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
Contributed by Mike Smolinksi

AKA / LKA-97 Merrick

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (28 February to 11 March 1967) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal - Antarctic Service Medal
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 2-Vietnam)- Vietnam Service Medal (6) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (10)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Andromeda Class Attack Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 19 October 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 219), at Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Kearney, N.J.
  • Launched, 28 January 1945
  • Commissioned USS Merrick (AKA-97), 31 March 1945
  • Decommissioned, 31 June 1946, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Recommissioned, 19 January 1952
  • During the Vietnam War Merrick (AKA-97) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnamese Defense
    6 to 2 July1965
    25-July to 5 August 1965
    19 to 27 August 1965
    19 September to 1 October 1965
    21 to 27 October 1965         		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    16 to 25 June 1968
    28 to 30 June 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    22 February to 3 March 1966
    24 March to 11-April 1966    		 Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    29 July to 20 August 1968
    31 August to 5 October 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    4 to 13 December 1966
    4 to 9 January 1967
    28 February to 11 March 1967
    19 March to 26 April 1967
    25 to 31 May 1967    		 Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    6 to 9 November 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 to 11 June 1967
    		 .

  • Redesignated Amphibious Cargo Ship (LKA-97), 1 January 1969
  • Decommissioned (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1976; Returned to the Maritime Administration
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1980
  • Merrick earned seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,556 t.(lt) 13,900 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 4"
    Speed 16 kts.
    Complement 247
    Cargo Capacity 4,450 dwt
    Armament
    one 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Boats
    eight LCMs
    one LCP(L)
    fifteen LCVPs
    Propulsion steam turbine, single shaft, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Merrick 31k Merrick (AKA-97) underway near Antarctica, circa 1947.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Merrick 55k Merrick (AKA-97) underway, date and place unknown. Gary Fields USS Merrick 1958-66
    Merrick 80k Merrick (AKA-97) standing out of San Francisco Bay about to pass under the Golden Gate Bridge, date unknown. Adam Hamner for his uncle M.O. Hamner USS Merrick
    View the Merrick (AKA / LKA-97)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
    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
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 8 April 2005