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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Whitley (AKA-91)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Kilo - Bravo
 NHKB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia or Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal

USS Whitley (AKA-91) was sold to Italy and renamed ITS Etna (A5328)
Andromeda Class Attack Cargo Ship
  • Laid down, 2 May 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1191), at Moore Drydock Co., Oakland, CA.
  • Launched, 22 June 1944
  • Commissioned USS Whitley (AKA-91), 21 September 1944, CDR. Albert C. Thompson, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Whitley was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Sixteen, COMO. J.B. McGovern USN;
     TransDiv Forty-Seven, CAPT. C.L. Hutton USN (20) and participated in the following Campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 to 27 February 1945

  • Following World War II USS Whitley was assigned to Occupation service for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    Asia - 24 September to 4 November 1945
    Europe - 4 to 19 June 1949
    Europe - 20 May to 14 June 1952
    Europe - 18 April to 2 May 1953
    Europe - 24 November to 13 December 1953
    Europe - 17 March to 10 April 1954
    Europe - 12 August to 7 September 1954

  • Decommissioned, 16 August 1955, at Charleston, S.C.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Charleston Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1960
  • USS Whitley earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Reinstated on the Naval Register, 1 December 1961
  • Loaned to Italy in February 1962, renamed ITS Etna (A5328)
  • Changed to NATO side number L9870 in 1962
  • Returned to the US Naval custody, 1 May 1973 and sold the same day to Italy
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 May 1973
  • Final Disposition, scrapped at Naples, July 1979
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,556 t.(lt) 14,200 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 4"
    Speed 16.t kts (trial)
    Total Accommodations
    Officers 36
    Enlisted 330
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Cargo Capacity 4,450 DWT
    non-refrigerated 440,000 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
    eight LCMs
    one LCP(L)
    fifteen LCVPs
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 11,190 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric steam turbine
    two Combustion Engineering boilers, 450psi 750°
    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
    USS Whitley (AKA-91)
    Whitley 75k USS Whitley (AKA-91) underway at Hampton Roads, VA., 11 August 1952. This was one of six later Moore-built units, (AKA 88-93), fitted during construction with lattice radar masts just forward of the stack. The radar mast also supports a yardarm for signal flag halyards. A small anti-aircraft fire control director is mounted on a stand forward of the radar mast.
    US Naval History and heritage Command photo # 483292    		 Mike Green
    Whitley 60k USS Whitley (AKA-91) moored pierside, pier 2 NOB, Norfolk, VA., July 1953. Photo by Larry Bohn
    Whitley
    100209112    		 141k Images of USS Whitley (AKA-91) antennae array while moored at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA. for an availability, 29 July 1953.
    12-Directly Astern view (AS390/SRC, SG-16, TBS, AN/SPS-6C, Rec, Antennae)
    13-Head On view (AS-390/SRC, SG-16, AN/SPS.6C, AT-150/SRC, AT-150/SRC [UHF])
    14-Bow view 45° rel. (AS-390/SRC, SG-16, AT-150/SRC, AN/SPS-6C, DAK-3)
    15-Broadside view
    16-Bow view 45° rel. (AT-150/SRC, TBS, XMR Antenna, AN/SPS.6C, AS-390/SRC, SG-16, DAK Ground Loop)
    17-Stern view 225° rel. (AN/SPS.6C, AS-390/SRC)    		 Robert Hurst
    Whitley
    100209113    		 156k
    Whitley
    100209114    		 176k
    Whitley
    100209115    		 179k
    Whitley
    100209116    		 163k
    Whitley
    100209117    		 176k
    Whitley 27k USS Whitley (AKA-91) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
    ITS Etna (A5328) (L9870)
    Whitley 1504k Ex-USS Whitley (AKA-91) in Italian naval service as ITS Etna (A5328) moored at Genoa, Italy in May 1962. Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    Whitley 74k ITS Etna (A5328) underway in 1963, location unknown. Photo by CAPT. Aldo Fraccaroli
    Whitley
    100209111    		 62k ITS Etna (A5328) crossing the navigable channel of Taranto, Italy, date unknown. Robert Hurst
    Whitley 45k ITS Etna (L9870) underway, circa 1968, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Whitley 75k ITS Etna (L9870) at anchor, circa 1970, location unknown.
    Italian Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Whitley 82k ITS Etna (L9870) at anchor at Malta, 31 August 1973. David Nixon
    Whitley 1039k ITS Etna (L9870) in the harbor at La Spezia, Italy, 5 October 1973. Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    Whitley 626k
    USS Whitley (AKA-91)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Thompson, Albert Clifford USNR21 September 1944 - 8 June 1946
    02CDR. Yancey, Evan White, USN (USNA 1931)8 June 1946 - June 1947
    03CDR. Vanous, William Winfred2 February 1948 - 22 September 1948
    04CAPT. O'Brien, William John USN (USNA 1925)22 September 1948 - May 1949
    05CAPT. Garcia, Edmund Ernest, USN (USNA 1927) :RADMMay 1949 - 10 September 1950
    06CAPT. Nicholas, Nicholas John USN (USNA 1932)10 September 1950 - ?
    07CAPT. McMullen, Dillon Robert USN (USNA 1933)November 1952 - October 1953
    08CAPT. Baker, Harold Edward USN (USNA 1932)October 1953 - November 1954
    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
    USS Whitley (AKA-91) War Diaries October 1944 to December 1945 and Action Report
    MARAD Vessel 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 28 April 2023