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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Whippet (IX-129)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Mike - Mike
 NJMM
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal
Armadillo Class Mobile Station Tanker:
  • Laid down, 31 October 1943, as SS Eugene W. Hilgard a Maritime Commission type (Z-ET1-S-C3) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1933) at Delta Shipbuilding Corp., New Orleans, LA.
  • Launched, 15 December 1943
  • Delivered to the US Navy, at New Orleans, LA., 13 January 1944
  • Commissioned USS Whippet (IX-129), 14 January 1944, LCDR. R. Parmenter in command
  • During World War II USS Whippet was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of the southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 2 April to 30 June 1945

  • Decommissioned 1 July 1946
  • Returned to the War Shipping Administration for lay up with the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 19 July 1946
  • USS Whippet earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Merchant Service
    Sold, 27 April 1951, to Hilgard Tanker Corp., name retained
    Resold in July 1954 to a Liberian Shipping Co.
    Resold in 1955 to Theodpilos J. Vatis, Greece
    Converted to a dry cargo ship at Savannah, GA. in 1955, renamed SS Loida Liberian flag retained
    Vessel lengthened at Kobe, Japan in 1965
    Sold in 1971, renamed SS Nervion
    Final Disposition, scrapped in 1971 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,665 t.(lt) 15,425 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 57'
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 11 kts.
    Complement 109
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion
    two 220 PSI boilers
    one three cylinder triple-expansion reciprocating engine
    single 4 blade, 18' 6" propeller, Shaft Horsepower, 2,500
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    United States Maritime Commission
    Gemsbok
    094611702    		 140k United States Maritime Commission Tanker Design Z-ET-1-S-C3.
    US National Archives photo thanks to Auke Visser's Famous T-Tanker Pages     		 
    USS Whippet (IX-129)
    Wippet
    094612903    		 403k
    Namesake
    Whippet - is a dog breed of medium size. They are a sighthound breed that originated in England, where they descended from Greyhounds. Whippets today still strongly resemble a smaller Greyhound.     		Tommy Trampp
    Merchant Service
    Whippet 275k Ex-USNS Whippet (IX-129) in Greek owned, Liberian flagged merchant service as SS Loida loading/unloading lumber to/from a barge, date and location unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Whippet 190k Ex-USNS Whippet (IX-129) sold and renamed SS Nervion in 1971, possible at a shipbreakers yard at Kaohsiung, Taiwan Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Whippet (IX-129)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Miscellaneous Ship (IX) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 16 July 2021