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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Hewell (AKL-14)
ex
 USS Hewell (AG-145) (1948 - 1949)
 USAV FS-391

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Korean Service Medal (7) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Camano Class Light Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as FS-391 for the US Army at United States Concrete Pipe Corp., Los Angeles, CA.
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Delivered to the US Army Transportation Service, circa April-December 1944
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 2 February 1948
  • Commissioned Miscellaneous Auxiliary USS Hewell (AG-145), 5 June 1948, LTjg. J. W. Hinkleman in command
  • Reclassified Light Cargo Ship (AKL-14) June 1949
  • During the Korean War USS Hewell participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    18 August to 2 November 1950     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    1 May 1952
    13 to 16 June 1952
    9 to 11 and 22 July 1952
    20 to 21 and 25 to 26 August 1952
    13 to 14 and 26 to 30 September 1952
    9 and 26 to 28 October 1952
    22 to 25 November 1952
    1 to 2 December 1952
    Communist China Aggression
    6 December 1950 to 7 January 1951     		Third Korean Winter
    29 to 30 December 1952
    7 to 8 and 20 January 1953
    6 to 7 and 23 to 24 February 1953
    3 to 4 and 24 to 30 March 1953
    Inchon Landing
    15 to 17 September 1950     		Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    15 to 21 and 25 June 1953
    2, 16 to 17, 22, and 26 July 1953
    Second Korean Winter
    27 to 28 December 1951
    3 to 4 and 5 to 10 January 1952
    8 to 10 and 21 to 22 February 1952
    27 February to 1 March 1952
    8 to 10, 24 to 25 and 30 April 1952     		.

  • Decommissioned, 15 March 1955, at Astoria, OR.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 November 1959
  • Final Disposition, sold, 2 June 1960, to Steve Pickard, scrapped at Lake Union, Seattle, circa 1973
  • USS Hewell received seven battle stars for Korean war service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 500 t.(lt) 705 t.(fl)
    Length 176'
    Beam 32'
    Draft 14'
    Speed 13 kts.
    Armament two 50 cal. machine guns, one each port and starboard on flying bridge
    Complement 26
    Propulsion two 500hp GM Cleveland Division 6-278A 6-cyl V6 diesel engines, twin screws
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Hewell 72k USS Hewell (AKL-14) at anchor, circa 1951-53, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 105033-KN from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, donation of Willard Adams, 2007, Radioman in Hewell between October 1951 and April 1953. .    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Hewell 53k USS Hewell (AKL-14) underway in heavy seas enroute from Japan to Korea with ammunition to re-arm the battleship USS Missouri (BB-63) during the Korean War, circa September 1950-April 1953. Willard Adams USS Hewell October 1951 and April 1953.
    Hewell 36k USS Hewell (AKL-14) alongside the port bow of the battleship USS Missouri (BB-63) while unloading ammunition during the Korean War, circa September 1950-April 1953. Willard Adams USS Hewell October 1951 and April 1953.
    Hewell 51k
    Hewell 21k Two views of the stern of USS Hewell (AKL-14), The first view was taken in 1948, the second after the addition of the 8 bunk "Penthouse" on the stern circa late-1953 - early 1954. When Hewell was built this deck area contained a 40mm AA gun mount which had been removed when the Navy acquired the ship. During cruises to the Pacific islands in 1950-51 there was a makeshift quarters with a tarp as a cover. The "penthouse" was added while in dry dock at Pearl Harbor in September/October 1951. Willard Adams USS Hewell October 1951 and April 1953.
    Hewell 52k
    View the USS Hewell (AG-145 / AKL-14)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Aggregate Crew List 1948 - 1954 Courtesy of Willard Adams
    Korean Ports of call during the Korean War Era
    19511-Ulsan
    19524- Chinhae5-Ulsan14-Pohang1-Suyong1-Inchon1-Pusan
    19534- Chinhae4-Ulsan10-Pohang1-Kunsan1-Inchon4-Pusan
    19541- Chinhae*1-Wonson North Korea4-Inchon2-Pusan
    *"The trip to Wonson on July 31 was to pick up 200 South Korean Marines and transport [them] back to South Korea at Chinhae. They were put in the two cargo holds [which were them covered]. The [South Korean] interpreter advising there would be no cigarette lighters or fire in the holds. When they got to Chinhae and opened the holds there were candles taped all over the bulkhead. Captain Preston was very upset to say the least."
    Willard Adams
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The fictional USS Reluctant from the movie "Mr. Roberts.
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Ship Photo Index Back To The Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG) Photo Index Back To The Light Cargo Ship (AKL) Photo Index
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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 12 March 2010