Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

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 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
  • 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.
  • USS Whitley earned one battle star for World War II service
    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 60k USS Whitley (AKA-91) moored pierside, pier 2 NOB, Norfolk, VA., July 1953. Photo by Larry Bohn
    Whitley 27k USS Whitley (AKA-91) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
    Whitley 29k USS Whitley (AKA-91) underway, August 1952, location unknown.
    US National Archives photo # 60-G-483292, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    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 45k ITS Etna (L9870) underway, circa 1968, location unknown. 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)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Thompson, Albert C.21 September 1944 - ?
    02CAPT. Nicholas, Nicholas Johnno dates
    03CAPT. McMullen, Dillon Robertno dates
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Cargo Ship (AKA) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 12 October 2012