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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Leo (AKA-60)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Hotel - Papa
NHHP
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 (5) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)


Andromeda Class Attack Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 17 March 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 212) at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co, Kearny, N.J.
  • Launched, 29 July 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy, 29 August 1944
  • Commissioned USS Leo (AKA-60), 30 August 1944, CDR. Thomas E. Healey in command
  • During World War II USS Leo was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater;
    TransRon Fifteen, CAPT. W. S. Popham USN (14);
    TransDiv Forty-Five, CAPT. A.C. J. Sabalot USN (20) and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 to 28 February 1945
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 14 April 1945

  • Following World War II USS Leo was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal

    China Service Medal (extended)
    13 to 19 September 194511 to 17 October 1945
    4 April to 1 May 19462 to 20 November 1945
    7 to 18 September 19464 to 25 May 1946
     16 August to 2 September 1946
     5 to 24 February 1949

  • Assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) in 1946
  • Reassigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 1 October 1949 and redesignated (T-AKA-60)
  • During the Korean War USS Leo participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    First UN Counteroffensive
    10 to 20 March 1951
    6 and 10 to 17 April 1951
    Second Korean Winter
    10 to 15 and 18 to 21 December 1951
    29 December 1951 to 4 January 1952
    12 to 16 January 1952
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    28 April to 1 May 1951
    20 to 25 May 1951
    Third Korean Winter
    10 to 19 January 1953
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    25 June to 4 July 1951
    26 July to 4 August 1951
    23 August to 8 September 1951
    16 to 24 September 1951
    25 October to 1 November 1951
    10 to 21 November 1951
     

  • Decommissioned, 11 February 1955, at Long Beach, CA.
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration, 29 March 1960, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Permanent custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 30 June 1960
  • Struck from the Naval Register 1 July 1960
  • USS Leo earned two battle stars for World War II service and five battle stars for Korean War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 13 July 1976, to National Metal & Steel Corp., delivered 3 August 1976
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,556 t.(lt) 14,200 t.(lt)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 4" (lim)
    Speed 16.5 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 48
    Enlisted 351
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Cargo Capacity 4,900 DWT
    Non-refrigerated - 444,000 Cu ft.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Boats
    8 LCMs
    1 LCP(L)
    15 LCVPs
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO - 10,990 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric steam turbine
    two Foster Wheeler D-type boilers, 465psi 765°
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gears
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 6,000shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Leo 83k USS Leo (AKA-60) launching, 29 July 1944, at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co, Kearny, N.J. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Leo
    100206009
    740k Aerial view of USS Leo (AKA-60) underway outside New York harbor, 10 September 1944, by an aircraft assigned to Naval Air Station New York.
    U.S. Navy BUSHIPS photo # 19-N-71003.
    Nicholas Tiberio
    Leo
    100206008
    82k USS Leo (AKA-60) underway during the years immediately after World War II.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH83251. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1975.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Leo
    Australian War Memorial, Photo No.304358
    57k USS Leo (AKA-60) loading supplies destined for China at Nabu Wharf, Lorengau, Admiralty Islands in July, 1947. The frigate HMAS Condamine (K-698) is moored across the wharf.
    Australian War Memorial, Photo No.'s 304358 and 304360
    Mike Green
    Leo
    Australian War Memorial, Photo No.304360
    49k
    Leo 47k USS Leo (AKA-60) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    John Mccauley USN Retired
    Leo 837k USS Leo (AKA-60) moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    Photo courtesy the DEHM collection.
    Ed Zajkowski
    Leo
    100206007
    176k USS Leo (AKA-60) moored pierside circa 1954 on the Willamette River in Portland Oregon while transitioning to the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine

    USS Leo (AKA-60)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Healy, Thomas Edward, USNR30 August 1944 - 1 June 1945
    02LCDR. Mead Jr., Charles Hamden1 June 1945 - 19 September 1947
    03CAPT. Duryea, Harold E.19 September 1947 - 21 January 1949
    04CAPT. Lawver, Rowland Clifford21 January 1949 - 15 December 1950
    05CDR. Nolan Jr., Rathel Linwood, USN (USNA 1931)15 December 1950 - 11 March 1952
    06LCDR. Malboeuf, Paul David, USNR (acting CO)11 March 1952 - 21 April 1952
    05CDR. Nolan Jr., Rathel Linwood, USN (USNA 1931)21 April 1952 - 10 August 1952
    06CAPT. Walker, Robert Power, USN (USNA 1932)10 August 1952 - ?
    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
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Cargo Ship (AKA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 2 June 2023