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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Tazewell (APA-209)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Papa - Echo
 NPPE
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
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Haskell Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, 2 June 1944, as a Maritime Commission (VC-2-S-AP5) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull MC 557) at Permanente Metals Corp.Yard Number 2, Richmond, CA.
  • Launched, 22 August 1944
  • Acquired by the US Navy from the Maritime Commission on loan-charter and commissioned USS Tazewell (APA-209), 25 October 1944, CDR. Herbert S. F. H. Olsen, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Tazewell was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Seventeen; COMO. T.B. Brittan USN (20);
     TransDiv Forty-Nine and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March to 30 April 1945

  • Following World War II USS Tazewell was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    12 to 27 October 194523 February to 4 March 1946
    6 to 19 May 1946 
    16 to 25 July 1946 
  • Decommissioned, 27 December 1946, San Francisco, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Towed to the Astoria Group Pacific Reserve Fleet, 26 July 1958
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1958
  • USS Tazewell earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 17 September 1967, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA. Group
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 11 December 1972, to Zidell Explorations Inc., (PD-X-951 dated 8 November 1972) for $51.000.00. Withdrawn for the Reserve Fleet, 9 January 1973
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Speed 17.7 kts (trial)
    Draft 24' (lim)
    Complement
    Officers 56
    Enlisted 480
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 87
    Enlisted 1,475
    Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.
    Cargo Capacity 2,900 DWT
    non-refrigerated 150,000 Cu. ft
    Boats
    two LCMs
    one open LCPL
    one covered LCPL (Captain's Gig)
    two LCPRs
    eighteen LCVPs
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 7,780 Bbls
    Diesel 970 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Westinghouse geared turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 465psi 750°
    double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gear
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Tazewell 54k USS Tazewell (APA-209) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    Photo from USS Lanier (APA-125) cruise book, 1944-46.    		 Russ Padden
    Tazewell 59k USS Tazewell (APA-209) in San Francisco Bay, in late 1945 or early 1946. She is returning troops from the Western Pacific to the United States as part of Operation "Magic Carpet."
    US Navy photo # NH 98749 donated by Boatswain's Mate First Class Robert G. Tippins, USN (Retired), 2003, to the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Tazewell 61k USS Tazewell (APA-209) moored pierside, circa 1945-46, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 83249 courtesy of D. M. McPherson, 1975.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Tazewell 65k USS Tazewell (APA-209) arriving at San Francisco bringing US veterans home from the Pacific war during the "Magic Carpet" operation, circa late-1945-1946. Russ Padden
    USS Tazewell (APA-209)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Olsen, Herbert S. F. H., USNR25 October 1944 - 15 June 1946
    02CDR. Norman, Robert Gentry, USN (USNA 1925)15 June 1946 - 27 December 1946
    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
    APA 209 Tazewell
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 19 May 2017