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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Briscoe (APA-65)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Mike - Victor
 NKMV
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Gilliam Class Attack Transport
  • Laid down, 29 March 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (S4-SE2-BD1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1858) at Consolidated Steel Corp, Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched 19 June 1944
  • Commissioned USS Briscoe (APA-65), 29 October 1944, CAPT. August J. Detzer Jr. USN in command
  • During World War II USS Briscoe was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Sixteen, COMO J. R. McGovern USN;
     TransDiv Forty-Six,COMO J. R. McGovern USN;
  • Following World War II USS Briscoe was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 to 9 September 29 September to 6 October 1945
    24 to 28 September 194524 October to 24 November 1945
    27 to 28 January 1946 

  • USS Briscoe (APA-65) was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.2.6 (Target Vessel Group - Merchant Type Units - Transport Division 93 (TRANSDIV 93) for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Decommissioned at Bikini Atoll, 29 August 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 13 July 1948
  • Final Disposition, sunk by USS Duluth (CL-87) off Kwajalein, 6 May 1948
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,247 t.(lt), 7,080 t.(fl)
    Length 426'
    Beam 58'
    Draft 16'
    Speed 16.9 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 35
    Enlisted 356
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 31
    Enlisted 718
    Largest Boom Capacity 15 t.
    Cargo Capacity 600 DWT
    non-refrigerated 85,000 cu. ft.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 9,695 Bbls
    Diesel 375 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Westinghouse steam turbines
    two Babcock & Wilcox D-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 250Kw 450V A.C.
     one turbo-drive 150Kw 450V A.C.
     two turbo-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    two propellers, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Gasconade 254k View of the wharf area Pearl Harbor Navy Yard from over the submarine base, 27 February 1946. Among ships present are:
    USS Barrow (APA-61),
    USS Brule (APA-66),
    USS Gasconade (APA-85), and
    USS Appling (APA-58);
    USS LST 219,
    USS LST 285,
    USS LST 388 and
    USS LST 52 with
    LCT 812 and
    LCT 414 embarked;
    USS Briscoe (APA-65) and
    USS Bladen (APA-63).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-361747, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Gasconade 182k Pearl Harbor Navy Yard amphibious ships alongside the wharf, 27 February 1946. Some are being prepared for target service at Bikini. Ships are (1st group):
    USS Briscoe (APA-65) and
    USS Bladen (APA-63)
    (second group):
    USS LST 52 with
    LCT 812 and
    LCT 414 embarked;
    USS LST 388 and
    USS LST 285,
    USS LST 219,
    third group):
    USS Appling (APA-58),
    USS Gasconade (APA-85),
    USS Barrow (APA-61), and
    USS Brule (APA-66).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-361731, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Gasconade 250k Aerial view of Pearl Harbor Navy Yard looking toward the drydock area from over the submarine base, 27 February 1946. Among the ships present are: seven Sims, McCall, Gridley, and Mahan class destroyers;
    USS Barrow (APA-61),
    USS Brule (APA-66),
    USS Gasconade (APA-85), and
    USS Appling (APA-58);
    USS LST 219,
    USS LST 285,
    USS LST 388 and
    USS LST 52 with
    LCT 812 and
    LCT 414 embarked;
    USS Briscoe (APA-65) and
    USS Bladen (APA-63).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-361740, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Briscoe
    100306501    		 70k USS Briscoe (APA-65) arriving at Bikini Atoll to serve as a target ship during Operation Crossroads, between 28 May and 1 June 1946.
    U.S. Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Naval Photographic Center film 428-NPC-18132 "Target Ships arriving at Bikini and Camera Towers at Aomoen Island, Bikini Atoll". This image is available in the holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration Archives Identifier (NAID) 80890.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Briscoe (APA-65)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Detzer Jr., August Jackson, USN (USNA 1921b)29 October 1944 - 7 January 1945
    02CDR. Miller, Carson, Rial, USN7 January 1945 - 25 April 1945
    03LCDR. Wallace, William Edward, USNR25 April 1945 - ?
    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 30 June 2023