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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Harry Lee (APA-10)
ex
 USS Harry Lee (AP-17) (1940 - 1943)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Mike - Whiskey
 NIMW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Medal (with Fleet clasp)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (6)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Harry Lee Class Attack Transport:
  • Built in 1931 by New York Shipbuilding Corp, Camden, N.J. as SS Exochorda for the American Export Line
  • Acquired by the Navy, 30 October 1940
  • Renamed Harry Lee, and converted for naval service as a Transport at Tietjen and Lang Dry Dock Co., Hoboken, N.J.
  • Commissioned USS Harry Lee (AP-17), 27 December 1940, CAPT. Robert P. Hinrichs USN in command
  • During World War II USS Harry Lee was first assigned to the European Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Sicilian occupation
    Scoglitti, 10 to 12 July 1943     		Gilbert Islands operation
    Tarawa, 20 to 21 November 1943
    . Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 5 February 1944
    . Hollandia operation, 23 April 1944
    . Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Guam, 21 to 25 July 1944
    . Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 to 10 January 1945
    . Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 3 February to 6 March 1945

  • Reclassified an Attack Transport (APA-10), 1 February 1943
  • Decommissioned, 9 May 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • Sold to Turkey in April 1948, renamed SS Tarsus
  • Final Disposition, destroyed by fire, 14 December 1960, in a three ship collision in the Bosphorus Strait
  • USS Harry Lee received seven battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,989 t.(lt.) 14,520 t.(lim)
    Length 475' 4"
    Beam 61' 6"
    Draft 26' 4" (lim)
    Speed 15 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 37
    Enlisted 416
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 42
    Enlisted 917
    Armament
    AP-17 - two single 6" gun mounts, one forward, one aft, two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    APA-10 - four single 3'/50 dual purpose gun mounts, two twin 40mm AA gun mounts,
    Cargo Capacity 175,000 cu.ft.
    Fuel Capacity
    Navy Standard Fuel Oil 11,475 bbls.
    Diesel 475 bbls.
    Propulsion
    one New York Ship Building Co., Parsons design steam turbine
    four Babcock & Wilcox header type boilers 350psi 620°
    one Falk main reduction gear
    three turbo drive ships service generators, 1-320kW 120V D.C, 1-150kW 120V. D.C, 1-200kW 120V D.C.
    single shaft 7,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Harry Lee (AP-17)
    Harry Lee 157k
    Namesake

    Harry Lee was born in Washington, D.C., 4 June 1872 and was appointed second lieutenant in the Marine Corps for the war with Spain 2 August 1898. He served at the Havana Naval Station during the war and in various ships of the Navy and Marine Corps stations following it. Joining the 6th Regiment in 1917, Lee commanded It at Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, and the Argonne Forest and marched with the Army to the Rhine. After the war he commanded the Marine Brigade in Santo Domingo, sent in 1921 to pacify the country and establish constitutional government. For 3 years he served as military governor of the country. Later General Lee commanded Marine Barracks, Parris Island, and while in command of the Marine base at Quantico, Va., died 1 March 1933. For World War I service Major General Lee was awarded the Army and Navy Distinguished Service Medals, the French Legion of Honor, and other decorations.
    Digital ID: npcc 24108 Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division    		 Bill Gonyo
    Harry Lee 53k Harry Lee (AP-17) at Tietjen and Lang Dry Dock Co., Hoboken, NJ, circa October-December 1940, undergoing conversion for Naval service USS Harry Lee Web Site
    Courtesy Vincent L. Saldutti
    Heywood 91k From left to right USS William P. Biddle (AP-15), USS Heywood (AP-12), and USS Harry Lee (AP-17) underway in convoy to Iceland, circa 7 September 1941.
    US Navy photo # NH 47005, from the collection of US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Harry Lee 38k Harry Lee (AP-17) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "US Amphibious Ships and Craft," by Norman Friedman.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Harry Lee (APA-10)
    Harry Lee 51k USS Harry Lee (APA-10) underway, date and location unknown USS Harry Lee Biography of an Attack Transport
    Dr Steve Waszak
    Harry Lee 56k USS Harry Lee (APA-10) at Todd Shipyard, Brooklyn NY. circa. 1946 USS Harry Lee Biography of an Attack Transport
    Dr Steve Waszak
    Harry Lee 50k Oil painting of USS Harry Lee (APA-10) underway, date unknown. USS Harry Lee Web Site
    Courtesy Vincent L. Saldutti
    Painting by Jim Vannest
    Harry Lee 71k USS Harry Lee (APA-10) underway while a part of the Guam amphibious invasion force, July 1944. Photo taken from USS Ringgold (DD-500), Dwight Spayth collection. John Chiquoine
    Commanding Officers
    CAPT. Hinrichs, Robert Paul,27.12.1940
    CAPT. Whitfield, James W.,~1942 - ~1943
    CDR. Pomeroy, Joseph G.,~1943
    CAPT. Agnew, Dwight M., :RADMno date
    *Captain Whitfield was CO, USS Harry Lee AP-17, later APA-10, as the ship prepared to participate in Operation Torch (North African Landings) when the ship suffered a major engineering derangement on 22 October 1942. Captain Whitfield, his officers, boat crews and landing craft transferred to the newly commissioned Calvert and participated in the operation.
    Courtesy CAPT. Tom Glickman USN Ret. / Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    View the USS Harry Lee (APA-10)
    DANFS history entry Located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    An Alternate Source for the Harry Lee (APA-10) DANFS can be seen at
    The U.S.S. Harry Lee - A Biography of an Attack Transport Ship in WWII by Dr Steve Waszak
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Harry Lee (APA-10)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 27 March 2009