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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Suisun (AVP-53)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - November - Romeo
NCNR
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
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Service Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (1) - United Nations Korean Service Medal

Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tender: Laid down, 4 October 1942, at Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, WA.
  • Launched, 14 March 1943
  • Commissioned, USS Suisun (AVP-53), 13 September 1943, CDR. James J. Vaughn in command (Ships' history prepared by the ship indicates 10 September 1943 as date of commissioning)
  • During World War II USS Suisun was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 April to 30 June 1945
    3d Fleet operations against Japan, 10 July to 25 July 1945

  • USS Suisun was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal

    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 September to 16 November 194522 August to 12 October 1947
    25 August to 18 September 194820 July to 24 August 1948
    6 to 13 November 195020 September to 20 October 1948
     17 July to 2 November 1950
     6 March to 9 April 1951
     8 to 31 January 1953
     21 to 26 February 1953
     6 to 26 August 1954
     8 to 28 September 1954

  • During the Korean War USS Suisun participated in the following campaign:
  • During World War II USS Suisun was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Second Korean Winter, 17 to 20 March 1952
  • Decommissioned, 5 August 1955
  • Laid up in the Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 April 1966
  • USS Suisun earned two battle stars for World War II service and one battle star Korean War service
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target, October 1966
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,766 t.(lt) 2,750 t.(fl) 2,800 t.(lim)
    Length 310' 9"
    Beam 41' 2"
    Draft 13' 6" (lim)
    Speed 18.2 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 23
    Enlisted 201
    Embarked Squadron Accommodations
    Officers 50
    Enlisted 93
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    one quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    Diesel 1,955 Bbls
    Gasoline 84,340 Gals
    Propulsion
    four Fairbanks Morse Diesel 32D81/8
    single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gear Ship's Service Generators
    two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
    one Diesel-drive 200Kw 450V A.C.
    two propellers, 6,080shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed By /
    Source
    Suisun
    09435315
    192k
    Namesake
    Suisun - Suisun Bay is a shallow tidal estuary (a northeastern extension of the San Francisco Bay) in Northern California. It lies at the confluence of the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River, forming the entrance to the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, an inverted river delta. Suisun Marsh, the tidal marsh land to the north, is the largest marsh in California. Grizzly Bay forms a northern extension of Suisun Bay. Suisun Bay is directly north of Contra Costa County. (Wikipedia)
    Photo - NASA photo North San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay and Suisun Bay
    Map - Navigation chart Suisun Bay
    Tommy Trampp
    Suisun 118k Suisun (AVP-53) being launched at the Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, Washington, 14 March 1943.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-47215 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Robert Hurst
    Suisun 89k USS Suisun (AVP-53) off Houghton, WA., 17 September 1944, a few days after commissioning. She was the first of her class completed with the late war standard main armament of one 5"/38 gun and one quadruple 40mm mount, both forward. Her camouflage scheme is Measure 32 Design 2Ax.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-74567, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Suisun 91k USS Suisun (AVP-53) off Houghton, WA., 17 September 1944. She is wearing Measure 32 Design 2Ax camouflage.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-74568, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Suisun 89k USS Suisun (AVP-53) off Houghton, WA., 17 September 1944. She is wearing Measure 32 Design 2Ax camouflage.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-74569, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Suisun 60k USS Suisun (AVP-53) off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, 5 October 1944. She is wearing Measure 32 Design 2Ax camouflage.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-72541, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Suisun 67k USS Suisun (AVP-53) off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, 5 October 1944. She is wearing Measure 32 Design 2Ax camouflage.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-72544, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Suisun 82k USS Suisun (AVP-53) off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, 5 October 1944. She is wearing Measure 32 Design 2Ax camouflage.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-72545, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Suisun 79k USS Suisun (AVP-53) passing a line to USS Castle Rock (AVP-35), off Javapog, Saipan, in April 1945. Photographed by Ensign Thomas Binford, USNR, from one of USS Castle Rock's 40mm gun tubs. Note Suisun's Measure 32 Design 2Ax camouflage.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-K-16189, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    Robert Hurst
    Suisun 149k USS Suisun (AVP-53) in Tokyo Bay while refueling ADM. Halsey's seaplane, circa late August-early September 1945. Ed Arata for his father Albert Edward (Ed) Arata MM/1c USS Suisun
    Suisun 97k USS Suisun (AVP-53) at New York, 17 August 1946. Photo courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969.
    US Navy photo # NH 67897, from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Suisun
    09435314
    272k USS Suisun (AVP-53) coming alongside USS Pine Island (AV-12), 11 July 1947, off San Diego, CA.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-415882, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Rick Davis
    Suisun 116k USS Suisun (AVP-53) underway in a photograph dated 1952. The quadruple 40mm gun mount on her fantail was added in around 1948. Note the small aviation insignia just forward of her small bow number.
    US Navy photo # NH 97926, from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Suisun 96k USS Suisun (AVP-53) laid up in reserve as part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group, circa 1960. Identifiable ships from left to right include;
    USS Izard (DD-589),
    USS Halford (DD-480),
    USS Wiley (DD-597),
    USS Suisun (AVP-53),
    USS Bryant (DD-665), and
    USS Haraden (DD-585).
    The destroyers are all Fletcher-class ships. Note the large aviation star on Suisun's bow.
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 72676.
    Robert Hurst

    USS Suisun (AVP-53)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Vaughan, James John, (USNA 1933) :RADM13 September 1944 - February 1946
    02LCDR. Drake, Francis RodmanFebruary 1946 - March 1947
    03CDR. Lee, James Richard :RADMMarch 1947 - March 1948
    05CDR. Brandley, Frank Albin :RADMFebruary 1949 - December 1949
    06CDR. Sanchez, Henry Gabriel USN (USNA 1930)December 1949 - December 1950
    07CAPT. Bowen Jr., John Bunyan? - October 1952
    08CDR. Emrick, Paul Edgar, USN (USNA 1932)July 1954 - 5 August 1955
    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
    Barnegat Class Seaplane Tenders
    Profile and Sky Views - Barnegat Class Small Seaplane Tenders - Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, WA.
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship Type Index Back To The Small Seaplane Tender (AVP) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 24 September 2021