index Type Index Back To The Seaplane Tender (AV) Photo Index Back To The Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 2 March 2012