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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Whiskey - Golf
 NAWG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korean Service Medal - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Personnel Awards

Purple Heart (5 on 21 June 1945 at Okinawa)
Kenneth Whiting Class Seaplane Tender:
  • Laid down, 19 June 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (C3 hull) at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co., Seattle, WA.
  • Launched, 15 December 1943
  • Commissioned USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14), 8 May 1944, CDR. R. R. Lyons in command
  • During World War II USS Kenneth Whiting was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Neutralization of Japanese Bases in the Bonins, Marianas, and western Pacific, 14 to 27 August 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 25 April to 30 June 1945
  • Decommissioned, 29 May 1947, at San Pedro, CA.
  • Recommissioned, 24 October 1951, at San Diego, CA.
  • Decommissioned, 30 September 1958, at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA.
  • Stuck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1961
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 21 February 1962, to Union Minerals and Alloys Corp
  • USS Kenneth Whiting received two battle stars for World War II
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,510 t.(lt) 12,610 t.(fl) 14,000 t.(lim)
    Length 492'
    Beam 69' 6"
    Draft 22'
    Speed 18.7 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 113
    Enlisted 964
    Largest Boom Capacity 20 t.
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    two quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    two tw8h 40mm AA gun mounts
    sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 9,675Bbls
    Diesel 760Bbls
    Gasoline 312,475Gals
    Propulsion
    one Allis Chalmers steam turbine
    two Foster and Wheeler D-type boilers, 465psi 765°
    double "Falk Main Reduction Gear
    three turbo-drive Ship's Service Generators, 500Kw 450V A.C.
    one propeller, 8,500hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Kenneth Whiting
    Namesake

    CDR Kenneth Whiting, photographed aboard USS Saratoga (CV-3) while serving as her executive officer, 1927 to 1929.
    US Navy Historical Center photo         		Fabio Peņa
    Kenneth Whiting 38k USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14) underway, date and location unknown. Note she is painted in camouflage scheme Measure 32/8x.
    US Navy photo         		Haze Gray & Underway
    Kenneth Whiting 23k USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14) at anchor, circa 1943, location unknown. Note she is painted in camouflage scheme Measure 32/8x. .
    Kenneth Whiting 111k USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14) at anchor, and location unknown. Note she is painted in camouflage scheme Measure 32/8x and has a PB2Y "Coronado" on her after deck.
    US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.    		 Robert Hurst
    Kenneth Whiting 48k USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14) underway, circa 1950s location unknown
    US Navy photo         		Haze Gray & Underway
    Kenneth Whiting 60k USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14) underway in th harbor at Sidney, Australia, date unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Kenneth Whiting 41k USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14) underway, circa 1956, location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships 1956-57".    		 Robert Hurst
    View the USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    2009 Reunion Information
    Place: Tucson, AZ.
    Date: 3 to 5 May 2009
    Contact: Bob Shelnutt
    Address: 1458 Country Squire Dr.. Decatur, GA. 30033
    Phone: (404)-372-4708
    E-mail: USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14) 2009 Reunion
    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 17 July 2009