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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Gilmer (APD-11)
ex
 USS Gilmer (DD-233) (1920 - 1942)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Romeo - Bravo
 NERB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - Navy Unit Commendation - Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Defense Service Medal (with bronze star in lieu of Fleet clasp) - American Campaign Medal
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (7) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
 Personnel Awards

Purple Hearts (1-KIA, 3-WIA) 26 March 1945, Okinawa
Clemson Class Destroyer:
  • Laid Down, 25 June 1918, at New York Shipbuilding Co. Camden, N.J.
  • Launched, 24 May 1919
  • Commissioned USS Gilmer (Destroyer No. 233), 30 April 1920, LTjg. Harold J. Wright in command
  • Designated (DD-233) 17 July 1920
  • Decommissioned and laid up, 31 August 1938, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Recommissioned, 25 September 1939
  • Converted to a High-speed Transport at Seattle, WA. and redesignated (APD-11), 22 January 1943
  • During World War II USS Gilmer was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Eastern New Guinea operations
    Lae occupation, 4 September 1943
    Finschhafen occupation, 29 December 1943
    Saidor occupation, 2 January 1944     		Tinian operation
    23 June to 12 August 1944
    Bismarck Archipelago operation
    Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 26 December 1943     		Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 16 to 24 February 1945
    Hollandia operations
    Humboldt Bay, 22 April to 12 May 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 25 March to 9 April 1945
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 11 June 1944     		 

  • While assigned to Commander South Pacific Force and South Pacific Area USS Gilmer came under the command of TransDiv Sixteen
  • While assigned to Commander Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet USS Gilmer came under the command of TransDiv One Hundred-Two, CDR. J.N. Hughes, USN (31)
  • Following World War II USS Gilmer was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 September to 15 October 194522 October to 26 November 1945
    28 to 29 November 1945 

  • Decommissioned, 5 February 1946, at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 February 1946
  • USS Gilmer earned the Navy Unit Commendation in addition to seven battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping 3 December 1946
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,215 t.(lt) 1,780 t.(lim)
    Length 314' 4"
    Beam 30' 8"
    Draft 12' 3" (lim)
    Speed 31.6 kts.
    Complement
    8 officers
    98 enlisted
    Troops Capacity
    3 officers
    144 enlisted
    Boats 4 LCP(L) landing craft
    Armament
    three single 3"/50 cal. dual purpose gun mounts
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    five single 20mm AA gun mounts
    one depth charge rack
    four depth charge projectors
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 2,800 Bbls
    Diesel 50 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Westinghouse geared turbines
    two White-Forester boilers, 250psi Sat°
    two turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 26,500 shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Gilmer 169k Forward plan view of USS Gilmer (APD 11) at Navy Yard Mare Island, 27 November 1944. Gilmer was in the shipyard for overhaul from 23 September until 29 November 1944.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 7219-44    		 Darryl Baker
    Gilmer 128k Aft plan view of USS Gilmer (APD 11) at Navy Yard Mare Island, 27 November 1944. Gilmer was in the shipyard for overhaul from 23 September until 29 November 1944.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 7220-44    		 Darryl Baker
    Gilmer 306k USS Gilmer (APD 11) at Navy Yard Mare Island, 27 November 1944. Note details of 3"/50 Dual Purpose Guns, conical stacks, and LCPR landing craft.
    US National Archives, Photo # 19-N-76938, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Darryl Baker
    USS Gilmer (DD-233 / APD-11)
    Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    APD-10 Commanding Officers
    01CDR Horner, John Stuart, USN (USNA 1932)9 December 1942 - 29 December 1944
    02LT. Quant, Walter Clarence, USNR29 December 1944 - 5 February 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
    "The Green Dragons" Four-stack APD destroyer-transports in World War Two
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The USS Gilmer (DD-233) Page Back To The High-speed Transport (APD) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 16 October 2020