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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Phil Belliveau

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Uvalde (AKA-88)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Lima - Papa
 NHLP
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Kosher (1950-53)
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (3)
Fourth Row - Armed Force Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Dominican Republic) - Korean Presidential Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation
Fifth Row - Philippines Liberation Medal - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Andromeda Class Attack Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 27 March 1944, SS Wild Pigeon, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1188) at Moore Drydock Co., Oakland, CA.
  • Launched, 20 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS Uvalde (AKA-88), 18 August 1944, LCDR. William M. McCloy, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Uvalde (AKA-88) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Fourteen, COMO. D. L. Ryan USN (16);
     TransDiv Forty-One, CAPT. H.J. Wright USN and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaigns and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 9 April 1945

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

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    25 October to 1 November 19457 July to 21 August 1946
    27 June to 6 July 19466 November to 7 December 1946
    25 to 30 August 194630 September to 12 October 1947
    3 to 13 September 194831 January to 15 April 1948
    1 to 10 January 1951 

  • During Korean War USS Uvalde (AKA-88) participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Communist China Aggression
    16 to 21 December 1950    		 Second Korean Winter
    21 February 1952
    1 March 1952
    Korea, Summer-Fall 1953
    24 May 1953
    26 July 1953    		  

  • Decommissioned in 1957
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1960
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 1 July 1960, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Reinstated in the Naval Register, 1 September 1961
  • Recommissioned, 18 November 1961, Capt. C. A. Baldwin in command
  • Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1968
  • USS Uvalde earned one battle star for her World War II service and three battle stars for Korean War service
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 26 June 1969, at Little Creek, VA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping to Peck Iron and Metals Company, Inc., 26 June 1969, delivered, 22 July 1969
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,635 t.(lt) 14,200 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 4"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Total Accommodations
    Officers 36
    Enlisted 330
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Cargo Capacity 5,145 DWT
    non-refrigerated 440,00 Cu ft.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Boats
    six LCVP
    eight LCM
    two Gigs
    Cargo Capacity 5,275 DWT
    non-refrigerated 380,000 cu ft
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 11,190 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric geared turbine
    two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gears
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    one propeller, 6,000 shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Uvalde 1578k USS Uvalde (AKA-88) under way off the coast of California, 30 August 1944.
    US Navy photo taken from a Santa Ana based Blimp Squadron (ZP-31) Airship by LT. De Spelder.    		 David Buell
    Uvalde 149k USS Uvalde (AKA-88) underway, date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Uvalde 32k USS Uvalde (AKA-88) under way, date and location unknown.
    US National Archives Photo # USN 1044340 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Robert Hurst
    LSM-451 394k Ships berth at Mare Island, 12 February 1946, are from left to right;
    USS LSM-451,
    USS Montrose (APA-212),
    USS Uvalde (AKA-88),
    USS Arneb (AKA-56) and
    USS Haven (AH-12).
    Additional LSMs that can be identified include;
    USS LSM-428,
    USS LSM-350, and
    USS LSM-426,
    US Navy photo courtesy Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum photo.    		 Darryl Baker
    Uvalde 158k Amidship view looking aft of USS Uvalde (AKA-88) at Mare Island, 5 April 1946. Uvalde was under repair at Mare Island from 6 February to 12 March 1946.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # AKA 88 1394-46, 4/5/46    		 Darryl Baker
    Uvalde 120k USS Uvalde (AKA-88) outbound to sea from San Diego in 1954 for training exercises along the California coast. Robert L. Ruyle, RM1 USS Uvalde
    Uvalde 63k Broadside view of USS Uvalde (AKA-88) off Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 25 March 1957. Uvalde was in drydock at Mare Island from 7 February to 4 March 1957.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # AKA 88 33629-3-57, 3/25/57    		 Darryl Baker
    Uvalde 68k Bow on view of USS Uvalde (AKA-88) in the Mare Island Channel, 25 March 1957.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # AKA 88 33632-3-57, 3/25/57    		 Darryl Baker
    Uvalde 1470k Aerial vies of USS Uvalde (AKA-88) moored at Naval Station Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA., 28 may 1957. Other ships present include USS Rainier (AE-5) and USS George A. Johnson (DE-583). Photo source "San Francisco Examiner" photo archives. David Buell
    Uvalde 136k USS Uvalde (AKA-88) at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA., 3 January 1963 preparing for deployment. The laid up USS Massachusetts (BB-59) is to Uvalde's starboard. US Navy photo # NH 72672, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. US Naval Historical Center
    Uvalde 98k USS Uvalde (AKA-88) underway, date and location unknown. Phil Belliveau USS Uvalde 1967-68
    Uvalde 21k USS Uvalde (AKA-88) moored to a buoy at Malta, June 1967. Photo by Phil Belliveau USS Uvalde 1967-68
    Uvalde 89k Photo of USS Uvalde (AKA-88) on a reunion pin Tommy Trampp
    USS Uvalde Ships Patches
    Uvalde
    Contributed by Robert L. Ruyle, RM1 USS Uvalde    		 Uvalde
    Contributed by Robert L. Ruyle, RM1 USS Uvalde

    For more photos and information about USS Uvalde, see:
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • MARAD Vessel History Database
  • USS Uvalde (AKA-88) War Diaries August 1944 to October 1945 and Ship's History
  • Decommissioning Program
    • Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. McCloy, William M. USNR :RADM18 August 1944 - 13 September 1945
    02LT. Dilworth, Frank Claude USN13 September 1945 - 23 February 1946
    03CAPT. Mattie, Dominic Lewis USN (USNA 1929) :RADM23 February 1946 - 14 June 1946
    04LCDR. Pittard Jr., Grady C. USNR14 June 1946 - 20 June 1946
    05CDR. Oxley, Alfred James USNR20 June 1946 - 5 September 1946
    06CAPT. Madsen, Elwood Christian USN (USNA 1928)5 September 1946 - 14 January 1948
    07CDR. Estabrook Jr., William Sears USN (USNA 1930)14 January 1948 - 9 March 1949
    08CAPT. Garland, Guy Puett USN (USNA 1929)9 March 1949 - 13 March 1950
    09CAPT. Teuscher, Louis Frederick USN (USNA 1923)13 March 1950 - 21 June 1951
    10CAPT. Wilhelm, Ralph Arthur USN (USNA 1931)21 June 1951 - 25 September 1952
    11CAPT. Steinke, Frederick Samuel USN (USNA 1931)25 September 1952 - 18 December 1953
    12CAPT. Davenport, Roy Milton USN (USNA 1933)18 December 1953 - 25 May 1955
    13CAPT. Warfield, Thomas Glover USN (USNA 1932) :RADM25 May 1955 - 2 August 1956
    14CAPT. Beer, Robert Oakley USN (USNA 1932) :RADM2 August 1956 - 13 August 1957
    15CAPT. Fulghum, Benjamin Cornelius USN (USNA 1934)13 August 1957 - 2 January 1958
     Decommissioned2 January 1958 - 18 November 1961
    16CAPT. Baldwin, Charles Alexander USN 18 November 1961 - 19 December 1962
    17CAPT. Owen Jr., William David USN (USNA 1941)19 December 1962 - 20 December 1963
    18CAPT. Pennoyer III, Frederick William USN20 December 1963 - 4 December 1964
    19CAPT. Butler, Francis Andrew USN (USNA 1943)4 December 1964 - 25 November 1965
    20CAPT. Sherman Jr., John O. USN (USNA 1944)25 November 1965 - 18 November 1966
    21CAPT. Purkrabek, Paul V. USN (USNA 1945)18 November 1966 - 14 June 1968
    22CAPT. Smith, Russ Studebaker USN (USNA 1947)14 June 1968 - 29 November1968
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 19 May 2023